The Carolina Hip Hop Institute: MUSC 156, 157, and 286
Unlike most of our Course of the Week features, this week we’re featuring three at once. All three courses are available in the *new* 11-day program, called the Carolina Hip Hop Institute. The Institute will immerse students into the art and culture of hip hop. Students choose from one of three courses: MUSC 156 (Beat Making Lab), MUSC 157 (Rap Lab) and MUSC 286 (Hip Hop Dance) and earn three hours of college credit to satisfy VP (visual and performing arts) requirements. Instructors are experienced, professional artist-educators who will work with students to develop their artistry as well as foster skills in entrepreneurship and conflict transformation through hip hop.
No audition is required, but students should be committed to learning or developing skills in rap, beatmaking, or dance; some experience is helpful but not required. Students must be enrolled in this First Session course by May 15 although the start date is later.
MUSC 156: Beat Making Lab
An introductory hands-on study of the composition of electronic instrumental tracks for hip-hop and dance music. Students make beats, learn about the history and culture of the art form, and examine beat making as a case study in entrepreneurship.
MUSC 156: Rap Lab
A hands-on study of the art of emceeing. Students engage in a rigorous lyricism curriculum, developing the skills to write, recite, and improvise lyrics in live and recorded settings. Students also explore the history of hip-hop culture and analyze the aesthetics of emcees from around the world.
MUSC 286: Hip Hop Dance and Culture
Music as Culture: This course studies hip hop dance and music in the framework of its social, political, economic, and cultural contexts.
For more information on the Carolina Hip Hop Institute, and how to register,
contact Professor Mark Katz at mkatz@unc.edu or view the Institute’s home page, here.