Ohio State assistant professors Jason “J Rawls” Rawls and Stevie “Dr. View” Johnson talk about the origins, culture and influences of hip-hop in this episode.
J Rawls and Dr. View develop curricula covering the cultural and musical influences of hip-hop, as well as their own lived experiences in the music industry.
The new Art and Politics class acts as an intro to a Sampling and Production class. After students get an understanding of hip-hop culture, they learn to chop samples and make their own beats.
“If you enjoy making music, you can come to the Ohio State University and pursue that dream,” J Rawls says.
Students can learn how to DJ and produce, or they can follow the cultural track to specialize in the aesthetic and influences of hip-hop through African American and African studies.