Hip Hop is continuing to find its way into curriculums across the country.
The latest Hip Hop-heavy course is titled “Politics of Kanye West: Black Genius and Sonic Aesthetics,” and will be taught at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
According to the professor for the course, who is also an associate professor in the African and African-American Studies and the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies departments, the ‘Ye-centric course will touch on “black genius and the impossibility of black genius for the American public.”
“I always wanted to teach a course looking at black genius and the impossibility of black genius for the American public,” Dr. Jeffrey McCune said while speaking with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We’re always thought of as maybe being articulate or smart but not really genius … Hip-hop is a way to show our creative genius. Kanye really uses hip-hop as a vehicle to display all of his talents, albeit some better than others.”
Additionally, McCune plans to use his course as a tool “to get students to connect issues of politics, race, gender, sexuality and culture.”
According to the course syllabus, the 75 students currently enrolled in the course can expect to delve into topics that include, “I Love Kanye, or How Critique Slips Into Hate” and “Love Lock Down, or Hip-Hop’s Queer Love Languages.”
For the collegiate student of Hip Hop, this month brings news of several courses that take their cue from Hip Hop.
In early January, it was revealed that Armstrong State University in Savannah, Georgia would offer an “Outkast and the Rise of the Hip Hop South” course.
In addition to the ‘Kast course at Armstrong, the topic of trap music will be taught as part of Georgia Tech’s new “Exploring the Lyrics of Outkast and Trap Music to Explore Politics of Social Justice” course.
this is why america is failing not because of racism, not cus of drugs, poverty or anything else but stupidity. This is really what your gonna study in university, not that a degree is worth much anymore. And even though its just one course come on, study something that will help you in life, something that will add to your knowledge. You wanna study Kanye do that shit at home, dont pay a uni prof to teach you.
Straight up
I disagree: 1) America is still thriving by every economic and socio-economic statistic; 2) this class is meant to encourage critical thinking like the humanities which in a day and age run by machines is much more important than any vocational skillset that can be taught and then outdated before you retire..
I guarantee everybody is gonna flunk this course because all these universities are doing is weeding out Weedheads, Hipsters, and Black Folks.
The world is to an end
A class of stupidity…excellence at it’s best
This sounds super practical! The future is in great hands.
Hmm.. imagine if this was about a White Genius and how the White Genius can help America… black racists would have a fit over this! This is a sign that the American Society is going down the drain and stupidity and racism has completely taken over. Im moving to Canada everybody here is bat shit crazy. Its like they are not even Human anymore, they are completly different species. Both blacks and whites dont have anything in common with the rest of the Worlds Human Population.
We need Nas, Hova & Rakim courses
A class about Delusion? I though that was covered in psyc class.
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.
Well, I think it’s cool.
Kanye is the last to be studied his music is overrated and he has only been around for 17 yrs.
It just a pity that I reside in South Africa. I would love to do”Politics of Kanye West” course. Dr Kanye West has played a vital role in my life. He has inspired me in many ways. For instance, he has made me to believe in myself.
Your taxes fund their subsidies and enabled courses like this.
Yall need to vote more.
Luckily, in this situation our taxes don’t fund this. Washington University is a private university.
Why Kanye? Kanye has maybe 3 good albums in my book, and the rest of his albums have fallen flat. At this point his views on politics and society aren’t even coherent. Why not a course on politics in hip hop in general? If it must be about a specific artist or group, why not 2pac, or Talib Kweli? Or maybe Dead Prez or someone like that? Having a course on Kanye’s politics is like having a course on the politics of a mentally unstable teenager.
Its obvious you have no idea the impact kanye has on are current culture in my opinion all of his albums are culture changing
WHAT culture nigga? You dont have one [or you make it up as you go]. Stop copying these Bullshit writer’s words like “Culture” you dont know shit about Hip Hop and Kanye only has about 3 good albums. All that artificially created media hype that you call IMPACT is total fucking Bullshit and you have been brainwashed.
Y’know, if they don’t teach anything after Watch the Throne then I’m cool.
I guess its a matter of time before Kim Kardashian gets a Women’s studies course
” I failed Women’s studies ? But I love b!tches” – Redman