Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 06/25/02
ENH117 20026-99999	LEC	3 Credit(s)	3 Period(s)
Rap Literature: The Oral Tradition
Survey of selected rap poetry looking at the oral tradition of Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States as precursors to East Coast, West Coast, Southern, North Central, and International development of the genre. Investigation of cultural environments, historical events, competitions (the "battles"), artists' biographies, and parallel art forms as they relate to the analysis of the genre and its themes. Prerequisites: None.

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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
ENH117   20026-99999	Rap Literature: The Oral Tradition

1.	Describe the African Oral Traditions as a precursor/influence on rap literature. (I)
2.	Identify and analyze the cultural, historical, and thematic aspects of the birth of rap as a genre through review of the artists' biographies, poetry, and the parallel art forms. (I)
3.	Identify and analyze the cultural, historical, thematic, and competitive aspects of East Coast Rap through review of artists' biographies, poetry, and the parallel art forms. (II)
4.	Identify and analyze the cultural, historical, thematic, and competitive aspects of West Coast Rap through review of artists' biographies, poetry, and the parallel art forms. (III)
5.	Identify and analyze the cultural, historical, thematic, and competitive aspects of Southern Rap through review of artists' biographies, poetry, and the parallel art forms. (IV)
6.	Identify and analyze the cultural, historical, thematic, and competitive aspects of North Central Rap through review of artists' biographies, poetry, and the parallel art forms. (V)
7.	Identify and analyze selected International Rap. (VI)

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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
ENH117   20026-99999	Rap Literature: The Oral Tradition

I. African Oral Traditions A. Cultural environment 1. African influence a. The griot b. Music 2. Caribbean/Jamaican influence a. Language b. Music Jamaican dance hall scene 3. United States influence a. Rap precursors b. Birth of rap - African Diaspora blended to a new beat B. Historical events 1. Rap a. Afrika Bambaataa forms the Organization b. Bam's Zulu Nation/the Universal Zulu Nation c. MC's become spotlight d. Hip Hop Ambassadors to Europe e. Underworld rap become mainstream f. Other selected historical events 2. United States a. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Civil Rights Bill -- 1964 b. Malcolm X is assassinated in New York -- 1965 c. Congress passes Voting Rights Act -- 1965 d. Over 40 racial discrimination riots during summer -- 1967 e. Richard Nixon elected president - 1968 f. Other selected historical events C. Artists' biographies 1. D.J. Kool Herc 2. Afrika Bambaataa 3. Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five 4. Sugar Hill Gang/Cold Crush Brothers 5. Other selected artists D. Poetry (rap evolution) 1. "Apache" - national anthem for original b-boys 2. Classic breaks 3. Quick Mix 4. "Rapper's Delight" 5. Other selected works E. Themes 1. Self-determination 2. Creative freedom 3. Politics/government 4. Afrocentricity 5. Consciousness 6. Gangster 7. Social 8. Relationships 9. Materialism F. Parallel art forms 1. Break dancing - b-boys, break boys 2. Graffiti artists - tag and writer a. New York spray can - Blade and Phase 2 b. Philadelphia pen - Corn Bread & Top Cat 126 3. Musical techniques a. Quick Mix b. Needle Drop c. Scratching d. Sampling 4. DJ (Disc Jockey) toast forms a. Dr. Jocko b. Dr. Jive II. East Coast Rap A. Cultural environment B. Historical events 1. Malcolm X is assassinated in New York -- 1965 2. U.S. Census Bureau confirm white flight -- 1970 3. Congressional Black Caucus created -- 1971 4. Sanford and Son aired -- 1972 5. Blacks in journalism and sports 6. Tawana Brawley abduction/sexual story is concluded as fabricated - 1988 7. Other selected historical events C. Artists' biographies 1. The Last Poets 2. Afrika Bambaataa 3. Sugar Hill Gang 4. Grandmaster Flash 5. Gil Scott-Heron 6. Beastie Boys 7. Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls) 8. Lauryn Hill 9. Other selected artists D. Poetry 1. Say It Loud: Black Power and Beyond 2. "Planet Rock" and Soul Sonic Source 3. "Rapper's Delight" 4. "White Lines" and "The Message" 5. The Mind of Gil Scott-Heron: A Collection of Poetry and Music 6. Licensed to Ill and Ill Communication 7. "Big Pappa" 8. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 9. Other selected poetry E. Themes 1. Self-determination 2. Creative freedom 3. Politics/government 4. Afrocentricity 5. Consciousness 6. Gangster 7. Social 8. Relationships 9. Materialism F. Competition - The Battle G. Parallel art forms 1. Break dancing 2. Graffiti artists 3. Musical techniques 4. DJ-ing (Disc Jockey) III. West Coast Rap A. Cultural environment B. Historical events 1. Most serious U.S. Black-police racial disturbance in Watts -- 1965 2. Black Panther Party founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale -- 1966 3. March on Washington -- 1963 4. Gunfire with Eldridge Cleaver, the Black Panthers, and the police -- 1968 5. Rodney King-Los Angeles police incident – 1992 6. O. J. Simpson goes on trial - 1995 7. Other selected historical events C. Artists' biographies 1. Tupac Shakur 2. Public Enemy 3. Dr. Dre 4. NWA 5. Ice-T 6. MC Hammer 7. Other selected artists D. Poetry 1. "Keep Your Head High" and The Rose That Grew from Concrete 2. "Fight the Power" and It Takes a Nation of Millions 3. The Cronic 4. Straight Outta Compton 5. "Cop Killer" 6. Too Legit to Quit 7. Other selected poetry E. Themes 1. Self-determination 2. Creative freedom 3. Politics/government 4. Afrocentricity 5. Consciousness 6. Gangster 7. Social 8. Relationships 9. Materialism F. Competition – The Battle G. Parallel art forms 1. Break dancing 2. Graffiti artists 3. Musical techniques 4. DJ-ing IV. Southern Rap A. Cultural environment B. Historical events 1. During Sunday school, a bombing kills four girls in Birmingham -- 1963 2. President Kennedy killed in Dallas, Texas -- 1963 3. Martin Luther King, Jr., awarded the Nobel Peace Prize -- 1964 4. Three civil rights workers murdered in Mississippi -- 1964 5. Martin Luther King, Jr., publicly opposes the Vietnam War -- 1966 6. Martin Luther King, Jr., is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee – 1968 7. Space shuttle Challenger explodes after lift-off at Cape Canaveral - 1986 8. Rioting after young black man dies from police choke hold in Tampa – 1987 9. Other selected historical events C. Artists' biographies 1. Arrested Development 2. Erykah Badu 3. Other selected artists D. Poetry 1. "Tennessee" and 3 Years, 5 Months & 5 Days 2. "Bag Lady" & Erykah Badu Live 3. Other selected poetry E. Themes 1. Self-determination 2. Creative freedom 3. Politics/government 4. Afrocentricity 5. Consciousness 6. Gangster 7. Social 8. Relationships 9. Materialism F. Parallel art forms 1. Break dancing 2. Graffiti artists 3. Musical techniques 4. DJ-ing V. North Central Rap A. Cultural environment B. Historical events 1. Police-Black Youth disturbance over recreational use of fire hydrant in Chicago -- 1966 2. Jesse Jackson organizes People United to Save Humanity 3. Other selected historical events C. Artists' biographies 1. Common 2. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony 3. MC Sugar Rae Dinky 4. Other selected artists D. Poetry 1. Like Water for Chocolate and one day it'll all make sense 2. Creepin' on ah Come Up and "Crossroads" 3. "Cabrini Green" 4. Other selected poetry E. Themes 1. Self-determination 2. Creative freedom 3. Politics/government 4. Afrocentricity 5. Consciousness 6. Gangster 7. Social 8. Relationships 9. Materialism F. Parallel art forms 1. Break dancing 2. Graffiti artists 3. Musical techniques 4. DJ-ing VI. International Rap A. Africa B. Germany C. Japan D. Mexico E. England F. Other selected international areas

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