Pass the Peas: Mapping the Blueprint of Hip Hop Culture

The appearance of the “hip hop” movement can be traced to a specific time and place, the Bronx, New York, 1974. However, hip hop has no single cultural antecedent. To uncover the origins of hip hop culture, one must begin by discovering the richly layered history of African American and Jamaican music of the 20th century. Using this broad canvas, students will discover how young Bronx natives in the 1970s fused elements of past musical styles with their own personal expression. From this point, the course will chart the expansion of hip hop culture from a five borough folk movement to a multi-million dollar entertainment industry in the late 20th century.