What Makes Something Hip Hop?
Culture, Aesthetics & "The Culture"
A live Black History Month lecture exploring what defines hip hop culture beyond aesthetics, genre, and commercial labels.
Zoom link sent one hour before class
What You'll Explore
This class examines what defines hip hop beyond surface-level aesthetics. We will explore the foundational elements of hip hop culture—DJing, emceeing, graffiti, dance, fashion, and knowledge—while asking deeper questions about what makes something hip (Black), and what people actually mean when they say "the culture."
Through discussion and examples, participants will analyze how hip hop functions as a cultural logic rather than simply a genre or style, and how its meanings shift as it circulates globally, commercially, and politically.
Core Elements We'll Examine
DJing
The foundation of hip hop's sonic landscape and cultural innovation
Emceeing
Lyrical expression and the art of verbal communication
Graffiti
Visual art as cultural statement and urban expression
Dance
Movement, style, and physical embodiment of culture
Fashion
Style as identity, politics, and cultural signifier
Knowledge
Understanding hip hop as a cultural logic and intellectual tradition
Why This Matters
Go beyond surface-level understanding of hip hop as just music or fashion
Understand hip hop as a complex cultural logic with global implications
Explore what people really mean when they reference "the culture"
Analyze how hip hop's meanings shift across different contexts
Engage in meaningful discussion about Blackness, culture, and identity
Join This Black History Month Lecture
Deepen your understanding of hip hop culture through critical analysis and discussion
Live online lecture • Zoom link sent one hour before class