Aims

•       To explore key concepts in Hip Hop culture
•       To relate these concepts to broader critical discourses in contemporary culture
•       To trace, through selected key works, the evolution of Hip Hop through traditions in Black American music.

Outline Of Syllabus

Lectures analyse key concepts in Hip Hop as a cultural movement comprising rap, turntablism, graffiti and break-dancing. The course will trace Hip Hop's evolution out of more established Black American music, particularly Jazz, R & B, Soul and Funk. The module will also try to assess the extent of its influence on wider cultural discourses and contemporary creative practice.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

•       The basis of the course is a recognition of Hip Hop as a multi-disciplinary subculture whose narratives and connect with contemporary cultural discourses on numerous levels
•       The lectures will introduce a critical approach to Hip Hop, Funk and Soul as part of a wider cultural discourse
•       The module will suggest new strategies and criteria for analysing contemporary popular music as well as its evolution through the 20th century and beyond.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

1. The essay will provide the opportunity to apply critical and analytical concepts and strategies to a specific area of work to be selected by the student from options provided at the start of the module.
2. It will demonstrate a critical engagement with the material based on concepts discussed during the course.
3. It will illustrate development in the student's capacity to apply critical thinking to specifically identified source material and examples