Like any other music professor, Robi Roberts focuses on his source material with a dedicated and discerning ear. He calls upon his students to seriously address each song from stylistic, cultural and historical perspectives, evaluating what each piece means both within itself and to the society around it.
But Roberts' subject isn't exactly the standard fare.
Rather than spending their time with Tchaikovsky or Bach, his students are learning the intricacies of a slightly more contemporary group, the likes of which include Slick Rick, Ice Cube and Run DMC.
The class is Music 120: Hip-Hop/Rap Music Appreciation. Now in its sixth semester, the class concentrates on the development of hip-hop and rap as distinct genres, with serious emphasis placed on their cultural and musical impacts.
Roberts designed the class in hopes of evaluating the music itself, tracing the genre's evolution all the way back to its foundations. In this way, he looks to treat hip-hop more as an art form, not just another cultural phenomenon.
"I take the music very seriously. I don't think it's a joke. I think it's a legitimate, powerful art form. I want people to understand that, and understand why its so powerful. I want them to look at it critically, not just as entertainment-much like you would in an art class or a classical music class. The only difference is that this is a such a young, powerful genre," Roberts said.
This appreciation stems from Robert's lifelong immersion within hip-hop culture. His roots trace as far back as his sixth-grade school days, when he would perform renditions of Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh's "La Di Da Di" in the schoolyard. Growing up, he performed publicly throughout his adolescence, frequently taking part in rap battles and beat box contests. But it was later, as a student at Morehouse College, that Roberts took his biggest step forward.
"This guy saw me and said 'Man, you just gotta rap. You just look like a rapper' and he took me into the studio. And that's how I got into recording. Now I'm at the point where I can do most of the recording myself, which is the best way to get the sound you want."
Today, Roberts records his own material under the moniker J.Bully-a partial reference to the city he calls home. In the process he has built up an impressive resume, having also played the part of audio engineer, songwriter and producer.
This wealth of experience plays an essential role in his class at Duke. In addition to conducting close analysis of existing tracks, Roberts' students are expected to personally write and record their own original songs. At the end of each semester, Roberts divides his students into small groups and assigns each to various rap sub-genres, such as gangster or "mack pimp." The groups each select a beat-provided by Roberts-write lyrics and perform renditions of their respective songs. Roberts then records and mixes each track before compiling them onto a CD. The intent of the intensive project is to give the students a deeper understanding of process behind the music.
"It was unique to be given the opportunity," Trinity '07 graduate Chase Perfect said. "It gave a totally new perspective of what it takes to make a song."
"I believe that, in order to appreciate something, you have to try it," Roberts said. "You can't really appreciate what an MC does until you try to MC. It's very easy for a lot of people to sit back and even say that the simplest raps aren't complicated or don't have artistic value, until you try to do it."
It was this creative approach that set Roberts' class apart when it was first introduced three years ago. The music department had been considering a course in hip-hop for some time when it was first approached by Roberts. By way of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering-where his wife is a faculty member-Roberts came to the music department with his proposal.
"What I found especially appealing was how the class would focus on the making of the music-that the students would write their own lyrics and that they would learn about the performance modes, as well as how to make beats and be part of the production of the track," Vice Provost for the Arts Scott Lindroth said. "This was something that was offered nowhere else in the University. There were plenty of courses that might look at rap as a sociological or a cultural art form, but not really look at it from the standpoint of a practitioner."
With almost no resistance, the course was immediately green-lit. Since then, it has been widely regarded as a success-well-received by faculty and students alike. Hip-Hop/Rap Music Appreciation has quickly filled beyond its capacity each semester, leaving it largely reserved for upperclassmen lucky enough to draw an early window. Its success has even inspired certain imitators, such as at North Carolina Central University, where a similar class is taught by Patrick Douthit, aka 9th Wonder.
With the strong reception of Roberts' course, the music department is looking to add similar ones in the future, according to Lindroth.
"I'd love to have some additional courses that address popular music with a hands on perspective, I think that's definitely something we need in the department."
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