>> NATE CAME UP WITH THIS ONE.
IT WAS SANTA'S HELPERS ARE KNOWN
AS SUBORDINATE CLAUSES.
>> OUR GUEST TODAY IS A
PERFORMANCE ARTIST AND AN
EDUCATOR WHOSE CLASSES ARE A
COMBINATION OF PHILOSIPHY
SOCIOLOGY, HISTORY, CULTURE
AND MUSIC.
JOIN US AS WE CAP UP WITH DR.
A.D. CARSON, AN ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR OF HIP HOP IN THE
GLOBAL SOUTH AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF VIRGINIA.
COME ON.
>> YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE
FACT THAT WE ARE TELLING STORIES
OR WE ARE TELLING A STORY.
EVERY RAP IS AN ARGUMENT.
EVERY RAP SONG IS ARGUING
SOMETHING.
♪♪♪
>> WHEN I'M ON STAGE, I IMAGINE
MYSELF AS A TEACHER.
AND WHEN I'M IN CLASS, I IMAGINE
MYSELF AS A PERFORMER.
AND I THINK THAT BOTH SPACES
WHERE I'M ENGAGING BENEFIT FROM
MY CONCEPTUALIZING IT AS THE
OTHER.
>> SO, TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
CLASSES THAT YOU'RE TEACHING.
>> WELL, I TEACH A CLASS FOR
UNDERGRADUATES CALLED "WRITING
RAP."
ESSENTIALLY, THE STUDENTS ARE
LEARNING LIKE THE BASICS OF RAP
WRITING AS WELL AS SOME VERY
GENERAL HISTORIES OF HIP HOP AND
DIFFERENT ERAS, THE WAY THE
PEOPLE BREAK UP THE ERAS OF
THAT, WHICH MEANS WE ALSO HAVE
TO STUDY A LOT OF RAPS,
LISTENING TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT
PEOPLE, AND TRYING TO ANALYZE
THE WAYS THAT THEY APPROACH THE
WRITING OF RAPS.
I ALSO TEACH A CLASS CALLED THE
"BLACK VOICE."
IT'S A SEMINAR FOR GRADUATE
STUDENTS.
IT'S NOT SAYING WE'RE GOING TO
DEFINE WHAT A BLACK VOICE IS.
IT'S NOT IN THE WAY FOLKS MIGHT
PRESUME THAT WE MEAN WHENEVER
THEY SEE THAT TITLE.
I TEACH A COURSE CALLED
COMPOSING MIXTAPES.
THAT CLASS IS HIGHLY
COLLABORATIVE.
IT'S LIKE MAKING STUFF EVERY DAY
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND AT
THE END, THE STUDENTS ARE
EXPECTED TO NOT ONLY HAVE THE
FINISHED ALBUM BUT TO PUT
TOGETHER A SHOWCASE SO THAT THEY
CAN SHARE THAT ALBUM WITH THE
BROADER COMMUNITY.
♪♪♪
>> I THINK YOUR CLASSES ARE A
MIX OF SO MANY OTHER CLASSES AS
WELL.
I THINK OF PHILOSOPHY.
YOU'RE COVERING HISTORY.
YOU'RE COVERING SOCIOLOGY,
CULTURE.
YOU'RE COVERING MUSIC, MUSIC
THEORY, AND LANGUAGE.
LANGUAGE AND HOW YOUR STUDENTS
INTERPRET LANGUAGES FOR
THEMSELVES.
THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT YOU
WANT THEM TO DISCOVER, SORT OF
WHO THEY ARE IN THE WORLD AND
HOW THEY WANT TO USE LANGUAGE.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE
ALL REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR
RELATIONSHIP TO LANGUAGE IN THE
WAY THAT HAS AN EFFECT ON THE
WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN, THE WORLD
THAT WE CREATE, WHICH ARE
STRUCTURED BY THE LANGUAGE THAT
WE ENGAGE IN OR HOW WE ENGAGE IN
LANGUAGE.
SO, IT'S MUCH MORE PRESENT IN
THIS CLASS BECAUSE I'M ASKING
THEM TO WRITE RAPS AND BECAUSE
THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS TO EACH OF
THE PROJECTS THAT I'M GIVING
THEM THAT MAKE THEM HAVE TO
THINK.
I HAVE 16 BARS TO GET ACROSS A
POINT THAT IS PREDETERMINED,
WHICH MEANS THAT I ONLY HAVE A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF WORDS THAT I
CAN SAY.
>> RIGHT.
>> SO, I HAVE TO EVALUATE MY
RELATIONSHIP TO LANGUAGE TO BE
ABLE TO NAVIGATE THAT IN SUCH A
WAY THAT IT'S GOING TO CREATE
SOMETHING THAT I AM PROUD OF.
♪♪♪
>> PEOPLE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT
VERY DIFFERENCES, AND THIS IS
THE KIND OF THE TIME WHERE I'VE
REALIZED THAT MY EXPERIENCE IS
JUST ONE EXPERIENCE.
THIS CLASS HAS DEFINITELY MADE
ME AWARE A LOT MORE ABOUT WHAT
HIP HOP MEANS AND WHY IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE
WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.
>> IT REALLY ISN'T JUST A MUSIC
FORM.
IT'S AN ENTIRE CULTURE, AND I
REALLY LIKE THAT WE ARE NOT
RESTRAINED IN ARE WHAT WE CAN
SAY.
WE KNOW THAT EVEN IF WE HAVE A
CONTROVERSIAL OPINION OR
INTERPRETED SOMETHING
DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS, THAT
IT'S A PLACE WHERE WE CAN TALK
ABOUT THAT AND WE'RE NOT GOING
TO GET CRITICISM FROM HIM OR GET
TOLD THAT WE SHOULDN'T GO IN
THAT DIRECTION WITH OUR
DISCUSSION.
>> IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE
LYRICS THAT THEY USED TO SAY IN
THE 90s AND 80s, YOU WOULD SAY,
WHOA, THIS IS REALLY VIOLENT.
I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE LYRICS
THEY USED BACK THEN WOULD NOT BE
ACCEPTABLE TODAY BECAUSE PEOPLE
WOULD BE MORE OUTRAGED AND SAY
THIS IS WRONG.
>> I THINK ABOUT JOYNER LUCAS'
"I'M NOT A RACIST," THE SONG
WHERE I THINK LOTS OF FOLKS FELT
THAT THIS WAS A BINARY THAT
WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO CREATE,
LIKE BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT.
IT'S A SONG LIKE THAT THAT'S
REALLY, REALLY POPULAR.
AND IT IS STRIKING A CHORD WITH
SO MANY PEOPLE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IF WE'RE
IN A CLASS ABOUT WRITING RAPS TO
HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE
ARE HAVING AMONGST PEOPLE WHO
ARE FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS
OF THE UNIVERSITY AND FROM SO
MANY DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.
>> AND WHAT ARE THEY -- WHAT DO
THEY THINK OF THE CLASS?
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS.
>> LOTS OF THEM ARE REALLY BIG
FANS OF THE MUSIC, AND THEY
BRING A LOT OF THAT TO THE
CONVERSATION.
AND THEN THERE ARE OTHERS WHO
DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH AND WANT TO
LEARN.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A
DOPE THING.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING AT
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN MUSIC OR
PEOPLE WHO ARE INTO HIP HOP
CULTURE.
IT IS REALLY POPULAR MUSIC.
>> ISN'T IT THE NUMBER ONE MUSIC
FORM?
>> YEAH, IT'S THE MOST CONSUMED.
THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO
MAKE AN ASSERTION THAT LIKELY
MOST STUDENTS HAVE HAD AN
EXPERIENCE WITH RAP MUSIC.
>> I'M REALLY CURIOUS TOO NOW
ABOUT IF CHANCE LIFTED THAT.
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> SO GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF
WHAT ELSE YOU'LL BE DOING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
>> YOU KNOW, WE START OFF, AS I
SAID, WE TALKED ABOUT OUR
RELATIONSHIP TO LANGUAGE.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SO-CALLED
N-WORD.
THE QUESTION IS ALWAYS ASKED WHO
HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY IT AND WHO
DOESN'T.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE HAVE THE CONVERSATION EARLY
ON AND TO HAVE THAT BE SOMETHING
THAT IS ON THEIR MIND BECAUSE
THAT CONVERSATION IS ONE THAT
APPLIES TO MANY OTHER WORDS OR
ENGAGEMENTS IN LANGUAGE THAT WE
MAY BE DON'T CONSIDER AS MUCH
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
CONTENTIOUS.
>> RIGHT.
>> WE TALK ABOUT PRODUCTION.
AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE SOME
ARTISTS WHO ARE ABLE TO KIND OF
SKYPE IN AND TALK VERY
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE WRITING
OF CERTAIN SONGS.
>> OH, THAT'S GREAT.
>> AND I'M TRYING MY BEST TO
KEEP MY EARS OPEN FOR WHATEVER
COMES OUT AND TO BE RECEPTIVE TO
WHAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT
RATHER THAN HAVING THE AGENDA BE
SO LOCKED IN THAT I CAN'T ADJUST
SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN
THIS MOMENT.
[ RAPPING ].
>> I HELPED MASTER EXTENSION 398
THE MIXTAPE, AND THEY SAID THEY
WERE INSPIRED.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD AN EXCITEMENT
ABOUT THEM.
MOST CLASSES MAYBE -- I DON'T
KNOW.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T GET
THAT EXCITED ABOUT THEIR COLLEGE
CLASSES.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO WORK AS AN
ARTIST'S MANAGER OR ON THE PR
TEAM OR EVEN AS AN A&R AT A
RECORD LABEL.
RAP LAB AND HIS WRITING RAPS
COURSE IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR
LOOKING INTO THE INDUSTRY.
♪♪♪
>> AT UVA, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
RAPPERS AND PRODUCERS.
I KNEW THAT I FINALLY HAVE
SOMEONE THAT I COULD TREAT AS MY
MENTOR.
I COULD JUST GO TO AND ASK
HIS OPINIONS ON MY MUSIC AND STUFF
♪♪♪
>> I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR
DISSERTATION.
ALL THE STUDENTS TALK ABOUT
THEIR DISSERTATION WHEN THEY'RE
TALKING ABOUT YOU.
>> AS AN EMCEE, I'M GOING TO BE
WRITING THESE SONGS BECAUSE I
CAN'T GO OR BE ANYWHERE WITHOUT
WRITING MUSIC ABOUT WHAT I'M
GOING THROUGH, WHICH MEANS THAT
AS A DOCTORAL STUDENT I AM
WRITING SONGS ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENT.
THERE WERE WAYS THAT I WANTED TO
ARTICULATE THINGS THAT ARE
WRITING AN ESSAY OR A STRONGLY
WORDED OP-ED WOULD NOT GET AT.
I FINALLY MADE MY MOVE TO THE
SOUTH.
I GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT MY ROOTS ARE ABOUT BECAUSE
MY PEOPLE ARE FROM HERE.
THOUGH I CAN'T SEE THEM FROM
HERE, THEY'RE REFLECTED IN MY
EXPRESSION, SO YOU'RE HEARING
THEM CLEAR.
THAT WAS REALLY -- I DON'T KNOW
THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY TO
EXPRESS WHAT GETS EXPRESSED IN
THAT SONG.
THERE'S NOT AN ESSAY THAT YOU
WRITE THAT DOES THAT WORK, AND
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I WANT
TO PROVIDE MY STUDENTS ACCESS TO
WHEN THEY'RE IN THE COMPOSING
MIXTAPES CLASS.
♪♪♪
>> MOVING FORWARD, WHAT WOULD
YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN WITH
THESE CLASSES?
>> I REALLY HOPE THE STUDENTS
COME HERE AND RECORD THEIR OWN
PROJECTS AND THAT THEY
COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN HERE.
AN EMCEE SHOWS UP AND MEETS THE
PRODUCER, AND THEN THEY START A
RELATIONSHIP THAT PRODUCES SOME
DOPE MUSIC.
I HOPE THERE CONTINUE TO BE
RESOURCES SO THAT A SPACE LIKE
THIS EXISTS WHERE FOLKS FROM THE
UNIVERSITY, FROM THE COMMUNITY,
FROM WHEREVER CAN MEET AND
CONVERSE AND COLLABORATE AND
CONSTRUCT AND COMPOSE AND DO ALL
OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING
IN THIS VERY SMALL WAY IN THESE
CLASSROOMS, THAT THAT EXISTS
EXTERNAL TO HERE IN THIS
BUILDING WHERE FOLKS DON'T HAVE
TO NAVIGATE THE CAMPUS IN ORDER
TO GET TO IT.
HOPEFULLY, THAT'S IN LINE WITH
SOME STUFF THAT THE UNIVERSITY
SEES ITSELF INVOLVED IN AT SOME
POINT.
>> I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE
GOAL OF MY MUSIC IS GOING TO BE
AT THIS POINT, BUT I'M HOPING
THAT THROUGH THIS CLASS I KIND
OF DISCOVER MY VOICE.
>> I THINK I'M PUTTING MYSELF
OUT THERE A LOT BY GIVING MY
CREATIVE EXPRESSION A PLATFORM
TO AN AUDIENCE THAT I DON'T
REALLY KNOW THAT WELL, BUT IT
ALSO ALLOWED ME TO BE MORE
SECURE IN WHAT I'M DOING.
>> YEAH, I LOVE IT.
I REALLY WANT TO BE A RAPPER.
I REALLY WANT TO TOUR AROUND THE
WORLD AND PERFORM.
I DO IT EVERY DAY.
>> EVERY LINE ENDS WITH KANYE.
EVERY SINGLE LINE ENDS WITH
KANYE.
LET'S DO IT.
I LOVE KANYE.