Generally, the music he was listening to is not my favorite type of rap - and I am confident that as he (and his tastes) mature - he will find that the commercial rap loses its appeal and that the more thought provoking hip hop out there will catch his eye (or ear).
"Dangerous Other" Assignment
This assignment is to be done after a thorough class discussion about what it means to be a youth in our country/world - and why some might call a youth (or a youth of a different nationality) a "dangerous other."
1st) Each student is to find a song (that they like) that they think parents DO NOT want their children to listen to - they are to bring the lyrics into class
2nd) Each student is to find a song that they listened to at some point WITH their parents and bring the lyrics to class
3rd) Each student is to compare and contrast the songs - why one might be more appropriate than the other and why - this will be a paragraph or two of writing
4th) Students who wish to share will be able to play a song with the lyrics up on the overhead and the class will talk about the song - if it is appropriate and why - who the audience is - what the song is trying to say - if the song is pure or simply a marketing ploy - what is left out of the songs - stereotypes in the song - how it defeats or promotes this idea of "dangerous other" - whether the song is timeless or just a fad - what genre - why it is or isn't popular - etc.
1st) Each student is to find a song (that they like) that they think parents DO NOT want their children to listen to - they are to bring the lyrics into class
2nd) Each student is to find a song that they listened to at some point WITH their parents and bring the lyrics to class
3rd) Each student is to compare and contrast the songs - why one might be more appropriate than the other and why - this will be a paragraph or two of writing
4th) Students who wish to share will be able to play a song with the lyrics up on the overhead and the class will talk about the song - if it is appropriate and why - who the audience is - what the song is trying to say - if the song is pure or simply a marketing ploy - what is left out of the songs - stereotypes in the song - how it defeats or promotes this idea of "dangerous other" - whether the song is timeless or just a fad - what genre - why it is or isn't popular - etc.
Why We Love Gangster Rap - Assignment
This lesson will begin with this:
Then a talk about the fact that many, many, many suburban white folks purchase rap (look at this article, and maybe this article, maybe this article, maybe even this article amongst others) and what are the implications of such a thing.
Then watch this:
Talk about it. Watch this:
Watch this:
Talk about it. Possibly look at a survey like this and its implications.
Watch this:
Talk about it. Perhaps look at something like this or this.
Check this out:
What I hope is coming across here - without seeming redundant - is that there is a ton being said about rap/hip hop on both sides of the issue (is it "good" or "bad" for us). The undeniable facts are the following: people like it - people buy it. The jury seems to still be out over its implications and possible side effects. I think that you could go many places with this material in the classroom and that such a rich topic and something so permeating in students' lives should not be limited to one class day.
I would love for this to be an ongoing discussion in my classroom (hopefully students would bring in things throughout the year that make them think) and also have at least a week to think over these issues and really look at rap/hip hop - in their lives and outside of their lives - and think about how it is seen, purchased, consumed, insulted, promoted, defended, ignored and generated.
Such a current and present thing - such as rap/hip hop - is denied much of its power since it is seen by old fogies as being just a new thing for youngsters. As the decades pass and hip hop remains - it is time to culturally accept its implications and its status as a worldwide art form and look at it more critically and deeply - as we have classic art for centuries.
I could think of any number of things that I would want students to do: write about what we talked about, write their own songs, bring in their own songs and videos, create videos, etc. - but my hope is that this would open up discussion and critical thinking throughout the rest of the year so that we can elevate the level of speech and not simply clash on the issue and throw it out altogether.
Then a talk about the fact that many, many, many suburban white folks purchase rap (look at this article, and maybe this article, maybe this article, maybe even this article amongst others) and what are the implications of such a thing.
Then watch this:
Talk about it. Watch this:
Watch this:
Talk about it. Possibly look at a survey like this and its implications.
Watch this:
Talk about it. Perhaps look at something like this or this.
Check this out:
What I hope is coming across here - without seeming redundant - is that there is a ton being said about rap/hip hop on both sides of the issue (is it "good" or "bad" for us). The undeniable facts are the following: people like it - people buy it. The jury seems to still be out over its implications and possible side effects. I think that you could go many places with this material in the classroom and that such a rich topic and something so permeating in students' lives should not be limited to one class day.
I would love for this to be an ongoing discussion in my classroom (hopefully students would bring in things throughout the year that make them think) and also have at least a week to think over these issues and really look at rap/hip hop - in their lives and outside of their lives - and think about how it is seen, purchased, consumed, insulted, promoted, defended, ignored and generated.
Such a current and present thing - such as rap/hip hop - is denied much of its power since it is seen by old fogies as being just a new thing for youngsters. As the decades pass and hip hop remains - it is time to culturally accept its implications and its status as a worldwide art form and look at it more critically and deeply - as we have classic art for centuries.
I could think of any number of things that I would want students to do: write about what we talked about, write their own songs, bring in their own songs and videos, create videos, etc. - but my hope is that this would open up discussion and critical thinking throughout the rest of the year so that we can elevate the level of speech and not simply clash on the issue and throw it out altogether.
Joe, good post. I liked the assignment and how you are having the student think about music and not just listen to it. So often people draw conclusions about music based on what they hear others say, this assignment will really allow the students to examine and come up with conclusions of their own.
ReplyDeleteHey, Joe.
ReplyDeleteI like the videos and links you chose. I already use a couple of them in my Mass Media class when we study rap and hip-hop, but it is a great to get some new resources.
I agree that one of the most important things we can do is to get the students to stop being passive absorbers of the music and other elements of youth culture that the marketers shove into their collective consciousness every day, and instead help them discover how to think critically about it.
Unfortunately, too many of my students come in with a lax attitude about what they're ingesting every day, thinking that it really doesn't affect them. Having them watch some of these videos and then some of the others I've talked about in my blog usually is enough to move them from a place of complacency to one of contemplation. And you know what? Some days that seems like a whole lot.