LIT 4329 Spring 2023 McGregory
African American folklore is comprised of a rich cultural heritage and hip hop constitutes the latest edition. It features multiple genres of traditional artistic expression, such as gospel, folk cultural heroes, blues inflected women, foodways from “broccoli” to wings, and verbal arts such as ‘yo mama’ jokes and freestyling. During the course of the semester, students will learn to interpret African American folklore byway of centering rap culture. By reading about and sampling African American folklore, students will gain a hands-on experience with this enriching topic. It’s a hybrid course, meaning we will meet face-to-face on Tues. to compensate for the time spent researching and experiencing AFAM folklore as a living tradition vis-a-vis hip hop from its roots to what’s happening in the world today.