Singer Lil Mo and BET Style host Melyssa Ford are among the panelists scheduled to participate in Howard University’s inaugural Hip-Hop and Higher Education Symposium.
The event, sponsored by the university’s graduate school and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, is geared toward beginning a discussion on the possibilities of creating the first college minor in Hip-Hop in the nation.
Howard is attempting to develop enough multi-and interdisciplinary courses in Hip-Hop to develop a minor within the next three years.
In the past thirty years, Hip-Hop has gone from being a new art form in the boroughs of New York to worldwide cultural expression.
As a result, Hip-Hop has gained acceptance in mainstream America, not only as a marketing tool and lucrative form of entertainment, but as a subject that warrants serious academic attention.
In addition to Ford and Lil Mo, the panel will include Hip-Hop artist Cy Young, radio personality Steph Lova, and video director Lil X.
Topics discussed will range from creating Hip-Hop courses to music’s influence on politics and economics to sex in hip-hop lyrics and videos.
The symposium will also feature Bakari Kitwana, who will deliver the keynote address.
Kitwana is the author of Why White Kids Love Hip Hop and The Hip Hop Generation.
The event will be followed by the “I Declare War: Emcee Battle” and an after party at Pearl Lounge.
The Hip-Hop and Higher Education symposium takes place from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 30 at Howard’s Blackburn Center.
For more information, visit http:www.gs.howard.edu/hiphop.