This course examines the rise of Hip Hop music as a predominant form of social, political, and cultural expression for African descended peoples in the diaspora. It begins with an analysis of African musical and discursive forms, then explores the emergence of Hip Hop in Black, Caribbean, and Latinx populations in NYC before focusing on the ways in which this Diasporic form has taken on unique expression on the African continent itself.
4
UnitsOptional
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeUpper division only
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeUnorganized, no lecture slides, inaccessible outside classroom. Told us we didn't need to cite for essays but TA's docked points for not citing. Graded on 3 exams and still haven't gotten grades despite deadline passing (a common trend with other reviews). First time I've seen a professor be consistently disrespectful of their students' time.
This rating is for his HIST 149H: Africana Hip Hop class. Professor Ware is an excellent speaker and lecturer, and the material is interesting. However, Ware and his TA were nearly completely inaccessible outside of class, so it meant that if you wanted help for the 2 in-class essays, you're on your own if you can't go to his office hours.
I do not recommend ever taking a class with Ware. Lectures are all over the place, he rarely uses lecture slides, and when he does, they don't correlate with the material he is teaching. My biggest problem was the lack of communication between him, the students, and the TAs. The way the class was organized made it extremely difficult to learn.
Does not care about students. Is homophobic
Solid lecturer and made the material interesting to a STEM major. Definitely attend lectures, since he bases the paper+exams heavily around lecture material **that I couldn't reliably find online**. Readings can be long but just get the general ideas of them and you'll be fine. TA's grade most of work, but he'll curve if they grade differently
I think that this has been the most interesting GE I've taken so far. I don't disagree that Ware is disorganized and goes off on tangents, but they're always correlated with class and help contextualize the information we are learning. He is evidently passionate about his work and his teaching. But, the readings can be crazy long, so be prepared.