Contemporary Genre Projects

For the genre please use RAP*

1) Pick a contemporary music (non-classical) genre that you are interested in exploring and declare your topic in the discussion board below. Examples include but are not limited to rap, rock, country, blues, bluegrass, reggae, punk, gospel, etc… Feel free to pick a specific sub-genre of one of the above. You may not pick a topic that has already been picked. However, you may have a different sub-genre as someone else, i.e. Hard Rock vs. Classic Rock. You must name your topic this week.

2) Then research your genre and create your presentation. Create a presentation in powerpoint (PPT/PPTX) or PDF format. All modern presentation software (including Microsoft Powerpoint, LibreOffice Present, and Keynote) can export to either format.

Approach this project as if you are trying to explain this style of music to your curious grandmother (i.e. someone with know experience with the music).

Include the following, addressing each item in one or more slides:

• Give a definition of the genre you chose. Examine at least 3 different definitions (wikipedia, various websites) and write your own original definition based on those.
• Describe the time of popularity — when did it begin, peak, and fall out of favor (or is it still popular today?)
• Describe origins: what country or area of the U.S. did it originate? Why did it start in that region? How was it “born”? (i.e. what other styles did it emerge from and what was different about it)
• Highlight 3 prominent artists who best demonstrate this style. Describe their careers and contributions/significance to the style. Be sure to include name, dates lived or year born, instrument or voice and for each one link to or embed a YouTube video of their performances.
• Describe any similarities or influences your genre has received from the Western art music (“classical”) tradition. It might feel like a stretch, but think about what elements they have in common. Consider instruments, forms, melody, harmony, etc… There is essentially no music today is NOT influenced by the European classical tradition (hint: Rap is the major exception here). Alternatively, does its development and/or message mirror any of the genres of classical music in some way?
• Does your genre have non-Western influences? (instruments, harmonies, rhythms). The most prominent is the African musical/drumming/song form traditions that were brought to the Americas through the slave trade and freely mixed to create ragtime, blues, and jazz. Most popular musics have borrowed some elements of the above. Dig a little deeper and see what specifically applies in your genre.
• How does your genre relate to other genres of popular or classical music?

3) Provide a works cited page (web addresses, books, YouTube, etc.)