Hip-Hop Conference Examines Genre's Influence
By: Eboni Farmer
Posted: 3/30/07
The Hilltop

The second annual Hip-Hop and Howard Education Symposium will be held today and will feature hip-hop legend Doug E. Fresh, as well as Rosci and Terrence J of BET’s 106 & Park.

The theme for this year’s symposium is “Hip-Hop for the 21st Century, Bridging the Gap between the Academy, the Industry, and Underground Hip-Hop.”

The University’s Moorland Spingarn Research Center is sponsoring the event.

Joshua Wright, a graduate student in the history department, is the coordinator of the symposium and is looking forward to students being able to recieve hands-on experience with the world of hip-hop.

“Hip-hop plays a very significant role in the lives of students especially here at Howard. This year’s symposium will open students’ eyes to different aspects of hip-hop they may not have known of,” Wright said.

He continued, “I want students to be able to get an array of perspectives on hip-hop and they will at the symposium,” Wright said.

At the time of the first symposium, which was held March 31, 2006, there were other colleges and universities around the country offering courses on hip-hop and Wright along with other members of the Howard community felt it was time Howard was at the forefront of the hip-hop movement.

After last year’s symposium, a committee was assembled and began planning for hip-hop courses at Howard.

Today, there are two courses offered in the Afro-American studies department and Wright hopes to see that one day hip-hop will become a minor at Howard.

“Howard is a leader in the black community. It’s important that hip-hop education is taught here because it is so much a part of the black culture,” Wright said.

Today’s hip-hop symposium event will begin at 10 a.m. with “Hip-Hop is Dead? The Current State of Hip-Hop” which will feature panelist Greg Carr, Ph.D., a professor in Afro-American studies, Michael Holman a TV production professor, and Gabriel “Asheru” Benn a hip-hop artist from the District.

“This panel is important because Professor Holman and Dr. Carr have seen hip-hop evolve. Hip-hop has changed and it’s important that people understand its evolution,” Wright said.
Rosci and Terrence J. of BET’s 106 & Park will be the guest MC’s throughout the day.

The second event of the day will feature keynote and a pioneer of hip-hop Doug E. Fresh from noon to 1 p.m.. Consequence, who is signed to Kanye West’s Good Music label along with the owner of www.allhiphop.com Greg Watkins, and Shakir Stewart who is the vice president of A&R at Island Def jam and responsible for the signing of Young Jeezy and Rick Ross will be on the panel of, “Make it Happen: Business Skills for the Hip-Hop Generation” from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Wright said that this panel is important because it will inform students on that he options for careers they have in the hip-hop industry.

Also from 1 to 2:30 p.m., there will be a book signing for Howard alumna Natalie Hopkinson and Natalie Moore for their new book “Deconstructing Tyrone: A New Look at Masculinity in the Hip-Hop Generation.”

From 3 to 4:30 p.m., a celebrity guest and Jared Ball, Ph.D. will be featured on the panel of “The Wire and the Media Portrayal of Urban Black Males.”

The final panel of the day is “Sex Violence and Disrespect: What Hip-Hop has Done to Our Women” will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and will feature former video model Melyssa Ford, BET’s Rosci and Velma LaPoint, Ph.D., a professor of human development at Howard.

Wright encourages all students to come out to today’s events because hip-hop is the voice of today’s generation

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