HH106
Hip Hop Music
Music 106HH
Spring 2011
Instructor : Glen Garrett Office : Cy 209
Credit : 3 Units Phone : ex3172
Day Fridays Email : glen.r.garrett@csun.edu
Time : 2pm-4:45pm Office Hours : M&W 9am-10am
Location : Cy 159 F 1pm-2pm
Course Description: This course is a historical survey of Hip Hop culture and its ”Four Elements”. Particular emphasis will be placed on the music that accompanies Hip Hop culture and how this music resembles and differs from other, perhaps more traditional, styles of music. The course will examine the roots of Hip Hop culture, both musical and cultural and trace its emergence as an urban- based sub culture. We will learn that there are many precedents, both European and African, for the characteristics that are associated with Hip Hop culture, its music, dances and rhymes. Some of these precedents became important influences, while others did not. The course will show how the history of Hip Hop in many ways parallels the histories of other African American styles of music and dance. The way these styles have historically been appropriated and commercialized by the media and the music industry appears to be part of a recurrent cycle. The story of Hip Hop exemplifies in many ways the strange relationship that exists between “art” and the capitalistic economy in which it must survive. Embodied in the story of Hip Hop are some of the most controversial issues of our time. While the course will not pretend to find answers for any of these questions, neither will it shy away from them. Students will be expected and encouraged to do critical thinking and be prepared to discuss some very sensitive topics, namely: sexism, politics, racism, anti-Semitism, obscenity, crime, religion and 1st Amendment rights. Because this is a music course we will define and examine the characteristics of music and how those characteristics work as
Music 106HH
Spring 2011
Instructor : Glen Garrett Office : Cy 209
Credit : 3 Units Phone : ex3172
Day Fridays Email : glen.r.garrett@csun.edu
Time : 2pm-4:45pm Office Hours : M&W 9am-10am
Location : Cy 159 F 1pm-2pm
Course Description: This course is a historical survey of Hip Hop culture and its ”Four Elements”. Particular emphasis will be placed on the music that accompanies Hip Hop culture and how this music resembles and differs from other, perhaps more traditional, styles of music. The course will examine the roots of Hip Hop culture, both musical and cultural and trace its emergence as an urban- based sub culture. We will learn that there are many precedents, both European and African, for the characteristics that are associated with Hip Hop culture, its music, dances and rhymes. Some of these precedents became important influences, while others did not. The course will show how the history of Hip Hop in many ways parallels the histories of other African American styles of music and dance. The way these styles have historically been appropriated and commercialized by the media and the music industry appears to be part of a recurrent cycle. The story of Hip Hop exemplifies in many ways the strange relationship that exists between “art” and the capitalistic economy in which it must survive. Embodied in the story of Hip Hop are some of the most controversial issues of our time. While the course will not pretend to find answers for any of these questions, neither will it shy away from them. Students will be expected and encouraged to do critical thinking and be prepared to discuss some very sensitive topics, namely: sexism, politics, racism, anti-Semitism, obscenity, crime, religion and 1st Amendment rights. Because this is a music course we will define and examine the characteristics of music and how those characteristics work as