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FFAR 298/AA (Winter 2025): SPECIAL TOPICS IN FINE ARTS

My name is Yassin Alsalman. This is my 11th year teaching Hip-Hop related classes at Concordia, where I studied and graduated. I spent these last ten years, quietly touring, creating, making music and collaborating within the culture, as NARCY. Hip-hop and Rap saved my life, no jokes. At a time where the world was against my people, whether in faith or culture, I found a safe space to create and express, write story and document our truth - in Hip-Hop I trusted. And to Hip-Hop, I owe a great service. But, in truth, it’s bigger than Hip-Hop for me. 

In the 50 years of existence, the culture has changed the world around us. It has brought struggles, political, social, racial, personal to the forefront of pop culture. It has opened eyes, hearts and minds. It has invited us into spaces we would rarely visit. It has pointed its fingers at the worst in us, and brought out the best in us. It has been pimped and sold but has also brought a great deal of freedom and responsibility to multiple communities around the world. Hip-Hop, is the most important culture of our century and I don’t say that lightly. Most importantly, it brings the difficult conversations to the forefront, and sometimes, problematically. 

This course will analyze the music and fashion, activism and passion of hip hop culture. Though we will cover a “who, what, when, where and how” in hip-hop, the focus will be on practice and philosophical questions. The course will serve as a venue for exploring contemporary issues in relation to personal lived experiences of hip hop culture, while considering historical context. Within the structure of the course, students will have opportunities to pursue issues related to their interests. Students will develop skills in critical thinking and observation, while making connections between the personal and political aspects of hip hop. This is a class about process, 

A limited number of places are open to Fine Arts students.  In a BFA degree, this course can only apply as a free elective.  Students who have received credit for FFAR 256 or FFAR 398B may not take this course for credit. This class has alot of group work to do. We will attend a concert together, we will talk together, we will create together and most importantly, we will listen to each other. There is a lot to learn and understand. The core of this class is about creativity, expression and how it has freed the world at its most unjust times. Maybe it’s time we learn to learn together.  Here we go again. 

To A Great Semester.  With Solidarity. Professor NARCY.

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