Texts
Weeks 1-4:
Students annotated, read, and discussed a reading packet I put together, which features work that thematically relates to the class, and the interests of the learning community.
I purposefully created the reading packet to feature more diverse voices in hip hop and hip hop writing. I am aware that all of the editors and authors of the books listed below are male-identified–which I think is more telling of publishing and hip hop culture–and so I chose to create the packet to reflect queer, female, underground, independent, and literary voices in hip hop culture. In addition, the readings relate to the content of the course's required textbooks.
The reading packet includes:
- “That’s My Heart Right There” by Willie Perdomo (he/him/his)
- “I’m Blue” by Kimmortal (she/her/hers)
- “We The People” by A Tribe Called Quest (they/them/theirs)
- “DJ Phatrick, a staple in the west coast music scene” by J. Gutierrez (he/him/his)
- “Literacy Narrative” by Lucia Ruiz (she/her/hers)
- “Rose in Harlem” by Teyana Taylor (she/her/hers)
- “Toni Morrison, author and Nobel laureate, dies aged 88” by The Guardian (they/them/theirs)
All of these books are also available as e-books, which I allow students to use for class.
Weeks 4-6:
The Breakbeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop edited by Kevin Coval, Quraysh Ali Lansana, and Nate Marshall (Haymarket Books, 2015)
With this book, we learn about poetic forms, experimental poetry, different ways to read and write a poem, and how to cite lyrics like poetry.
This volume is also the first book of poems for and by the hip hop generation–a culturally-relevant text that perfectly fits for the CIPHER Learning Community.
Weeks 7-10:
The Legends of Hip Hop by Justin Bua (Harper Design, 2011)
With this book we learn about hip hop history; for most students, they are learning about artists like Melle Mel, Biz Markie, and historical figures like Muhamad Ali for the first time. I love this book because it also contains portraiture and is essentially a non-fiction text that narrates the legends of hip hop through author/artist Justin Bua's perspective.
This book allows me to draw from graffiti culture and develops students' visual analysis skills.
Weeks 11-13:
L.A. Son: My City, My Life, My Food by Roy Choi (Anthony Bourdain Books/Ecco, 2013).
This book is a cookbook-memoir-autobiography hybrid that reflects an anti-hero's journey–which, to me, reflects students' experiences as first-year college students working on finding their passions and balancing work and school. Choi makes many references to rock and rap music, while talking about his struggles with family, addiction, and finding his love for cooking food.
I love teaching this book because students often relate to it, and they all have overcome some kind of struggle in their own ways. This books prompts them to share what they know and have lived through.
Weeks 13-16:
Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib (University of Texas, 2018).
I recently read this book as part of a book club with colleagues and a mentee. This is a book of connected essays in tribute legendary hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. From book club, I came away with a list of reading questions, including ones that ask students to remember and reflect on their relationships to hip hop and the artists they adore.