************************************************************* Music of African Americans: Hip Hop-Decoded MUS 307/AFR 317 Spring 2020 MRH 2.608 MWF 12-1pm Instructor: Dr. Charles Carson MBE 3.604 [email protected] (but please use Canvas) Twitter: @UT_Doc_C 512.232.9448 Office hours: W 1-2pm, or by appointment Teaching Assistants: Rose Bridges (Tuesday Sections) [email protected] (but please use Canvas) Office hours: T 3-4pm, or by appointment Jeannelle Ramirez (Thursday Sections) [email protected] (but please use Canvas) Office hours: Th 3-4pm, or by appointment I. Course Description: Generally speaking, this course is an introduction to the musical, social, cultural, and political elements of Hip Hop culture in the US, as interpreted through the development of its musical style. II. Course Aims and Objectives: Aims Beyond increasing familiarity with African American music and culture, a major goal of this course is to provide you with the tools to coexist--and indeed thrive--in a global context. Specific Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students will: ● Be able to recognize and describe general elements of African American cultural practices, including instruments/media, performance practice, and aesthetics. ● Discuss the ways in which these elements have influenced (and continue to influence) contemporary American society, especially with respect to hip hop and related genres. ● Critically assess expressions and representations of African American culture in music and media. ● Be able to apply these critical thinking skills in the context of other cultures, both historical and contemporary. III. Format and Procedures: This course will blend lecture and discussions. These content will center around a select body of readings, recordings, videos, and other media. Advance preparation is key to avoiding a “dry lecture” format, so please come to class prepared to discuss that day’s materials. As there is no TA for this course, I will be your primary contact for all your questions or comments. Other activities include: quizzes & assignments, and a final project to be explained in class. IV. My Assumptions I believe that diversity is good for the world. It opens up our eyes to other perspectives and possibilities, and can thus help move humankind forward. I also believe that the understanding of how identity works in general is key to understanding ourselves. While this course will focus primarily upon expressions of African American identity, I hope that we will foster greater patience, understanding, and respect for any and all peoples. By enrolling in this class, I assume that you are interested in taking such a journey. (By the way, the answer to question #5 on the syllabus quiz is C.) While I don’t expect you to agree with everything you hear, I do expect that you will put the utmost effort towards developing an appreciation for the musics and cultures discussed, as well as an awareness of music’s important role in the enrichment of the human spirit. This class is NOT intended for just music majors. No previous musical knowledge or experience is required to excel in this course. Keep in mind that listeners make up the largest (and arguably the most powerful) demographic of the music industry, so what you think and feel about the music is important. Music is all around you, and—however unknowingly—you have developed the tools to interpret, discuss, and critique it. This class is intended to hone those skills, augmenting them with information about the music’s technical and cultural contexts. A Word About Language Many of the recordings that we will encounter will utilize “colorful” language of various types. Whenever practicable, I have substituted edited versions of the examples if the edits do not dramatically affect the intention, meaning, or aesthetic of the song. However, some examples need to be heard in their original format. Consider this your fair warning. The inclusion of such examples is not intended to be offensive, merely to represent the realities of the musical soundscapes we encounter daily. V. Course Requirements: 1. Class attendance and participation policy: a. Attendance will be taken periodically. At the end of the semester, you will receive a percentage based on the number of absences you have accrued. For example, if we take attendance 20 times, and you are absent 10 of those times, you will receive a 50% for that “assignment” at the end of the semester. b. Unexcused absences are any absence for which you do not have a valid, verifiable excuse (university excuse, doctor’s note, funeral program, letter from a judge, etc.). Undocumented illnesses will be considered unexcused. c. Any absences or late arrivals/departures should be discussed with me well beforehand, so we can make the appropriate arrangements. d. YOU are responsible for any content that you miss due to absence, including readings, quizzes, or in-class activities. e. Late assignments will not be accepted, except in the case of EXCUSED absences. f. Please come on time, and be prepared to stay for the duration of class. Students who have issues getting to or from class in a timely manner should speak with me immediately, and will be handled on case-by-case basis. g. A Word about Conduct in the Classroom: This course will deal with some touchy issues, including race/ethnicity, class, and gender/sexuality issues. While I want you to feel comfortable to express your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, I ask that please be sensitive to those around you--we all come from a variety of backgrounds and belief systems (which is critical to the learning experience). Students who refuse to be respectful will be asked to leave. h. At the same time, however, I encourage you to challenge yourself and your assumptions about the world by embracing ideas that may be new or unfamiliar to you. This classroom is a safe environment with learning as our primary goal--let’s take advantage of that. i. If, at any time, you are made to feel uncomfortable, please do not hesitate to bring this to my attention after class. I am sure we can work through it. Religious Holy Days By UT Austin policy, you must notify me of your pending absence at least fourteen days prior to the date of observance of a religious holy day. If you must miss a class, an examination, a work assignment, or a project in order to observe a religious holy day, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence. 2. Discussion Sections: Attendance at discussion sections is mandatory. These sections are designed to allow students to engage with the material in a more individualized fashion. You will receive a grade for attendance/participation at these meetings, as well as any assignments that may be needed. 3. Course Readings/Materials: ○ Assorted readings, provided by the instructor and available online. ○ Recordings, provided by the instructor and available online. ○ CANVAS course site access (see technology policy) 4. Assignments, Assessment, and Evaluation a. Throughout this course, you will be expected to read and listen regularly. This is not only part of your preparation for this course, but also a part of your musical and intellectual development in general. Dates for readings/listenings on the syllabus are to be completed BY that date. Please come to class prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day, and submit all assignments online in a timely manner. b. The bulk of the coursework will consist of (online) quizzes, reading guides, assignments, and a one-time “DECODING” final project, which will be explained in class. c. No late assignments will be accepted. d. There will be NO Midterm Exam. e. NO FINAL EXAM for this class. Instead, you will complete a final project, which is due by the university scheduled final exam time. This will be submitted online, per the instructions I will give in class. f. Make-up quizzes will not be given. Should you fall too far behind, see me. Each quiz will be available online for AT LEAST two days, so you should plan to be able to complete them before the due date. 5. Technology Policies a. This class uses CANVAS (https://canvas.utexas.edu). If you are not familiar with it, please take some time NOW to get used to navigating the interface. 99% of course materials, announcements, etc. will be circulated via this courseware. b. This class has a twitter feed (@UT_Doc_C), which I will use to inform you about concerts, events, or updates in real time. While following me is not a requirement, you will want to check the twitter feed periodically. For those of you who do not use Twitter, I have embedded a Twitter feed widget on the main page of Canvas. Since this account is purely for educational purposes, I will not follow you back—nothing personal. c. In this “always connected” world we are used to being accessible anywhere, anytime. Consider this classroom a “sacred space” for us—a place where we can unplug for an hour and just listen and talk. Don’t ruin that space by bringing in the outside world! Please silence or turn off cell phones before class, and refrain from using them for the duration. If something is pressing, please excuse yourself (quietly) and use the phone somewhere else. However, it will be your responsibility to catch up on any material missed, so ask a friend to take notes for you. d. Please remove your earbuds before coming to class. Duh. e. While I encourage students to utilize technology in the classroom, I do have a “front row” laptop policy. Any person who wishes to use their computer for note-taking, must sit in the front two rows--no exceptions.