LET151: Francophone Hip-Hop Culture (Taught in English)
MW 10am-1:45pm, First Summer Session 2008, Kingston.
  TR 6-9:45pm, First Summer Session 2008, Providence.
Dr. Alain-Philippe Durand

URI French and Francophone Studies Program

LET 151 Francophone Hip-Hop Culture counts toward the Letters gen. ed. requirement, and counts as a diversity [D] course.

This interdisciplinary course is about the emergence and growing notoriety of rap music and hip-hop culture in France and the rest of the Francophone world. Since its arrival in France in the early 1980s, rap music has experienced immediate and ever-growing success, going from an underground sound to becoming the second largest market in the world after that of the United States. The main reason for this rapid ascension is that if the French were originally seduced by American rappers, they soon started to write and to record their own French language productions, creating at the same time a new form of rap. Furthermore, just as American rap crossed borders, French rap influenced artists in the rest of the Francophone world, especially in western Africa and in Quebec.

Hip-hop is understood in this course as a culture that includes three main forms of expression: hip-hop dance, rap music, and graffiti/tagging.  Using a mix of printed texts (some in English translation) and audio-visual materials (songs and films), the course concentrates on exploring the main themes represented in hip-hop culture: appropriation and defense of spaces, mixing of different cultures and, most importantly, the search for identity.  The course also presents some similarities in the evolutions of American and Francophone hip-hop cultures.  The fact that hip-hop came from the streets, that it was rejected at first by the powerful medium and was brought up by minorities is very important in order for us to understand the identification of a big part of the Francophone population with American hip-hop and the human values it represents.

Course Bibliography:
 Alain-Philippe Durand, ed.  Black, Blanc, Beur. Rap Music and Hip-Hop Culture in the Francophone World.
Nelson George.  Hip Hop America.
Adam Krims.  Rap Music and the Poetics of Identity.
Tony Mitchell, ed.  Global Noise: Rap and Hip Hop Outside the USA.
Tricia Rose.  Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America.

 Course Filmography:
 Charlie Ahearn, dir.  Wild Style.
Akhenaton and Kamel Saleh, dirs.  Comme un aimant. (with subtitles).
Curtis Hanson, dir.  8 mile.
Mathieu Kassovitz, dir.  La Haine [Hate]. (with subtitles)
Stan Lathan, dir.  Beat Street.
Doug Pray, dir.  Scratch.
Michael Schultz, dir.  Krush Groove.
John Singleton, dir.  Boyz N the Hood.

What Past Participants Think:

LET 151 Participants Fall 2004

"Far and away the most fun I had taking a course...except for films of the Coen bros." Peter Biancani

"I just wanted to say thank you because your course allowed me to learn more about another culture's music. When I traveled to France, I felt like I actually had some knowledge about something other than the architecture and art."  Kate Moloney

"Overall I had a great experience in the class, learned many new things, and through the incredible movie La Haine, was amazed at the similarities between French and American youth. This class changed some stereotypes the all powerful media had given me about France." Chris Nello
 
"LET 151 Francophone Hip-Hop Culture was the best course I have ever taken in my four years at URI. Being able to learn in depth about hip-hop music across the world opened my mind to how similar we all are no matter where we come from. Prof. Durand is funny and teaches in such a way that you want to learn more." Raydeana Roderick

"This was the most fun I have ever had taking a college course. We got to listen to music and dance in our seats, listen to Professor Durand's funny jokes and still learn a great deal! Everyone thinks they know so much about hip hop culture; but take this course and you will realize that there is far more to learn and you can have fun doing it!" Shannon Horsley
 
 "I had a great time in the Francophone hip-hop culture class. I learned a lot about a subject I felt I already knew much about.  I was wrong.  It was awesome learning about something I actually enjoy and am interested in. I really enjoyed you as a professor and will probably never forget you. Listening to your stories was so much fun and you always made me laugh. Thanks a bunch!" Angela Tetreault

"This course at first appeared very unconventional in regards to college learning. However, this course entailed actual and very interesting work. I learned many similiarities and differences of hip hop culture in francophone countries, all the while finding myself wanting to learn such things. All in all, this course was very appealing and worthwhile and I will recommend it to anyone with an interest in hip hop." Jessie Haytaian

"Let 151 is an amazing class. One might think they know a lot about hip-hop music, but don't know the amazing culture behind it. In this course we got to see hip-hop outside of America and how it affects other countries (those of francophone regions). Every week I looked forward to this class.  Professor Durand knows his stuff and teaches with enthusiam.  We watched several movies, listened to songs (while following along with lyrics) and did many more activities to better understand the culture.  Let 151 is such an interesting class because there are many controversial topics that many students get into great conversations with." Jamie Medeiros 



LET 151 Participants Summer 2003

  IAM in concert, summer 2004

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