Rap Music Course Information

Course Description:
This course examines rap music as an artistic and sociological phenomena with emphasis on its
historical and political contexts. Discussions will include the co-existence of various hip-hop styles
(old and new school), their appropriation by the music industry, and controversies resulting from
the exploitation of hard core rap as a commodity for national and global consumption.

This course requires the use of a password-protected website: http://www.indiana.edu/~hiphop

Only students enrolled in the course will have access to the web site.

Required Texts:
Light, Alan. The Vibe History of Hip Hop. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999.

Perkins, William Eric ed. Dropping Science: Critical Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1996

Listening and Video Assignments
All CDs are on reserve under F389 in the Media Center (located in the Kent Cooper Reading
Room across from the Mail Library cafeteria) under F389. The Eyes on the Prize video series are
located in the general collection in the Media Center and in the Archives of African American Music
and Culture. Other videos are in the Archives of African American Music and Culture. Printed
materials (books, magazines, and journals on hip-hop can be found in the Neal-Marshall Cultural
Center Library and the Main Library.

The Archives of African American Music and Culture houses many materials on hip-hop including
CD's, magazines, photo-graphs, and radio shows that feature interviews with various artists, etc.
The Archive is located in the Smith Research Center, #180-181 on 10th St. and the By-Pass, the
building behind the old University School Gym. Hours are 9:00AM--5:00 P.M., Monday through
Friday (855-8547).

Final Grade will be based on:
(1) three essay exams
(2) one page written critique of song lyrics;
and (2) two, three-page take-home essay assignment.

The total points for each assignment will be converted to a 100% scale. Exams will consist of
short and extended essays (some will draw from recordings, song lyrics, and images.
Extra-credit assignments will not be given.
All take-home assignments must be typed, doubled-space, 12 pt. font.
Keep copies of all graded assignments until final grades are posted.

Due Dates & Exams

* Wk 4: Critique of Lyrics (1/29)
* Wk 6: Exam #1 (2/12)
* Wk 8: Assignment #1 (2/26)
* Wk 10: Assignment #2 (3/12)
* Wk 12: Exam #2 (3/26)
* Wk 16: Exam #3 (5/2)

Note: Points will be deducted from graded take-home assignments submitted late.

POINT SYSTEM EVALUATION. The following table represents the percentage scale and corresponding letter grades that will be used to determine the final grade. The total number of points will vary for each quiz and assignment. However, these points will be converted to a 100% scale. To determine the scale and your grade on each exam, multiply the % ranking times the total number of quiz points. For example, if the quiz constitutes a total of 70 pts, multiply .93 X 70 to determine the range for an A; .90 X 70 for an A-; .87 X 70 for a B+, etc. A+ = 70; A = 65-69; A- = 63-64; B+ = 61-62; etc. GRADING SCALE

TOTAL POSSIBLE PTS:

% Ranking Points Grade

100
93
90
87
83
80
77
73
70
67
63
60 100
93
90
87
83
80
77
73
70
67
63
60

*Please note that the content of this course contains some material that is sexually explicit and violent expressed with strong language.

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Last updated 31 Jan 2000