Course programme:
1) Introduction to Popular Music Studies (aims, methodologies and field of study);
2) Focus on hip hop culture and rap music origins (social contexts, African and African American cultural roots);
3) Diffusion of hip hop culture in Italy, focus on the musical production of the rapper Frankie hi-nrg mc;
4) Processes of production and analysis of rap music.
1) Richard Middleton, Che cos’è la popular music?, in Studiare la popular music, Feltrinelli, Milano 2001, pp. 19-24 (ed. or. Studying Popular Music, Open University Press, Buckingham 1990);
2) Philip Tagg, Analizzare la popular music: Teoria, Metodo e Pratica, in Popular Music. Da Kojak al Rave, Clueb, Bologna 1994, pp. 43-50 (ed. or. Analysing Popular Music: Theory, Method and Practice, «Popular Music», 2, 1982, pp. 37-67);
3) Allan F. Moore, Come si ascolta la popular music. Enciclopedia della musica, Volume 1, Einaudi, Torino 2001, pp. 701-718;
4) Fernando Orejuela, Rap and Hip Hop Culture, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2015, pp. 1-16, 40-79;
5) Maryse Souchard, Rap e protesta sociale. Enciclopedia della musica, Volume 1, Einaudi, Torino 2001, pp. 729-742;
6) Fabio Bernabei, Hip Hop Italia. Il rap italiano dalla brackdance alle rapstar, Imprimatur, Reggio Emilia 2014, pp. 7-9, 23-43;
7) Michele Monina, GeneRAPzione. Viaggio nell’hip hop italiano da Celentano a Fabri Fibra, Rizzoli, Milano 2007, pp. 29-37.
Learning Objectives
The overall aim of this course is to introduce students to Popular Music Studies as an academic discipline. More specific objectives will be:
- To develop students' understanding of the role of the social and cultural context in the development of a new musical genre;
- To deepen the knowledge of hip hop culture in Italy;
- To encourage reflection about the ways in which global hip hop contributes to producing local musics and local socialities;
- To develop students’ skills in analysing a rap song.
Prerequisites
None.
Teaching Methods
Lectures, class discussion, listening and analysis of musical examples.