Week 07: Rodgers & Hammerstein

Rodgers & Hammerstein, "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" from Oklahoma!   (US, 1943)

Week 07: Rodgers & Hammerstein
Mo 10.01
Read: WARS—“Mutual Denials in the Hip Hop Wars” – “Six Guiding Principles for Creativity, Consumption, and Community in Hip Hop and Beyond”
Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“The Most Common Grammatical Errors—And How to Avoid Them”

We 10.03
Class: Writers workshop; Reading discussion
Due: EDITORIAL ESSAY (DRAFT 1; BRING 2 COPIES)

Upcoming:

Week 08: Judy Garland

Mo 10.08

Read: eR—“You Are What You Hear: What Your Favorite Music Says About You” (NPR Music), “Six Songs of Me” (GuardianMusic), “Does Music Define You?” (NPR Music)

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

Due: REFLECTION 04

We 10.10

Read: eR—“Music Defines Me” (Aggie Central), “The Sound of a Generation” (NPR Music), “The

Songs That Define Us” (ConversantLife) Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

Due: EDITORIAL ESSAY (FINAL DRAFT)

 

A Hip Hop Video Playlist: 1979 - 1992

De La Soul was influential during hip hop's early years

Here is a video playlist highlighting some of the biggest hits of the first dozen (or so) years of hip hop:

• The Sugarhill Gang, "Rapper's Delight" (1979) 
• Kurtis Blow, "The Breaks" (1980)
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, "The Message" (1982) 
• Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force, "Planet Rock" (1982)
• Grandmaster Melle Mel, "White Lines (Don't Do It)" (1983)  
• Whodini, "Freaks Come Out at Night"(1984)
• Run-DMC, "King of Rock" (1985)
• LL Cool J, "I Need Love" (1987)
  
• Beastie Boys, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)" (1987)
• Salt-N-Pepa, "Push It" (1988)
• Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, "It Takes Two" (1988)
• Neneh Cherry, "Buffalo Stance" (1988) 
• Jungle Brothers, "I'll House You" (1988) 
• Kid 'n Play, "Rollin' with Kid 'n Play" (1988) 
• Tone-Lōc, "Wild Thing" (1988)
• Queen Latifah ft. Monie Love, "Ladies First"(1989)
• Young MC, "Bust a Move" (1989)
• De La Soul, "Me, Myself, and I" (1989)
• LL Cool J, "Mama Said Knock You Out" (1990)
• A Tribe Called Quest, "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo"(1990)
• P.M. Dawn, "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (1991) 
• Monie Love, "Work it Out" (1991)
• DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, "Summertime" (1991) 
• Beastie Boys, "So What'cha Want" (1992)
• Arrested Development, "Tennessee" (1992)

Editorial Essay: The Hip Hop Wars

Can hip hop return to its roots?

In The Hip Hop Wars, Tricia Rose argues:

Hip Hop is in a terrible crisis. Although its overall fortunes have risen sharply, the most commercially promoted and financially successful hip hop—what has dominated mass-media outlets such as television, film, radio, and recording industries for a dozen years or so—has increasingly become a playground for caricatures of black gangstas, pimps, and hoes. Hyper-sexism has increased dramatically, and homophobia along with distorted, antisocial, self-destructive, and violent portraits of black masculinity have become rap's calling cards. Relying on an ever-narrowing range of images and themes, this commercial juggernaut has played a central role in the near-deception of what was once a vibrant, diverse, and complex popular genre, wringing it dry by pandering to America's racist and sexist lowest common denominator.

Is there any turning back for hip hop? Can a multi-million dollar industry abandon the motifs that made it popular and return to a simpler time? How does hip hop return to its roots? In a concise editorial, explain how you believe hip hop can be reclaimed. To support your thesis, cite evidence from The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop—and Why It Matters

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum
• Include a works cited page

The best papers:

• Have a title that articulates its point of view
• Stay within the parameters of the subject matter
• Have a concise thesis which clearly outlines a position
• Are written in a voice that is casual, yet informed
• Clearly support their thesis with solid evidence and a logical structure, citing from The Hip Hop Wars.
• Conclude with a summation of the argument
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Are in compliance with MLA Style

Sample editorials from around the country:

• "Red Light for Texting Drivers" (Miami Herald )
• "Hate Groups Don a Hood of Respectability" (Tennessean )
• "Who's Still Undecided?" (Los Angeles Times )
• "Atheists Lobby for a Separation of God and Country" (Oregonian )

Due: Wednesday, Oct. 3rd (Draft 1; Bring 2 copies)  

Music News: 09.27.12

• Justin Timberlake previews the new MySpace, "a social network for the creative community to connect to their fans" (Rolling Stone )
• Now #2 on Billboard: PSY's "Gangnam Style" storms the American charts (Entertainment Weekly )
• A British X Factor   contestant "believes" in Cher (Daily Mail )
• Move over Elvis, Lil' Wayne now the male with the most entries on  Billboard's Hot 100 (Huffington Post)
• In the music icon copyright dispute: MySpace- 1, Apple- 0 (PC Magazine )
• Why you won't see Lupe Fiasco pledge his allegiance to the US flag (MTV)

The Hip Hop Wars : Playlist

Kanye West and Jay-Z are as controversial as they are influential 

I've compiled a playlist of (most of) the songs mentioned in The Hip Hop Wars. For easy reference, I've also included the page numbers the songs appear on. This playlist will give you the opportunity to hear some of the music that has shaped the debate over hip hop.

The playlist can be found on this page under "Dropbox Documents."

Please note: Some of this songs on this playlist are very  adult in nature. If you suspect you might be offended by them, please do not feel obligated to listen to the songs. These songs are provided merely as supplemental material and will have no bearing on your grade for this unit.

Week 06: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson (featuring Janet Jackson), "Scream" (US #5, 1995)

Week 06: Michael Jackson
Mo 09.24
Read: WARS—“Just Keeping it Real” – “’There are Bitches and Hoes’”
Class: Watch—Excerpts from And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop  from VH1 (2004)
Due: EXPOSITORY ESSAY (FINAL DRAFT; ATTACH DRAFT 1 TO BACK)

We 09.26
Read: WARS—“We’re Not Role Models” – “Nobody Talks about the Positive in Hip Hop”
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“How to Build a Solid Argument”
Due: REFLECTION 03 

Upcoming:

Week 07: Rodgers & Hammerstein
Mo 10.01
Read: WARS—“Mutual Denials in the Hip Hop Wars” – “Six Guiding Principles for Creativity, Consumption, and Community in Hip Hop and Beyond”
Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“The Most Common Grammatical Errors—And How to Avoid Them”

We 10.03
Class: Writers workshop; Reading discussion
Due: EDITORIAL ESSAY (DRAFT 1; BRING 2 COPIES)

Music News: 09.21.12

• Pneumonia not enough to keep Panda down on The X Factor  (Vulture)
• The empire rises: Universal-EMI merger creates a daunting mega-label (Huffington Post )
• Elmo goes Gangnam (Extra )
• Fiona Apple busted for possession of hashish in Texas (Spin )
• 再見: Google's Chinese music downloading service to close (San Jose Mercury News )
• Will Les Miserables  the most ambitious musical ever? (Time )

Reflection 03: Just Sing, Sing a Song—The Disappearance of Singing in Public

There was a time in this country when Americans sang openly and freely in public. Singing wasn't just limited to elementary schools or churches, or during the holidays, it was a part of everyday American life. When pianos were commonplace in people's homes and families learned the latest songs through sheet music, singing enjoyed a place everywhere from trains to dinner parties. But over time, singing in public waned in America. in fact, today singing is largely a spectator sport, left for the pros or, at least, those with a halfway decent voice. Try leading a group of people in song at a mall and see how far you get. These days, there are fewer and fewer public spaces left for singing. And when we do sing, alcohol (so-called "liquid confidence") is often required to induce us. Can public singing in America come back? How often, if ever, do you sing in public? If you do sing, why and where? And if you don't, what holds you back?

Include at least three of the following in your discussion:

• "How Communal Singing Disappeared from American Life" Atlantic
• "How to Sing in Public and Survive" Chicago Tribune
• "The New Rules of Singing in Public" Los Angeles Magazine  
• "Raising Your Voice in Public at Community Sings" Star Tribune
• "Accidentally Singing in Public: Embarrassing or Endearing?" Entertainment Weekly
• "Karaoke Survival Guide: 10 Commandments" KQED

Note: You will have the opportunity for up to 5 extra credit points if you sing a verse or two of a song in front of the class.

Requirements:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full pages in length
• Must include a works cited page

Due: Wednesday, Sept. 26th

Week 05: 2Pac

2Pac, "Dear Mama" (US #51, 1992)

Week 05: 2Pac

Mo 09.17

Read: WARS—“Hip Hop Causes Violence” – “Hip Hop Hurts Black People”

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

We 09.19

Read: WARS—“Hip Hop is Destroying America’s Values” – “Hip Hop Demeans Women”

Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“On Wordiness: Exercises”
Due: EXPOSITORY ESSAY

Upcoming:
 
Week 06: Michael Jackson
Mo 09.24
Read: WARS—“Just Keeping it Real” – “’There are Bitches and Hoes’”
Class: Watch—Excerpts from And You Don’t Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop from VH1 (2004)

We 09.26
Read: WARS—“We’re Not Role Models” – “Nobody Talks about the Positive in Hip Hop”
Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“How to Build a Solid Argument”
Due: REFLECTION 03 

Note: My office hours have changed. Please note the new hours. 

Expository Essay: This is Your Brain on Music

Is music simply an evolutionary side effect or is it a legitimate part of human development?

Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker has argued that music is simply a byproduct of language, no more than an evolutionary “spandrel.” And he has dismissed music as “auditory cheesecake,” which “just happens to tickle several important parts of the brain in a highly pleasurable way, as cheesecake tickles the palate.” In fact, he claims that, “as far as biological cause and effect are concerned, music is useless.” Daniel J. Levitan takes the opposite view of music and, in This is Your Brain on Music, he attempts to refute Pinker’s theory by citing some of the latest cognitive science. In a concise essay, briefly outline some of Levitan’s key rebuttals of Pinker’s argument about music. Cite specific evidence from This is Your Brain on Music  to support your thesis.

Note: Levitan's official website includes an extensive playlist of songs mentioned in the book, along with an explanation of the musical concept illustrated in each. Find the list here.

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum
• Include a works cited page

The best papers will:

• Stay within the parameters of the prompt, detailing Levitan's rebuttal
• Have a concise thesis that both addresses the subject matter and  contains a viable argument
• Clearly support their thesis utilizing solid evidence presented in a logical structure
• Properly cite evidence from This is Your Brain on Music  using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of the main points
• Be formatted according to MLA Style 

Due: Wednesday, Sept. 19th
 

Music News: 09.14.12 (Hip Hop/R&B Edition)

Minaj says her Romney endorsement was just a joke

• FYI: Nicki Minaj is NOT a Romney supporter (Guardian )
• Chris Brown's new tattoo sure looks a lot like Rihanna's bruised face (Spin ) 
• Aspiring rapper dies just minutes after tweeting: "Drunk af going 120 drifting corners #F**kIt YOLO" (Huffington Post)
• Mindless Behavior, R&B's newest boy band, takes off (Variety )
• Kanye West's new song: "Mitt Romney don’t pay no tax" (Wall Street Journal )
• Beyoncé and Jay-Z to host a $40,000-a-head fundraiser for President Obama in NYC (New York Daily News )

Editing Marks Guide

Here is a guide to some of the editing symbols (some standard, some my own) you'll be seeing on your papers this semester.

˄  -  Insert
↑  -  Fix spacing issue (usually when text is not properly double-spaced)

→  -  Indent once
→→  -  Indent twice
+  -  Good point 
?  -  Meaning unclear
#  -  Add space
" "  -  Add quotation marks
¶  -  New paragraph 
Ҩ  -  Delete
2X  -  Double space
AWK  -  Awkward phrasing
CS  -  Comma splice
FRAG  -  Fragment
HEAD  -  Issue with the header
ITL  -  Italics—either add or remove
RO  -  Run-on sentence
SP  -  Spelling
SV  -  Subject-verb
TNR  -  Change to Times New Roman
WC  -  Word choice

WEEK 04: THE BEASTIE BOYS

 The Beastie Boys, "Intergalactic" (US #28, 1998)

Week 04: The Beastie Boys

Mo 09.10

Read: BRAIN—“Anticipation” – “After Dessert, Crick was Still Four Seats Away from Me”

Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“Citing Sources in MLA: The Basics”

We 09.12

Read: BRAIN—“What Makes a Musician?” – “The Music Instinct”

Class: Watch—“Gospel for Teens” from 60 Minutes  (2011); Lecture—“MLA Style 101”

Due: REFLECTION 02

Upcoming:

Week 05: 2Pac

Mo 09.17

Read: WARS—“Hip Hop Causes Violence” – “Hip Hop Hurts Black People”

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations

Due: EXPOSITORY ESSAY

We 09.19

Read: WARS—“Hip Hop is Destroying America’s Values” – “Hip Hop Demeans Women”

Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“On Wordiness: Exercises”

Note: My office hours have changed. Please note the new hours. 

Music News: 09.07.12

Longtime rivals Aguilera and Spears face-off on competing music competitions next week

• Britney Spears and X Factor  set to square off against Christina Aguilera and The Voice  (E!)
• It's complicated: The history of the word "bitch" in music  (NPR Music)
• R.E.M. to FOX News: "We have little or no respect for their puff adder brand of reportage. Our music does not belong there." (Rolling Stone )
• The beginning of the end?: Apple sets its sights on Pandora (Wall Street Journal )
• Relics, including Lady Gaga's meat dress, showcased in exhibit celebrating women in rock (Boston Globe )
• Coming soon: Fifty Shades of Grey —The Soundtrack (Marie Claire )

Reflection 02: As Heard on TV—Music and Commercials

Let's face it, music can have great influence over us and that includes the ability to sell us things. Advertisers have known this for decades, which is why commercials have been laden with music since the early days of radio. Today, music is still an integral part of commercials. Advertisers work diligently to find music that enhances the experience of a product, knowing that pairing the right song with the right product can result in increased profits. Additionally, many artists' songs have been resurrected, or plucked from obscurity, after being placed in a major commercial. For many artists, having "that song from that commercial" can translate into a considerable bump in album sales. For this reflection, you will examine three of the following commercials to assess the overall impact music has in the ads. (Note we are not looking at songs that are modified for a particular campaign, but songs that are used in their original form in order to help sell you something.) Each of these songs was chosen for a reason. But what do you think those reasons were? What likely was the desired effect? How is the product enhanced by this music? If you are already familiar with the song, how does your prior knowledge affect your appreciation of the ad or the product? Finally, do songs in advertising ever influence your own purchase of products?

  

Choose three of the following ads for your analysis:

1. Target's "Color Changes Everything" featuring "Alouette" by The Delta Rythmn Boys (2012)
2. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas' "Let Him Go" featuring Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2012)
3. Volkswagen Passat's "The Force" featuring John Williams' "The Imperial March" (2011)
4. The Gap's "The Skinny Black Pant" featuring AC/DC's "Back in Black" (2006)
5. Apple iPod's "Life is Random" featuring Caesers' "Jerk it Out" (2006)
6. Epic Games' Gears of War's "Mad World" featuring Gary Jules "Mad World" (2006)
7. Nicole Kidman and Rodrigo Santoro for Chanel, featuring Claude Debussy's "Claire de Lune" (2004)
8. Mitsubishi Eclipse's "Days Go By" featuring Dirty Vegas' "Days Go By" (2003) 
9. Mitsubishi Outlander's "Breathe" featuring Télépopmusik's "Breathe" (2002)
10. Volkswagen Jetta's "Big Day" featuring J. Ralph's "One Million Miles" (2001) 
11. The Gap's "Khaki Swing" featuring Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive, and Wail" (1998)
12. Diet Coke's "Diet Coke Break" featuring Etta James' "I Just Want to Make Love to You" (1994)
13. Cindy Crawford for Pepsi, featuring "Just One Look" by Doris Troy (1992)
14. Nike Air's "Revolution" featuring The Beatle's "Revolution" (1987)
15. Honda Scooters' "Don't Settle for Walking" featuring Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" (1986)

Required:

• Must be in MLA Style
• Must be two full pages in length

Due: Wednesday, Sept. 12th

WEEK 03: BUDDY HOLLY

Buddy Holly, "Peggy Sue" (US #3, 1957)

Week 03: Buddy Holly & The Crickets

Mo 09.03

NO CLASS—LABOR DAY

We 09.05

Read: BRAIN—“I Love Music and I Love Science—Why Would I Want to Mix the Two?” – “Behind the Curtain” 

Class: DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY 

Due: REFLECTION 01

Upcoming:

Week 04: The Beastie Boys

Mo 09.10

Read: BRAIN—“Anticipation” – “After Dessert, Crick was Still Four Seats Away from Me”

Class: Reading discussion; Lecture—“Citing Sources in MLA: The Basics”

We 09.12

Read: BRAIN—“What Makes a Musician?” – “The Music Instinct”

Class: Watch—“Gospel for Teens” from 60 Minutes  (2011); Lecture—“MLA Style 101”

Due: REFLECTION 02

Note: My office hours have changed. Please note the new hours.