Is Georgetown trying to upstage Yale in the coolest college class category?
Yale may have the Boom Boom Room, but Georgetown has Jay-Z …or at least, a dissection of his lyrics. “Sociology of Hip Hop: Jay-Z” covers issues like gender identity, sexuality, race and economic inequalities.
This isn’t just about plugging in an iPod and listening to “Big Pimpin’ ” for 75 minutes. The course has both a midterm and final exam and required readings, some of which come straight from “Decoded”, the rapper’s book.
Professor Michael Dyson, who teaches the course, said that the course is a “conduit for studying the major themes of American life.”
The course has come under criticism from other professors at different universities, saying that it may not be wise to structure an entire course around one person to study black America.
“We’re not sure if it’s fiction or real life. It can be almost indistinguishable sometimes in hip-hop,” said Kris Marsh, an assistant sociology professor at the University of Maryland who specializes in the black middle class.
Danielle Bailey, a senior international business and marketing major, told the Huffington Post: “I know a lot of people are upset, but I think the point of college is to think outside the box. I rarely have classes that allow me to look at things differently.”
Jay-Z recently gave the class a shout out at a recent concert.