AFRS 55T-01 HIIP HOP CULTURE: P O P ULT URE

GLOBALIIZATIION,, MASCULIINIITY,, AND REPRESENTATIION GLOBAL ZAT ON MASCUL N TY AND REPRESENTAT ON

T. HASAN JOHNSON, PH.D.
SPRING 2012

Course Meeting Time: T/Th 3:30-4:45pm Class Location: Social Science Bldg., Rm. #112 Phone: (559) 278-8805

Email: THJohnson@csufresno.edu Office Location: Science Building 1, Rm#168 Office Hours: Mon 1:45-2:45pm; T/Th 1112pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION The roots of Hip-Hop music can be traced to West African Bantu and Mende cultures prior to the enslavement of African people. However, Hip Hop was formally created by poor African Americans, Puerto Ricans, and West Indians from the Bronx, in New Yorks toughest neighborhoods. Over the decades, Rap music has blossomed into a corporate owned, media produced, multi-billion dollar enterprise that exploits and normalizes the most negative representations of stereotypical Blackness. Despite this, underground Hip Hop culture has become an international form of cultural expression and resistance rooted in a long history of African Diaspora aesthetic production and political struggle. Thus, Hip Hop is both a form of cultural and political resistance and an exploitive capitalistic venture. This course will examine the ways in which Hip-Hop can be both a positive force for change and a negative exploitive force, while paying tribute to the spaces it provides for the youth to communicate new ideas and new ways of defining reality. We will explore break dancing, graffiti art, beat boxing, entrepreneurship, lyrical styles, subject matter, production styles, and significant movements within mainstream and underground Hip Hop culture. REQUIRED COURSE TEXTS Julius Bailey, Jay-z: Essays on Hip Hop's Philosopher King. Jefferson, McFarland & Company Press (2011). ISBN: 0786463295 Jeff Chang, Cant Stop, Wont Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation. New York: St. Martins Press (2005). ISBN: 0312425791 Murray Foreman and Mark Anthony Neal, That's the Joint!: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. New York: Routledge (2011). ISBN: 0415873266 Online weekly PDF reading assignments posted on BlackBoard. NC:

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GRADING PLAN

Attendance Quizzes (2) Midterm Exam Critical Analysis Presentation

(10%) (40%) (20%) (30%)

GRADING CRITERIA 90 100+ A 80 - 89 B 70 - 79 C 60 - 69 D (59 and under is an F)

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS Achievement of the preceding goals will be demonstrated by satisfactory completion of exams, papers, group work projects, and class attendance outlined below. 1. Attendance (10%): Students are expected to attend class and participate regularly.
CATEGORY
Consistency

+8-10 PT
Student attends class regularly.

A T T EN DA N CE + 5 -7 P T
Student attends class partially.

+2-4 PT
Student attends class irregularly.

2. Quizzes (2) (40%): Four online quizzes on BlackBoard will be given to assess student progression.
Q UI Z R UBR IC + 5 -6 P T

CATEGORY

+9-10 PT

+7-8 PT

3 -4 P T

+0 -2PT

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Errors

Completen ess

Most (90100%) of the answers have no errors. Answers are complete and presented in a neat, clear, organized fashion.

Almost all (8089+%) answers have no errors. Answers are mostly complete and are presented in a neat and organized fashion that is usually easy to read.

Some (70-79+%) of the answers have no errors. Answers are mostly incomplete and are presented in an organized fashion but may be hard to read at times.

Some (60-69+%) of the answers have no errors. Answers are fairly incomplete and are presented in an somewhat organized fashion but are often hard to read at times.

Most (0-59%) answers have errors.

Answers are incomplete and appear sloppy and unorganized.

3. Midterm (20%): Midterm exam will be given at mid-semester to assess student progression.
M IDT ERM R UBR IC +15-17 PT +13-16 PT
Almost all (8089+%) answers have no errors. Answers are mostly complete and are presented in a neat and organized fashion that is usually easy to read. Some (70-79+%) of the answers have no errors. Answers are mostly incomplete and are presented in an organized fashion but may be hard to read at times.

CATEGORY
Errors

+18-20 PT
Most (90100%) of the answers have no errors. Answers are complete and presented in a neat, clear, organized fashion.

+9-12 PT
Some (60-69+%) of the answers have no errors. Answers are fairly incomplete and are presented in an somewhat organized fashion but are often hard to read at times.

+ 0 -8 P T
Most (0-59%) answers have errors. Answers are incomplete and appear sloppy and unorganized.

Completen ess

4. Radio Group Presentation (30%): Students will give two presentations, one in class in groups regarding one facet of Hip-Hop they choose, and the other on air on the campus radio station critically analyzing song, using a small portion of their previous presentation. Handouts will be given later in the semester to this effect. The presentations should discuss the social and political significance Hip-Hop.

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CATEGORY
Preparedness

GRO U P PRO PO S A L PR ES EN T A T IO N R UBRI C +9-10pts +6-8pts +4-6pts

Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed. Stays on topic all (90100%) of the time. Speaks clearly and audibly all (90-100%) the time, and does not mispronounce words. Looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye contact. Uses details of skills learned in class. Shows a good understanding of concepts learned in class. Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals. Stays on topic most (70-80+%) of the time. Speaks clearly and audibly all (70-80+%) the time, but mispronounces a word. Establishes some eye contact. Shows a good understanding of concepts learned in class. The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking. Stays on topic some (50-60+%) of the time. Speaks clearly and audibly most (5060+%) of the time. Mispronounces several words. Establish a limited amount of eye contact. Shows a good understanding of parts of the article presented.

+ 0 -3

Student does not seem at all prepared to present. It was hard to tell what the topic was. Often mumbles or cannot be understood OR mispronounces a number of words. Does not establish eye contact. Does not seem to understand the article very well.

Stays on Topic

Speaks Clearly and Audibly

Content

COURSE OBJECTIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Examine the relationships between Africana aesthetic productions and African American musical traditions. Examine the complex relationship between media social constructions, representation, and globalization in the African Diaspora. Enhance student understanding of various political conditions that influence cultural movements in Hip Hop. Explore the various ways Hip Hop musicians are analyzed, interpreted, and discussed in popular culture. Explore the role of the underground/non-traditional Hip Hop scene and its cultural and political relevance. LEARNING OUTCOMES At the conclusion of the course, students should be able to: 1. Identify and explain the various movements and issues in Hip Hop. 2. Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between various Hip Hop artists and their representations. 3. Explain the African Diaspora historical and political conditions that gave rise to ideas about history, meaning, and cultural practices in Hip-Hop. 4. Articulate issues of gender in Hip Hop and compare it to the representation of Hip Hop in the media. ASSESSMENT The weekly student-led discussions will assess student ability to discuss the issues covered in the class and the readings. 2. The mid-term and quizzes will assess student ability to review, integrate, and synthesize the material covered in the readings and class meetings. 1.

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3. Radio group presentations will assess student understanding of class lectures and course materials, while illustrating their creative capacity to apply tools learned in class to potentially new contexts and situations, live on the radio. HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS COURSE If you are not used to reading a lot, GET USED TO IT!!! This course is the equivalent of a course offered at any UC, Cal State, or private college/university (USC, Stanford, Chapman, Pomona, etc.). Therefore, the reading load for this course is heavy. It is expected that you spend a minimum of at least six (6) hours a week on the reading and preparation for this course. There may be times when you will feel overwhelmed by the reading material. However, here are some suggestions that may help you along the way: 1) Find a quiet space away from any distractions so that you can concentrate fully on the reading assignments. 2) When you are doing the reading, do it as if you are on a mission. This means that you should look for the main ideas, concepts, and arguments in each textbook chapter, article, and document that is assigned. Ask yourself questions when you read: What are the main points in this chapter/article/document? What does the author of the textbook/article/document want me to know? 3) Outline and/or summarize the assigned chapters, articles, and documents in your notes. When you are reading chapters from the textbooks, look for headings and subheadings. Write down the main points that are addressed under each heading and subheading. When you are reading articles or documents, outline the points that are made in each paragraph of the article or document. 4) DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!! While it is human nature to wait until the last possible minute to do the work assigned for your classes, this strategy has been proven, time and time again, to lead to a student's downfall. Do not wait until the night before a quiz/exam to do all of the reading that the quiz/exam will cover. If you do, you will find yourself trying to cram a large amount of reading material that most likely you will not remember when you take the quiz/exam. The reading for this course has been broken up so that you will have reading assigned for days when there will not be a quiz. It is extremely important that you do the reading assignments for those days so that you will not have to cram at the last minute for quizzes or exams. In addition, the readings will help you to understand the lectures for those days on which they are assigned. 5) Review your notes after you have written them!! 6) If it is possible, form study groups with your colleagues. Obtain the phone numbers of some of your colleagues and schedule times when you can get together and discuss the readings. 7) If you are having trouble with the concepts addressed in the readings, do not hesitate to contact me. CLASS POLICIES A. Attendance, Tardiness, and Absences: In order to do well in this class, attendance is MANDATORY. If for any reason you need to miss class, you must call or e-mail me in advance. A class roster will be circulated during each class meeting. It is the students responsibility to sign it. The student is also responsible for securing notes on class lectures

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and announcements. ARRIVE ON TIME!! Late arrivals disrupt the lecture and you may miss important announcements as well as lecture material. B. Cell phone policy: cell phones may be kept on vibrate or silent only. If a call must be answered, it must be answered outside of the class. No text messaging or emailing should be done in class. In the best interest of the class, please be considerate of your classmates by following these guidelines. C. Make-up essays and extensions of due dates: Permission for approved absences must be submitted in writing prior to missing class. Requests for an extension or make-up opportunity must be submitted prior to the assignment due date, in writing. However, submission of request in no way guarantees professors approval. D. Participation: Even though this class is primarily a lecture course, active, not passive participation in class is a MUST. By active, I do not mean just being in class physically. Active participation entails being engaged with the material and being able to comment / critique the readings and films. I will not hesitate to call on you, so it would be in your best interest to come to class prepared to discuss the issues addressed in the material. In borderline cases, your participation level will determine your final grade. UNIVERSITY POLICIES STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Upon identifying themselves to the instructor and the university, students with disabilities will receive reasonable accommodation for learning and evaluation. For more information, contact Services to Students with Disabilities in Madden Library 1049 (278-2811). CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM: Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one's grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another student to do so. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. However, it is the intent of this definition that the term 'cheating' not be limited to examination situations only, but that it include any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material (i.e., their intellectual property) so used as one's own work. Penalties for cheating and plagiarism range from a 0 or F on a particular assignment, through an F for the course, to expulsion from the university. For more information on the University's policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer to the Class Schedule (Legal Notices on Cheating and Plagiarism) or the University Catalog (Policies and Regulations). Any student wishing to submit a written assignment that is the partial or entire product of work completed for another course must FIRST obtain WRITTEN permission from the instructor specifying the extent to which the earlier work is acceptable, and also include a copy of the earlier work with the current submission. Note that in NO case is a paper that was prepared for another course acceptable as a submission in the General Education courses. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the initiation of actions regarding breaches of policy on Cheating and Plagiarism. COMPUTERS:

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At California State University, Fresno, computers and communications links to remote resources are recognized as being integral to the education and research experience. Every student is required to have his/her own computer or have other personal access to a workstation (including a modem and a printer) with all the recommended software. The minimum and recommended standards for the workstations and software, which may vary by academic major, are updated periodically and are available from Information Technology Services (http://www/csufresno.edu/ITS/) or the University Bookstore. In the curriculum and class assignments, students are presumed to have 24-hour access to a computer workstation and the necessary communication links to the University's information resources. DISRUPTIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: The classroom is a special environment in which students and faculty come together to promote learning and growth. It is essential to this learning environment that respect for the rights of others seeking to learn, respect for the professionalism of the instructor, and the general goals of academic freedom are maintained. Differences of viewpoint or concerns should be expressed in terms which are supportive of the learning process, creating an environment in which students and faculty may learn to reason with clarity and compassion, to share of themselves without losing their identities, and to develop and understanding of the community in which they live. Student conduct which disrupts the learning process shall not be tolerated and may lead to disciplinary action and/or removal from class. COPYRIGHT POLICY: Copyright laws and fair use policies protect the rights of those who have produced the material. The copy in this course has been provided for private study, scholarship, or research. Other uses may require permission from the copyright holder. The user of this work is responsible for adhering to copyright law of the U.S. (Title 17, U.S. Code). To help you familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright web page. http://www.lib.csufresno.edu/libraryinformation/campus/copyright/copyrtpolicyfull.pdf Digital Campus course web sites contain material protected by copyrights held by the instructor, other individuals or institutions. Such material is used for educational purposes in accord with copyright law and/or with permission given by the owners of the original material. You may download one copy of the materials on any single computer for non-commercial, personal, or educational purposes only, provided that you (1) do not modify it, (2) use it only for the duration of this course, and (3) include both this notice and any copyright notice originally included with the material. Beyond this use, no material from the course web site may be copied, reproduced, re-published, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way without the permission of the original copyright holder. The instructor assumes no responsibility for individuals who improperly use copyrighted material placed on the web site. HONOR CODE: Members of the CSU Fresno academic community adhere to principles of academic integrity and mutual respect while engaged in university work and related activities. You should: a) understand or seek clarification about expectations for academic integrity in this course (including no cheating, plagiarism and inappropriate collaboration)

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b) neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on examinations or other course work that is used by the instructor as the basis of grading. c) take responsibility to monitor academic dishonesty in any form and to report it to the instructor or other appropriate official for action. Instructors may require students to sign a statement at the end of all exams and assignments that "I have done my own work and have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this work." If you are going to use this statement, include it here. Please refer to the policies document at http://academicaffairs.csufresno.edu/undergrad_studies/RequiredSyllabusPolicyStatements.htm SPECIAL NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change in relation to the needs of the class (and in the best interest of learning) as assessed by the instructor.

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