UCC/UGC/ECCC
Proposal for New Course
Please attach proposed Syllabus in approved university format.
CCJ 313: Rap, Crime and
1. Course subject and number: Justice
2. Units:
See upper and lower division undergraduate course definitions.
4. Academic Unit:
3. College:
SBS
3
Criminology and Criminal
Justice
5. Student Learning Outcomes of the new course. (Resources & Examples for Developing Course Learning
Outcomes)
At the end of this course students will be able to…
Use the racial/ethnic and economic roots of hip/hop culture and rap music as the context for critically examining issues of
crime and justice through class discussions and reflective journal assignments.
Analyze the notion of “keepin’ it real” (the struggle for authenticity) inherent in this music and how it relates to the real
life experiences of crime, violence, gangs and the drug trade by decoding and reflecting upon the specific content of
songs, their relationship to the lives of the artists performing them, and what they say about the realities of crime and
justice.
Critically assess the role of social power and the criminal code of the streets in creating and limiting social identities (such
as those based on gender, race, and social class). This will be done through song analysis and critical thinking reflections
based on their readings as well as their midterm and final project assessments.
Identify and critically analyze the connections between law enforcement responses to crime and criminality and elements
of hip hop culture by exploring the legal risks associated with rap music and criminality. This will happen through the
written analysis of legal cases and police response.
6. Justification for new course, including how the course contributes to degree program outcomes,
or other university requirements / student learning outcomes. (Resources, Examples & Tools for Developing
Effective Program Student Learning Outcomes).
The CCJ Department seeks, as one of its main program goals, “to educate students on how social forces influence
lawmaking, approaches to criminal justice, perceptions and experiences of justice; and how, in turn, criminal justice
trends influence society”. In the last 20 years, rap music has become a critical expression of the social forces that impact
criminal justice (drugs, poverty, gangs, violence, racism) and has, in turn, also become the vehicle for the ongoing critique
of criminal justice trends (police use of force, mass incarceration, drug policies). The links between this music, its
creators, crime, and social justice have, in essence, made it the soundtrack for issues of crime and justice today.
Effective Fall 2012
This course explores these links in a criminal justice context. As the learning objectives explain, the course examines how
rap music exposes the lived realities of victims and criminals and how it is the vehicle by which popular misconceptions
of criminal justice are exposed and challenged. It exposes rap as the social expression of criminology theories (i.e.
differential social organization) and teaches students to see criminological theory in action while also forcing them to
respond to its challenges through self-reflection and social action. Finally, it enables students to confront the power
structures that have shaped the lived realities of crime and justice found in this music and to understand the role it still
plays in shaping the culture of criminality into which they must venture as professionals.
A course focused on rap music, crime and justice is therefore essential for our students, as many of them will become CJ
professionals, working with individuals raised on this music not as entertainment but as the mechanism for the
transference of the code of the streets, the rule book for how to live in dangerous, crime ridden neighborhoods. Without
the opportunity to unpack its messages and understand its role in shaping/reflecting social culture generally and criminal
justice specifically, our students are less prepared to meet the professional challenges ahead and the Department less able
to meet its overall program goals.
7. Effective BEGINNING of what term and year?
See effective dates calendar.
Spring, 2016
8. Long course title: RAP, CRIME AND JUSTICE
(max 100 characters including spaces)
9. Short course title: RAP, CRIME AND JUSTICE
(max. 30 characters including spaces)
10. Catalog course description (max. 60 words, excluding requisites):
Rap reflects the realities of crime/ justice while encouraging resistance to criminal justice
abuses of power. This course critically examines rap music (origin, artist, content, impact), hip
hop’s cultural movement, gangsta rap’s challenge to this pro-social movement, connections
between rap and gangs, drugs, crime and violence as well as advocacy against these
elements, and analyzes rap’s critiques of CJ policies and power structures. (suggested prereq ES 270: The Genius of Hip Hop)
11. Will this course be part of any plan (major, minor or certificate) or sub plan (emphasis)?
Yes
If yes, include the appropriate plan proposal.
(Upper division CJ elective)
No
12. Does this course duplicate content of existing courses?
Yes
No
If yes, list the courses with duplicate material. If the duplication is greater than 20%, explain why
NAU should establish this course.
13. Will this course impact any other academic unit’s enrollment or plan(s)?
Yes
No
If yes, describe the impact. If applicable, include evidence of notification to and/or response from
each impacted academic unit
It may actually increase the enrollment of Ethnic Studies courses on hip hop. CCJ’s course is
a junior level course with a large enrollment (75 students) and a specific emphasis on rap and
crime. Ethnic Studies currently offers two courses, one at the sophomore and one at the
senior/graduate level which focus on hip hop more broadly (graffiti, break dancing, DJing,
Effective Fall 2012
etc.) through the ethnic studies lens as opposed to the crime and justice lens. As a result of
the popularity of the CCJ course currently, CCJ students have been also taking the Ethnic
Studies courses in order to broaden and perhaps even deepen their knowledge in this area.
As Ethnic Studies is a small department, it is our hope that our course falls into a natural
progression for student interested in hip hop and may actually increase Ethnic Studies
enrollment. See attached support memo from Ethnic Studies.
14. Grading option:
Letter grade
Pass/Fail
Both
15. Co-convened with:
n/a
14a. UGC approval date*:
(For example: ESE 450 and ESE 550) See co-convening policy.
*Must be approved by UGC before UCC submission, and both course syllabi must be presented.
16. Cross-listed with:
n/a
(For example: ES 450 and DIS 450) See cross listing policy.
Please submit a single cross-listed syllabus that will be used for all cross-listed courses.
17. May course be repeated for additional units?
16a. If yes, maximum units allowed?
16b. If yes, may course be repeated for additional units in the same term?
Yes
No
Yes
No
18. Prerequisites:
n/a
If prerequisites, include the rationale for the prerequisites.
We are listing ES 270: The Genius of Hip Hop as a suggested pre-req.
19. Co requisites:
n/a
If co requisites, include the rationale for the co requisites.
20. Does this course include combined lecture and lab components?
Yes
No
If yes, include the units specific to each component in the course description above.
Dr. Rebecca Maniglia, Associate
Professor (Jaimee Limmer, CCJ
Instructor has also expressed an
21. Names of the current faculty qualified to teach this course: interest)
22. Classes scheduled before the regular term begins and/or after the regular term ends may require
additional action. Review “see description” and “see impacts” for “Classes Starting/Ending
Outside Regular Term” under the heading “Forms”
http://nau.edu/Registrar/Faculty-Resources/Schedule-of-Classes-Maintenance/.
Do you anticipate this course will be scheduled outside the regular term?
Answer 22-23 for UCC/ECCC only:
Effective Fall 2012
Yes
No
23. Is this course being proposed for Liberal Studies designation?
If yes, include a Liberal Studies proposal and syllabus with this proposal.
Yes
24. Is this course being proposed for Diversity designation?
If yes, include a Diversity proposal and syllabus with this proposal.
Yes
No
FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN CAMPUS
Scott Galland
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
3/30/2015
Date
Approvals:
Department Chair/Unit Head (if appropriate)
Date
4/20/2015
Chair of college curriculum committee
Date
4/20/2015
Dean of college
Date
For Committee use only:
UCC/UGC Approval
Approved as submitted:
Approved as modified:
Date
Yes
Yes
No
No
EXTENDED CAMPUSES
Reviewed by Curriculum Process Associate
Date
Approvals:
Academic Unit Head
Effective Fall 2012
Date
No
Division Curriculum Committee (Yuma, Yavapai, or Personalized Learning)
Date
Division Administrator in Extended Campuses (Yuma, Yavapai, or Personalized
Learning)
Date
Faculty Chair of Extended Campuses Curriculum Committee (Yuma, Yavapai, or
Personalized Learning)
Date
Chief Academic Officer; Extended Campuses (or Designee)
Date
Approved as submitted:
Approved as modified:
Yes
Yes
No
No
From: William H Huffman
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 9:04 AM
To: Stuart S Galland
Subject: RE: Approval/Signature Request: CCJ 313 , CCJ 496
here you go..... signed, sealed and delivered!
William Huffman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
928-523-9508
Fax: 928-523-7185
From: Angelina Elizabeth Castagno
Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 12:31 PM
To: Rebecca Lynn Maniglia
Cc: Phoebe Ann Morgan; Marianne October Nielsen
Subject: update on CCJ course
Hi Rebecca and all,
The Ethnic Studies Program appreciates that CCJ will offer this course at the 300-level and note ES 270 as a suggested prerequisite. We also appreciate the newer syllabus and the clearer focus on the unique CCJ perspective that your course offers. We
believe this course will offer students a nice progression of ideas and learning from ES 270 to your course to ES 470. We support the
development of this course, and hope that CCJ will considering focusing this course on being offered during Fall semesters, with ES
focusing our offerings during Spring semesters.
-Angelina
Angelina E. Castagno, PhD
Director, Ethnic Studies Program
Associate Professor, Educational Leadership & Foundations
Northern Arizona University
Effective Fall 2012
P.O. Box 15320
SBS West 100D
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5320
(928) 523-3057
Educated in Whiteness: Good intentions and diversity in schools
http://upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/educated-in-whiteness
CCJ 313 RAP, CRIME AND JUSTICE
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOR SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:35-10:50
SAMPLE SYLLABUS
Dr. Rebecca Maniglia
Phone:928-523-6652
Office Hours: SBS 335, 12:30-2:00 T/R
Email: Rebecca.Maniglia@nau.edu
COURSE PRE-REQUISITES
While this course is taught specifically from a criminal justice framework, it has no pre-requisites and
is open to all students.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Since its inception, rap music has been used by minorities to tell the unspoken stories of crime and
justice—crime, drugs, gangs, and poverty (as related to racism, resiliency, hopeless and
survival). While sometimes viewed as just entertainment, rap music is, for many, the mechanism by
which the criminal code of the streets (the rulebook) is passed from one generation to the next while
also being the primary mechanism for encouraging resistance to criminal justice system abuses. Thus
for any student seeking to understand crime and justice, an understanding and respect of the music
and its role in criminality and street culture is essential.
This is a criminal justice course and as such you will be asked to critically examine and interact with
the music and its creators but in the specific context of issues related to criminal justice, police,
prisons, gangs and violence. We will briefly examine the history of hip hop as a cultural movement,
focusing then on the emergence of gangsta rap as a challenge to the pro-social origins of hip hop and
the expression of crime and resistance from the streets. We will then explore the intimate
connections rap music has to gangs, drugs, crime and violence as well as its efforts to advocate
against these elements. We will also critically assess the critiques rap (and the “keepin’ it real”
movement) makes to current criminal justice and law enforcement policies and the power structures
behind them.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this course students will be able to…
Use the racial/ethnic and economic roots of hip/hop culture and rap music as the context for critically
examining issues of crime and justice through class discussions and reflective journal assignments.
Analyze the notion of “keepin’ it real” (the struggle for authenticity) inherent in this music and how it
relates to the real life experiences of crime, violence, gangs and the drug trade by decoding and
Effective Fall 2012
reflecting upon the specific content of songs, their relationship to the lives of the artists performing
them, and what they say about the realities of crime and justice.
Critically assess the role of social power and the criminal code of the streets in creating and limiting
social identities (such as those based on gender, race, and social class). This will be done through
song analysis and critical thinking reflections based on their readings as well as their midterm and
final project assessments.
Identify and critically analyze the connections between law enforcement responses to crime and
criminality and elements of hip hop culture by exploring the legal risks associated with rap music and
criminality. This will happen through the written analysis of legal cases and police response.
COURSE STRUCTURE/APPROACH
This course employs student centered learning techniques. While material will be presented in the
classroom setting, every class will involve group work, small group analysis, or class discussion. This
work will be based on out of class readings, analysis of songs, artist bios, online discussions and
journal reflections. To succeed you will need to come to class every day, prepared and ready to
engage in critical thinking and reflection.
STUDENT LEARNING ASSESSMENT TOOLS
In Class Assignments (10 points each…200 points total). These will include our corporate effort to
create our own Hip Hop Book modeled after the one created by the New York Police Department; our
practicing of decoding skills (understanding the language of criminality in lyrics) by creating a hip hop
timeline using the rap song, Season of Hip Hop as our starting place; our group analysis of individual
songs in light of a hip hop theory of justice; and daily reading checks (quizzes) to help you keep up
and understand the main content of your reading assignments. For many of these you must be
present in class on the day the assignment is made to receive credit for the assignment.
Online Journals, Song Responses, Essays (10-30 points each…300 points total) For most
classes, you will be asked to continue to process our class discussions and your assigned readings
through online discussion questions and journal reflections. You will also be asked to listen to and
unpack the theme in specific pieces of music both as preparation for class (no points assigned) and
as a follow-up to class materials (for points). Every two weeks or so you will be asked to complete a
3-4 page short essay tying together a number of themes from the previous classes and providing a
critical analysis of their connection to the larger themes of crime and justice.
Rap as Reflective of Specific Crime and Justice Issues: Midterm and Final Assessments
(100/100 points…200 point total) For these assessments you may choose to research and critically
analyze one of the following themes: Rap, Crime and the Construction of Urban Poverty; Rap and
Gang Culture; Rap and Policing; Rap and the War on Drugs, or Rap, Crime and the Construction of
Individual Identities (gender, race, class).
For your midterm assessment, you will be working with a partner to complete a poster project building
on our discussions and readings in class on how rap reflects crime, issues of justice and the criminal
justice system. This project will be due right before spring break and will result in a presentation in
class (as a roundtable). (For extra credit you can agree to present your poster at the Undergrad
Symposium.) The emphasis will be on critical thinking and organization of materials.
For your final assessment, your posters will be returned to you and you will use the feedback you
receive to complete a 10 page critical thinking paper on your own on the same subject. This will be
due near the end of the course in lieu of a final exam.
Effective Fall 2012
Attendance (25 points) Much of the work of this course will take place in class through discussions
and class activities. Therefore it is essential that you be present in class. As incentive, I will be
taking daily attendance. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REGISTER YOUR ATTENDANCE
FOR EACH CLASS PERIOD. You may not register attendance for a missing student. Getting caught
signing for another student will result in both of you losing all of your attendance points for the
semester.
You will be permitted two unexcused absences during the semester. Use them as you wish. You will
lose five points for every absence documented beyond these two. If you want your absence to be
excused, it is necessary to obtain prior approval and to provide documentation. Students with
full attendance (no more than 2 unexcused absences) will received the full 25 points.
Turning in Assignments…All assignments, whether in class or online, are due at the
beginning of the class period. Any assignments not completed by this time will not be
accepted for credit. If you have arranged an excused absence for a date on which an
assignment is due, you must turn in that assignment BEFORE your absence. No assignments
will be accepted by email so if you miss a class unexpectedly, it is still your responsibility to
turn in the work that same day if you want credit for it.
GRADING SCALE
The final grading scale (reflected in the assignments above) is:
725-653 (100%-90%)
652-580 (89%-80%)
579-508 (79%-70%)
507-435 (69%-60%)
434 and below (59% and below)
A
B
C
D
F
In order to protect the integrity of the grading scale I will not negotiate individual grades after the final
grade has been tallied, even if they are within one point of a higher grade.
REQUIRED BOOKS AND READINGS
All required readings are listed on the syllabus under the day they are due. They will all be available
online through the bblearn platform. This is an academic course and the reading we do together is as
essential as the music we listen to together. Some of it you may find difficult and some will be more
mainstream. Either way it is an essential part of the course and there will often be reading checks
(quizzes) to help give you incentive to come prepared.
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE
I believe the classroom environment is best used as a forum for the exchange of ideas between
professor and students. This means that the success of this course will ultimately depend upon our
collective energy and enthusiasm. While many classes will include the presentation of material, I am
hopeful that many will also include lively discussions, allowing each of you the opportunity to express
opinions, explore new ideas and work out personal viewpoints. After all, being able to think critically
about multiple subjects is one of the greatest gifts of a college education.
The material covered in this course is personal to us as individuals, and our beliefs and our feelings
about these topics shape our daily life experiences in many ways. Some of you come from the very
neighborhood that produced this music and have lived lives that have been touched by crime,
Effective Fall 2012
victimization, poverty and resilience. I encourage you to share those experiences in class as you feel
comfortable. In some ways this class flips the traditional power structure of education by valuing
“hood” knowledge as valuable and provocative information that sets the stage for our critical analysis
of criminality and criminal justice.
In order to create a safe environment for this kind of dialogue, I will insist that each of you exercise a
welcoming and sensitive approach to the many perspectives presented and expressed by your fellow
students. I encourage you to approach me with any concerns so that we can work together to create
an atmosphere of safety and respect.
Rap music is by its very nature controversial. I understand that many of the songs we listen to may
have language or ideas that may offend personal, cultural and religious sensitivities. This is true,
however, of the realities of crime and justice that this music reflects. It is my desire that the
classroom become a place where we can work through those complex issues together in an
atmosphere of respect. The music we listen to and the choice and organization of topics also reflects
my biases and point of view. This is in some ways inevitable, but please know that in your written
assignments and during class discussions, you will not be graded on the content of your positions,
but on the quality of their presentation and the manner in which it adequately reflects the content of
the course.
CLASS POLICIES
As a class we will develop together community standards which will govern the basic “living”
arrangements of the course (cell phones, coming and going, respecting one another, etc.) We will
develop these the first day of class and all students will have the opportunity to participate and
ultimately agree to be governed by them for the remainder of the semester.
Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty: The Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice is committed
to academic integrity. Academic dishonesty in any form is considered a serious act of misconduct.
The Student Handbook defines plagiarism as "any attempt to pass off other's work as your own" (see
http://home.nau.edu/images/userimages/awf/9476/ACADEMICDISHONESTY.pdf). Please cite all
sources and give credit to those from whom you borrow ideas, statements and approaches. You
must cite the original author if the idea, concept or approach is not original to you. This includes not
only when you use the same words as the source but also when you paraphrase from that source. If
direct words are used in your work, you must place quotation marks around those words to indicate
that you have taken them from another text and provide a citation. Cutting and pasting from
websites is considered plagiarism.
Please review the Student Code of Conduct and the University’s Safe Working and Learning
Environment Policy for an explanation of appropriate and expected behavior. Any violations of these
or other relevant NAU policies may result in such penalties as receiving as written or oral warning and
an alternative assignment, receiving zero points for an assignment, receiving a zero for the course, or
other consequences.
JANUARY 13:
Effective Fall 2012
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE INTRODUCTION/LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
We will explore the syllabus, establish community standards for the course, and
explore both our own experiences with and assumptions about crime and rap.
JANUARY 15:
LEARNING TO LISTEN: THE GEOGRAPHY OF CRIME AND RAP
We will begin to learn to listen by exploring the geography of rap and how
location affects both the sound and the message of the music, especially its
relationship to drugs, gangs and crime. We will also explore the international
influence of both hip hop culture and rap music and how the criminal rule book
has been internationalized. Please read “A Hip Hop Theory of Justice” by
Paul Butler from Let’s Get Free so that we can explore the hip hop theory of
justice and how it helps to create the criminal rule book for the music and the
streets. You will have your first discussion questions assigned after class.
Remember they are due by the beginning of the next class.
JANUARY 20:
THE ART OF RAP: LYRICS AND THE CRIMINAL RULE BOOK
Through portions of the film The Art of Rap: Making Something out of Nothin’ we
will explore how artists create rap lyrics and beats and how both provide a
criminal rule book of for life on the streets. For class please have read “Hip
Hop’s Mama: Originality and Identity in the Music” from Prophets of the
Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop, 2006 so that we can have spirited
discussion of the role of race in crime and in rap music. You will have discussion
questions after class to continue this discussion.
JANUARY 22:
LATINO RAP AND THE ROLE OF CRIME IN RACIAL POLITICS
Building on the class discussion from the 22nd, we will discuss the origins of
Latino rap, discussing the connections of cartels and Latino gangs to Latino
underground rap. For class please have read “Hip Hop Chicano: A Separate
but Parallel Story” by Reagan Kelly from That’s the Joint. You will be
assigned Letter to Dr. Dre by King Lil G as the basis for an online song reflection
(it will be posted online).
JANUARY 26:
LEARNING WHY WE SHOULD LISTEN : CRIMINALITY & CODE OF THE
STREETS
For class read excerpt from Code of The Streets by Isaiah Washington. In
this class we will revisit the criminological theory differential association theory
and how rap music represents an emerging and historical code of criminality for
the street. This is about discovering the value and truth of the hood. You will be
assigned Music to Me by Mr. Criminal for reflection afterwards.
JANUARY 28:
THE “BATTLE” AND THE CRIMINAL CODE OF THE STREETS
Through excerpts from the MC Documentary and your readings we will explore
the battle as representative of street culture inherent in rap music. For class
please read “Cover Your Eyes as I Describe a Scene So Violent: Violence,
Effective Fall 2012
Machismo, Sexism and Homophobia” by Michael Eric Dyson from Know
What I Mean? You will have discussion questions after class.
FEBRUARY 3:
NEW YORK AND THE BIRTH OF HIP HOP/RAP
Through excerpts from the MC Documentary and your reading we will explore
the historical roots of rap music as it connects to other aspects of hip hop culture
(break dancing, graphic art, beat boxing, etc.) as founded in New York. For class
please read “Hip Hop’s Founding Fathers Speak the Truth” by Nelson
George from That’s the Joint.
FEBRUARY 5:
RAP AND POVERTY: MAD LOVE IN THE HOOD
Rap music has its roots in the expression of the poverty of the inner city. We will
explore the role of class in rap music by exploring together the true nature of the
inner city ghetto (the “hood”) and how it has been constructed and critically
analyzed in the music. You will be assigned Black Boy Fly by Kendrick Lamar as
your song response after class and will listen to The Message in preparation for
the class. For your essay you will be assigned a reflection analyzing hop hip hop
was the creation of a larger social movement and not just a musical revolution
(due 2/12).
FEBRUARY 10:
POVERTY AND BLING BLING: WHEN THE POOR ARRIVE
(SUCCESS AS DEFINED BY DRUG AND GANG CULTURE)
The modern era of rap has been called the Ice Age because so much of the
music focuses only on money and the benefits it brings. In this class we will
explore how selling out was historically and is currently defined in the world of
rap and what happens politically and to the music when the poor “arrive.” We will
also analyze the role of arriving and how it connected to traditional notions of
drug dealer and criminal displays of wealth in the ghetto. You will have
discussion questions after class.
FEBRUARY 12:
WEST COAST VIBES: THE CONTEXT FOR GANGSTA RAP
Through excerpts from Crips and the Bloods: Made in America and a short
documentary on the Black Panthers, we will explore the transition of rap music to
the west coast and the influence of gang culture on rap music. You will be
assigned Boyz in the Hood (Eazy E) as your follow-up song reflection. For class
please read “The Black Panther Party’s Ten Point Plan and Platform” from
Bobby Seal’s Seize the Time.
FEBRUARY 17:
6 AM IN THE MORNING: GANGSTA RAP, NWA AND SOMETHING NEW
We will explore the rise of gangsta rap and its movement to the West Coast,
including the establishment of NWA. We will explore what has changed
contextually since the rise of gangsta rap and what has stayed the same. For
class, read the Introduction to Ronin Ro’s Gangsta: Merchandising the
Effective Fall 2012
Rhymes of Violence. For your essay you will be asked to critically compare the
landmark gangsta rap album Straight Outta Comtpon (NWA) with the The Black
Panther Party’s Ten Point Platform for similarities and differences (due 2/24).
You will also be assigned a comparison between “Gangsta, Gangsta” by NWA
(1988) and “Gangsta by ScHoolboy Q (2014).
FEBRUARY 19:
NATURE OF THE BEEF: FROM THE STREETS TO THE BOARDROOM
Through the classic beef between NWA and Ice Cube and then later between Dr.
Dre and Eazy E, we will explore the way the business of rap harkens back to the
street criminal culture of the music, including its connection to violence, street
credibility and crime. You will have discussion questions after class.
FEBRUARY 24:
KEEPING IT REAL: STUDIO VS REAL
Through excerpts from the MC Documentary and your reading we will explore
the pressure in rap music for consistency between the music and the life of the
artist, especially related to drugs, gangs and crime. For class please read
“Authenticity Within Hip Hop and Other Cultures Threatened with
Assimilation” by Kembrew McLeod from That’s the Joint. You will be
assigned Ill Mind of Hopsin by Hopsin and Kill Mind of Hopsin by Luni Mofo as a
journal reflection on the value of “keepin’ it real” and representing the places you
are from.
FEBRUARY 26:
KEEPING IT REAL: THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAKING IT
Through case studies of 50 Cent-Ja Rule and Rick Ross-GD beefs we will
explore the real life violent consequences of rap artists exaggerating their real life
exploits in crime and drugs in their music. For class please read “Keeping It
Real” by Tricia Rose from The Hip Hop Wars. You will have discussion
questions after class.
MARCH 3:
TUPAC: THE MYTH, THE MAN AND THE LEGEND UNPACKED
Tupac represents many of the challenges of keeping it real and authenticity in
rap music as well as the movement from east coast to west coast and some of
the resulting tensions. We will explore Thug Life as a controversial call to
authenticity and the role Pac’s death and music has had on rap as a genre and a
political force. Please have listened to the Tupac documentary (BBC, 2015)
BEFORE class paying special attention to issues of authenticity. You will be
assigned a reflection essay critically analyzing the role of “keepin’ it real” and if
you believe it encourages criminality in rap.
MARCH 5:
NATIVE RAP: THE NEW (OLD) FRONTIER
We will explore the emerging artists in Native Rap and how they represent the
roots of rap as well as the roots of their own cultural experience. We will look
specifically at how Native rap has the same elements of criminality in it but offers
Effective Fall 2012
an entirely different perspective on poverty and political power. For class
please read “Native Tongues: A Roundtable on Hip Hop’s Global
Indigenous Movement” from That’s the Joint.
MARCH 10:
ROLE OF CLASS AND CRIME: WHITE RAPPERS IN BLACK FACE
White rappers are becoming more prevalent since the emergence of Eminem in
the late 1990s yet there is great controversy about White rappers stealing African
America/Latino culture in terms of style and criminality. This class will explore
racial identity in rap and how it connected to street credibility. You will be
assigned White America by Eminem as a song response. For class please read
“Race and Other Four Letter Words: Eminem and the Cultural Politics of
Assimilation” by Gilbert Rodman from That’s the Joint.
MARCH 12:
JUST DON’T CALL IT RAP/POSTER PROJECT DISPLAYS
We will continue to explore the racial politics of rap by discussion white artists
that are established and emerging and how they represent rap as a genre (or
don’t) and how their music should be understood in racial and political terms.
YOUR POSTER PROJECTS ARE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS AND
WILL BE DISPLAYED DURING THIS CLASS.
MARCH 24:
SELLING SEX: PIMP RAP AND MASCULINITY
Pimp rap, with roots to actual pimping criminality, is an established genre with
roots in the streets and acceptance even on the radio. We will explore this music
and its artists as an introduction to our conversations about masculinity,
femininity, and the role of gender in rap. For class please the except from
Pimps Up, Ho’s Down: Hip Hop’s Hold on Young Black Women by Denean
Sharpley-Whiting.
MARCH 26:
GENDER IN RAP: SEXUALITY, HYPER MASCULINTY AND MISOGYMY
Perhaps rap music’s greatest criticism is its tendency toward lyrics and videos
that degrade women and girls. We will explore the role of gender, both
masculinity and femininity, through the eyes of male rappers and the roles they
assign to women, seeking to particularly understand the role of hyper-masculinity
as it connects to sexuality, crime and the criminal code of the streets. For class
please read “Hip Hop Feminist” by Joan Morgan from That’s the Joint and
“There are Bitches and Hoes” by Tricia Rose in The Hip Hop Wars.
MARCH 31:
GENDER IN RAP: CRIME AND SEXUALITY REDEFINED?
We will build on the discussion on the 24th by looking at the same issues through
the eyes of female rapper. We will also explore the feminist critiques of rap and
explore the contradictions and agreements between the two. We will also
examine the role of women in criminal subcultures and how it is reflected in the
Effective Fall 2012
music. For class please read “Can You See me Now? Am I Clear to You?”
by Askhari and “If Women Ran Hip Hop” by Aya de Leon all from Home
Girls Make Some Noise: Hip Hop Feminism Anthology (all of these are very
short).
APRIL 2:
GENDER IN RAP: WOMEN PIONEERS AND EMERGING VOICES
We will examine the careers of the women who pioneered the female voice in rap
music and examine the music of its emerging female stars. What messages are
the same? What has changed? Is this progress? How is female rap less criminal
in nature and what terms must these artists meet when “keepin it real”? For
class please read, “Empowering Self, Making Choices, Creating Spaces” by
Cheryl Keyes in That’s the Joint. You will be assigned a reflection essay that
critically examines either the role of race or the role of gender in rap and how it
determines the nature of the music and its connection to the code of the streets
(due 4/9).
APRIL 7:
DRUGS AND RAP: ORIGINS
Through excerpts from Planet Rock: The Untold Story of Crack Cocaine and Hip
Hop, we will explore the role of drug money, crack cocaine and the early roots of
rap music. For class please read “Rap Puts Crack to Work” by Dimitri
Bogazianos in Five Grams. You will have discussion questions after class.
APRIL 9:
UNPACKING THE MUSIC: EXPLORING THE HIDDEN MESSAGES
Through exploration of several rap songs we will explore the language of rap
music and the hidden messages of drug and gang culture that are known on the
streets but not in the mainstream. These messages pass on the code of the
streets to the next generation and yet go unnoticed by most consumers of rap.
BEFORE class please have watched the documentary on BMF and
complete the discussion questions.
APIRL 14:
RAP AND DRUGS: DOPE HOUSE RECORDS CASE STUDY
We will explore the founding of Dope House Records and the criminal path of its
founder, South Park Mexican. Still in business Dope House was funded entirely
with drug money and represents many rap artists who came straight from the
drug trade into the rap business. Please have watched to SPM documentary
materials BEFORE coming to class. It will be necessary for class
discussions and your discussion questions following class.
APRIL 16:
NARCO CORRIDOS
We will explore the connections between music and drugs further by watching a
documentary on narco corridos, music celebrating drug cartels and the violent
actions of their members that is becoming popular in the United States and has
been called by some “the new rap.” We will then explore the role this culture has
Effective Fall 2012
on Latino rap more generally. You will be assigned Narco Corridos by King Lil G
as the basis for your journal reflection. You will be assigned an essay that critical
discusses the role drugs have played in rap music from the beginning and now,
due 4/23.
APRIL 21:
RAP, POLICE AND PRISONS: A LONG LEGACY
We will discuss the role rap music has played in speaking the unrest we are now
seeing in Ferguson, New York and other places. We will also explore the new
trend of using rap lyrics as proof of criminal wrongdoing, sometimes leading to
prosecution. For class please read “The Prison Industrial Complex and
Social Control” by Jeffry O. G. Ogbar from Hip Hop Revolution: The Culture
and Politics of Rap and “Legal Debate about Using Boastful Lyrics” from
the New York Times, 2014. You will have discussion questions after class.
APRIL 23:
HIP HOP POLICING: RACIAL PROFILING
We will explore the discovery of a hip hop unit within the New York Police
Department and similar units in other major cities. We will examine the reaction
of police to the rap industry and whether collecting information on rap artists and
the people around them is tantamount to good policing or racial profiling. You will
have discussion questions after class.
APRIL 28:
BRAINSICK: RAP MUSIC EXTREME EDGES
There is a portion of rap music that is known as brainsick music which appears to
celebrate extreme violence, particularly against women. We explore the violence
in this music and its role in rap music generally. You will be assigned I Could’ve
Been by Twisted Insane and Meat Cleaver by Brotha Lynch as the basis for your
journal reflection.
APRIL 30:
THE POWER OF THE FREESTYLE
You can find people freestyling now everywhere from prison yards to inner city
street corners to college dorm rooms. We will discuss how this is a reflection of
the power of rap music to entertain, transform, and give voice. Any students
wishing to freestyle (or rap) in class are welcome to demonstrate your skills in
this final class.
MAY 5:
FINAL PAPER DUE ONLINE BY 5PM INSTEAD OF A FINAL EXAM
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
POLICY STATEMENTS FOR COURSE SYLLABI
SAFE ENVIRONMENT POLICY
NAU’s Safe Working and Learning Environment Policy prohibits sexual harassment and assault, and
discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual
orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status by anyone at this university. Retaliation of any
Effective Fall 2012
kind as a result of making a complaint under the policy or participating in an investigation is also
prohibited. The Director of the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity (AA/EO) serves as the
university’s compliance officer for affirmative action, civil rights, and Title IX, and is the ADA/504
Coordinator. AA/EO also assists with religious accommodations. You may obtain a copy of this policy
from the college dean’s office or from the NAU’s Affirmative Action website nau.edu/diversity/. If you
have questions or concerns about this policy, it is important that you contact the departmental chair,
dean’s office, the Office of Student Life (928-523-5181), or NAU’s Office of Affirmative Action (928)
523-3312 (voice), (928) 523-9977 (fax), (928) 523-1006 (TTD) or aaeo@nau.edu.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have a documented disability, you can arrange for accommodations by contacting Disability
Resources (DR) at 523-8773 (voice) or 523-6906 (TTY), dr@nau.edu (e-mail) or 928-523-8747 (fax).
Students needing academic accommodations are required to register with DR and provide required
disability related documentation. Although you may request an accommodation at any time, in order
for DR to best meet your individual needs, you are urged to register and submit necessary
documentation (www.nau.edu/dr) 8 weeks prior to the time you wish to receive accommodations. DR
is strongly committed to the needs of student with disabilities and the promotion of Universal Design.
Concerns or questions related to the accessibility of programs and facilities at NAU may be brought to
the attention of DR or the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (523-3312).
ACADEMIC CONTACT HOUR POLICY
Based on the Arizona Board of Regents Academic Contact Hour Policy (ABOR Handbook, 2-224), for
every unit of credit, a student should expect, on average, to do a minimum of three hours of work per
week, including but not limited to class time, preparation, homework, studying.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Integrity is expected of every member of the NAU community in all academic undertakings. Integrity
entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community
are grounded in honesty with respect to all intellectual efforts of oneself and others. Academic
integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University relationships and
interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of University resources. An NAU
student’s submission of work is an implicit declaration that the work is the student’s own. All outside
assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic contribution truthfully reported at all
times. In addition, NAU students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.
Individual students and faculty members are responsible for identifying potential violations of the
university’s academic integrity policy. Instances of potential violations are adjudicated using the
process found in the university Academic Integrity Policy.
RESEARCH INTEGRITY
The Responsible Conduct of Research policy is intended to ensure that NAU personnel including
NAU students engaged in research are adequately trained in the basic principles of ethics in
research. Additionally, this policy assists NAU in meeting the RCR training and compliance
requirements of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-The America COMPETES Act (Creating
Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science); 42 U.S.C
18620-1, Section 7009, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy on the instruction of the
RCR (NOT-OD-10-019; “Update on the Requirement for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of
Research”). For more information on the policy and the training activities required for personnel and
students conducting research, at NAU, visit: http://nau.edu/Research/Compliance/Research-Integrity/
SENSITIVE COURSE MATERIALS
Effective Fall 2012
University education aims to expand student understanding and awareness. Thus, it necessarily
involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and creative representations. In the
course of college studies, students can expect to encounter—and critically appraise—materials that
may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar understandings, ideas, and beliefs. Students are
encouraged to discuss these matters with faculty.
CLASSROOM DISRUPTION POLICY
Membership in the academic community places a special obligation on all participants to preserve an
atmosphere conducive to a safe and positive learning environment. Part of that obligation implies the
responsibility of each member of the NAU community to maintain an environment in which the
behavior of any individual is not disruptive. Instructors have the authority and the responsibility to
manage their classes in accordance with University regulations. Instructors have the right and
obligation to confront disruptive behavior thereby promoting and enforcing standards of behavior
necessary for maintaining an atmosphere conducive to teaching and learning. Instructors are
responsible for establishing, communicating, and enforcing reasonable expectations and rules of
classroom behavior. These expectations are to be communicated to students in the syllabus and in
class discussions and activities at the outset of the course. Each student is responsible for behaving
in a manner that supports a positive learning environment and that does not interrupt nor disrupt the
delivery of education by instructors or receipt of education by students, within or outside a class. The
complete classroom disruption policy is in Appendices of NAU’s Student Handbook.
Effective Summer 2014
Approved UCC – 1/28/14
Approved UGC – 2/12/14
Effective Fall 2012