I’ve been thinking lately about the importance of teaching local music as an aspect of anti-racist pedagogy. Historically, rap has been very much shaped by the places from which it has emerged, and it continues to shape those places. It’s easy and important to focus on Drake, Cardi B, Tupac, “the industry,” and so on (more to say about this in an upcoming post), but change happens at the grassroots level. I’m fortunate in that I live and work in a region with a robust and vibrant music scene, and I’ve had opportunities to connect with those musicians in several different ways. I make a point of teaching local music in my history of rock class, and in my rap class. I’ve offered classes on music in Tacoma, and music in Seattle, and spent time in local archives researching music.
Who are the local artists in your area? Where are the venues in which they perform? Do you follow them on social media? Buy their music/merch? Who covers these artists in local media? How is the local music scene regulated (for instance, Seattle has “teen dance ordinances”)
Here’s a lesson plan that I’ve used in the past to explore the rapid gentrification of Seattle and its impacts on the local music scene. Your mileage may vary of course, depending on your access to relevant publications, artists, etc. but the key here is to engage with your local music scene—musicians, promoters, journalists, and fans.
Reading material:
“Playing for Keeps” and “Set it on Fire,” Jonathan Zwickel, City Arts
“As housing prices rise, Seattle’s underground music scene feels the strain,” by Sam Chapman, Seattle Weekly
“Segregated Seattle,” a project of the UW Civil Rights and Labor History Project
For more general work on rap and place, consider Murray Forman’s work, and other writing on more specific regions (i.e., Roni Sarig’s Third Coast, for instance)
Listening material:
“Irony on 23rd Street,” Draze
“Home of the Mighty,” Spekulation feat. Perry Porter & Paolo Escobar
“Joe Metro,” Blues Scholars
The readings invite the students to consider the changes happening in Seattle and the surrounding region: rapid gentrification, an influx of tech workers, and rapidly rising housing and rental costs.
How are these changes impacting the local music scene? I mean, arts and culture are one of the reasons this area is an attractive place to live, right? But what if that stuff goes away?
How are these changes reflected in the music?
Connect with local artists on social media (in my experience, they’re typically willing to connect with local fans in a way that big-name artists aren’t). Ask them to share their experiences and inspiration.
Invite artists to speak to your class (and compensate them!)
Encourage your students to go see shows, and support the artists in other ways.