ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment 1 Due Monday February 10, 2003 [printer friendly version]

Common's "I Used to Lover H.E.R." (off his 1994 album Resurrection) is regarded as one of
the best songs ever written about Hip-hop (along with KRS One's "Emcees Act Like They
Don’t Know" and Dead Prez' "Hip Hop" -- Let’s Get Free). Common's use of
metaphor, analogy, and simile, tell the story of a 'girl' he knew and how she grew up.
I offer this song's lyrics to you as a roadmap for this course. Although written in 1994 (or
earlier) it brings us close enough to the present (Hip-hop has been stagnant since 1996) where
the reader can use it as a timeline as we read Hip-hop America.

Your assignment is to write a 2 to 3 page paper describing your experiences with Hip-hop. Please use SPECIFIC examples [places, songs, people] to back up your opinions. While an opinion paper, I will frown upon papers which do not come across as genuinely introspective in nature.

Alternatively, Erykah Badu and Common have teamed up on a new song called "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-hop)." After several listens, you will realize that it is an extension of "I Used to love H.E.R." with Erykah Badu describing her relationship with Hip-hop and Common giving us some insight into post 1994 Hip-hop. While there are several esoteric references which require prerequisite knowledge, as a challenge, write a 3 to 4 page paper breaking down the lyrics of this song and offering a critique of Common's final verse.

Assignment 2 Due Monday March 24, 2003 [printer friendly version]

In class we have looked at the early stages of Hip-hop and especially focused on the fact that there was very little 'supervision/control', as the culture began to emerge. Unlike the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Power movement, those in power did not embrace Hip-hop, forcing the culture to find its own way. In the early 1980s, graffiti began to capture the ire of NYC officials and measures were adopted to slow down that element of Hip-hop. Arguably, this was the inauguration of external forces attempting to clamp down on Hip-hop.

Your assignment is to write a paper which describes the effect external forces had on the early development (up until 1982 with NYC's attempts to end graffiti on subways) of Hip-hop. Be sure to describe the economic and social decisions made by NYC officials in the late 1960s and 1970s which spawned the birth of Hip-hop, as well as any major events in the early years which had a great impact on Hip-hop, but was not initiated by someone who was a practitioner of the movement.

Finally, decide (and thoroughly defend) if the external influences you describe helped or hindered the early progress of Hip-hop. Would Hip-hop have survived, or even evolved, if not for the 'black sheep' stigma which subsisted in its early years?

There is no page limit for this assignment. However, it is expected that you provide a succinct response to the above questions, without attempting to write a thesis on this subject. There are journals which are willing to accept such treatise on this topic -- I'll be glad to help you pursue such an undertaking.

CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT [VARIOUS DUE DATES] Printer friendly version

In class, we have discussed the fifth element of Hip-hop and its role on the culture. The fact that Hip-hop is over thirty years old, yet its practitioners are far younger, having an accurate account of Hip-hop history becomes vital. This assignment aims at trying to gain a greater understanding of where people get their attitudes/perceptions of Hip-hop culture.

To do this, we will perform a case study. There will be several parts to this case study. All work in this case study will be performed in groups of 3 (or more, with an increasing workload) and grades will be given to the entire group, except for the final paper. Each group is expected to create a project unique to its team members. There is no right/wrong project, the goal is to allow groups members to explore a problem space which interests them.

Here are the various parts of the project:

1. Web survey: Based on class discussions, I have taken the quantifiable questions and placed them on a web-accessible web survey. Each group should publicize this survey as you will be required to include results in your final paper. The website will remain active until April 11. By this date, I will also need (via e-mail) a list of metrics you are interested in. I will post all metrics on the web by April 15. Here is the website for the survey (don’t forget to take it yourself! Also send to ALL of your friends and their friends too!) http://classweb.gmu.edu/ajryan/nclc275_s03/survey.html
2. Interviews: You will be required to perform interviews with ‘people’ to delve
more into their views on Hip-hop. The survey deals with the closed questions, and the interviews give you an opportunity to ask open-ended questions. Remember, you must go out and talk to people form a cross section of America (not just people you know -- remember our demographic). Here are the number of people you must interview (depending on group size)
a. 3 People – 25 interviews
b. 4 people – 32 interviews
c. 5 people – 40 interviews
Top ten interviews (as decided by the group) should be transcribed. All video tapes will be turned in as part of the final deliverable. [30 percent]

The following is a list of questions which we came up with in class, but did not make the survey. Feel free to use these a starting point for your interviews:
§ Can you name the five elements of Hip-hop?
§ What’s the last album you purchased?
§ Is there a difference between rap and Hip-hop?
§ Who is the most important person in Hip-hop (present/ever)?
§ Who made the greatest contribution in Hip-hop?
§ Is Hip-hop a ‘Black’ thing?
§ What are five adjectives you would use to describe Hip-hop?
§ Are you a consumer of Hip-hop?
§ What is women’s role in Hip-hop?
§ How does Hip-hop culture tie-in with past movements in America?
3. Research: Each group is responsible for coming up with a set of questions they would like to answer in their final report. This should be 3 to 5 research questions which the group will look to hypothesize, research, and report on.
a. Hypothesize: The group should have an initial hypothesis on their research questions. This will serve as a starting point for your research. In order to for our research to be respected, you MUST do this upfront. [Due April 7]
b. Research: Perform a literature search and identify similar studies that have been done in the past. You should also look for articles, books, reports, lyrics which backup your initial hypothesis. [Due April 14]
c. Report: The group is responsible for a 7-10 page report which
summarizes their findings. This report will outline all of the above steps and also have a summary of your findings (I will provide you with a list of the required sections by April 14.) [Due May 5]
[50%]
4. Individual Reflection: Each group member is required to write a 3-5 page paper which describes their personal experience in undertaking this project and the course in general.
a. A few of the questions you may want to ask yourself: What have I learned? Has my view on Hip-hop changed? Do I see society in a different light? Was there a memorable moment that stood out? [20%]

Assignment 3 Due Monday April 21, 2003 [printer friendly version]

Based on our April 7th in-class discussion on veracity in Hip-hop, your assignment is to write a paper which analyzes the lyrics of a Hip-hop artist and their lives. Are there any inconsistencies in their lyrical message and their true persona? Describe how these inconsistencies (if any) play a role in Hip-hop culture -- both internally (inside the culture) and externally (the mainstream's perception of Hip-hop). Admittedly, much of this assignment builds off of our in-class discussion, please consult with one of your group members for more information.

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