Hip Hop and Creative Practice in Popular Music at The Ohio State University was established in 2023 through a collaboration between the School of Music (SOM) and Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS), through the Race, Inclusion and Social Equity (RAISE) Initiative.
Meet the Faculty

Stevie "Dr. View" Johnson, assistant professor of creative practice in popular music
Jason Rawls, assistant professor of hip hop
Curriculum
This interdisciplinary curriculum provides a comprehensive understanding of the essence and potential of Hip Hop music and popular culture. The following courses are currently available:
- GE Course: Bebop to Doo-Wop to Hip-Hop: The Rhythm and Blues Tradition
- GE Course: The Art and Politics of Hip-Hop
Additional courses are currently under development. Topics that focus on the cultural value, identities and theories of Hip Hop may include:
- Race, Class and Gender
- Sampling as Archival Research
- Racialized Violence
- Social Movements and Social Justice
- Creative Practice
- Hip Hop Elements (B-boying, DJing, Graffiti, Emceeing)
- Beat Making and Production
Hip Hop at Ohio State in the News
Hip Hop’s Place in Higher Education — Now at Ohio State podcast, episode 18
Upcoming Events
Autumn 2024 — watch for an announcement about the first "Can I Kick It?" Hip Hop Festival. Details coming soon.
Questions?
Email Stevie Johnson or Jason Rawls.
Administrative use only. Cloned Future Students/Hip Hop and Creative Practice in Popular Music