“We’re using hip-hop to draw the students in,” he says. “But when they get here, by being participants in these interdisciplinary discussions, they’re acquiring the tools necessary to go into the world upon graduation. It almost takes a culturally responsive pedagogical approach that favors the student-centered model, where the student is seen as the learner and dispenser of acquired knowledge.
“It’s bridging the gap between theory and practice.”
Odom says it’s time for students to realize some of the images they’re being force-fed are not what hip-hop’s originators intended.
“If you look at what’s been done to Mary J. Blige and Lil’ Kim, they’ve been transformed into White women,” Odom says. “What it is … is Black women in White face; a Eurostreamed image. It’s like making a caricature. Their interest is in getting some jewelry.”
Odom says the class hopes to dispel that image by drawing from the genre’s roots. Its importance can be realized by simply looking around and observing those around you, he says.
“Hip-hop is ongoing history. It’s a part of American history,” Odom continues. “You can barely watch a newscast where somebody is not using hip-hop lingo that they think is cool. It’s impacted the world. You can go to Japan and find people trying to mimic [the genre].
“And that includes the superficial part that has been co-opted by the industry.”
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