How has hip hop grown from its humble roots to become a significant field of study in college?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/11/03/hip.hop.diploma/index.html
As hip hop continues to grow from its "street music" early stages to its status today as one of the most popular music genres, it is beginning to be studied and treated as significantly as genres of music like classical. Colleges are starting to offer programs on the study and production of hip hop music.
According to CNN, the McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota is the first school in the nation to offer such a program. Students who enjoy hip hop music but have a hard time in a traditional school setting are delighted to join the program. One student, Austen Huls, has taken on college again, after a failed attempt, because he finds the program so appealing. "'I pretty much bombed my math class right out of the shoot,' 19-year-old Huls said. 'Then I realized I need to go to school for something that I enjoy, or at least pursue something that I enjoy, so I'm not miserable.'"
The development of the hip hop music major only goes to show that hip hop is growing and becoming accredited as a legitimate study of culture. I have heard of other universities offering classes in the study of certain hip hop artists' music. This greatly interests me, as I would probably take a class in the study of an artist, but not dedicate my whole major to hip hop music.
I hope to see more of this cultural appreciation in the future, as it will only help grow the genre and enrich the culture further.
Future Question: How will college diplomas surrounding the industry affect change?
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