1202 W. Thomas Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85013
602–285–7500

College Introduces Oral History of Rap Literature for Spring Semester

By: Christy Skeen

Get ready to take a global, social and poetic journey through the growing Hip-Hop phenomenon this Spring at Phoenix College. Beginning Jan. 22 the words of Queen Latifah, Grandmaster Flash, Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and many others will be examined and seen in a new light, thanks to the newly developed class, Rap Literature - The Oral Tradition.

Phoenix College will join the ranks of top-notch schools like Harvard, Vanderbilt, Columbia and U.C.L.A. by offering a literature course of this nature. Phoenix College is the first community college in the state to bring Rap culture and its artists into the classroom.

Students can expect to examine rap poetry by studying the oral tradition of Africa, the Caribbean and the United States as precursors to East Coast, West Coast, Southern, North Central and International development of the genre. They will also investigate the cultural environments, historical events, competitions or "the battles," artists’ biographies and parallel art forms as they relate to the analysis of the genre and its themes. Thus, Rap Literature - The Oral Tradition will also take students on a journey that touches on the other elements of the genre - break dancing, graffiti, and DJing. For those who love rap, this class is an absolute must!

After years of interest in the genre, Phoenix College English instructor, Dr. Camilla Westenberg is responsible for bringing this unique class to the Phoenix community. With an undergraduate degree in music and English and an advanced degree focusing on the Black Dialect, perhaps Westenberg is the ideal candidate to teach this subject. She intertwines the two subjects she most adores - music and literature.

"It is unfortunate that many have resented and resisted what is sometimes referred to as black noise," said Westenberg. "Rap does not emphasize melody as much as does traditional music and that is what makes it distinctly different from many other types of music. Its messages are often presented in a very fast, emphasized rhythmic tempo often using a variety of rhythms at the same time."

Westenberg, who has always been an advocate of the Black dialect and "code switching," believes that rap music showcases the true verbal talent of young people.

"I am extremely impressed with how linguistically talented these young people are and that they are simultaneously addressing social, political, historical and economic issues in the midst of often more controversial topics," she said.

Westenberg put the final touches on her preparation for this course last year after attending Planet Hip-Hop, a four-day conference hosted by the New Jersey Performing Arts Series - Alternative Routes Summit.

"I felt as if I were sitting in a new Renaissance - much like the Harlem Renaissance," she said. "I was sitting in the midst of old school legendary artists, such as Afrika Bambaataa the founding father of Hip Hop; Chuck D of Public Enemy; Don Campbell, the creator of Locking; and Sam Solomon, the creator of the Boogaloo and both movements in breakdancing. Writers, artists and musicians from around the world were bouncing ideas off of one another as they discussed the past, present and future of the genre…it was absolutely wonderful. I honestly felt privileged to be there."

For more information about the class, please contact Dr. Camilla Westenberg at (602) 285-7365. To register, please call (602) 285-7777.