THEA 295 Topics in Theater & Performance Studies
Topics vary from semester to semester. Specific topics may satisfy different Core Program requirements. This may be repeated twice for a maximum of eight units.
Hip Hop Performance
What are the intricate, performative aspects of hip hop culture? How is the performance of hip hop culture powerful, revealing, potent and contradictory, all at the same time? This course examines Hip Hop as performance, and exposes both the sacred ritual of “rockin’ the mic,” as well as the various modes of complex expressions that the culture has developed and delivered to the world. Together we will wrestle with the various performative practices of legendary rappers such as Jay Z, J Cole, Cardi B, Travis Scott, and Nicki Minaj. We will imagine hip hop performance as what occurs both on the stage through lyrics, music, and stage techniques, as well as how hip hop manifests as performance off the stage, through the crafting of image and the manipulation of (or being manipulated by) social and mass media. Course participants will comprehend various performative trajectories in hip hop couture, including the layered performance of women in hip hop, as well as hip hop as expressed in the LGBTQ+ communities, and how these diverse reflections compare, contrast, and ultimately merge to create a definitive, yet sometimes elusive statement about what it means to perform hip hop artistry in the 21st century. And finally, students will get the opportunity to learn hip hop performance techniques, and experiment with these techniques in a safe, non-pressurized environment. Additional Core Requirement Met: United States Diversity.