Beats, Rhymes & Life: A Cultural History of Hip-Hop

3 units

There is something cinematic about Hip-Hop. Indeed, the vividness of the genre's greatest lyricist or the evocative tonnage of its greatest producers are often described as feeling like a movie. Over the past 50 years, this phrasing has proven to be both figurative and literal. From Spike Lee's resonant usage of Public Enemy's rebellious Fight the Power in Do The Right Thing to Hype William's haunting rendering of Nas's One Love in Belly, Hip-Hop has functioned as the soundtrack and aesthetic muse for nearly a half-century of Black film making. In the second half of this yearlong Ampersand course, students will build upon the cultural history established in the fall semester to explore how Hip-Hop-inspired, re-imagined, and soundtracked the world of film. Over the course of the semester, students will engage with a wide array of films, including documentaries, independent films, biopics, music videos, live performances, and various feature films. Films will be supplemented with traditional and multimedia sources within Hip-Hop Studies and Film and Media Studies, including articles, books, interviews, magazines, lyrics, and photography. This course is for students in the 50 Years of Hip Hop Ampersand program only.