Hip-Hop, Art, and Visual Culture: Connections, Influences, and Critical Discussions

A special issue of Arts (ISSN 2076-0752). This special issue belongs to the section "Musical Arts and Theatre".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2018) | Viewed by 50464

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Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Art Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
Interests: narrative inquiry; cultural diversity; hip-hop and art education; caring approaches to art curricula; multi-age art education

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Guest Editor
Department of Sociology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
Interests: qualitative research methods; comparative and international education; sociology; hip-hop culture; social justice and urban education; intersectionality and social inequality; graffiti, street art, writing, and ephemerality; musicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Visual art has been tied to hip-hop culture since its inception, and initially manifested itself most clearly in the form of graffiti and fashion trends. During the genre’s first decades, notable hip-hop practitioners whose work crossed the boundaries of music and visual art included Fab 5 Freddy, Rammellzee, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.  More current examples of cross-disciplinary connections between hip-hop and visual art include the efforts of Swizz Beatz, Ecletic Method, and the Hi-ARTS non-profit organization for advancing educational hip-hop projects in the arts.  Simultaneously, references to visual artists have appeared more frequently in the lyrics of hip-hop musicians such as Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne.

In short, hip-hop has become a global phenomenon influencing many facets of society, including art, education, and visual culture.  The possibilities of this influence have not gone unnoticed, and a number of scholars have discussed the connections between hip-hop and visual art, fashion, and postmodernism, while others have critically examined hip-hop’s influence on visual culture.

We invite potential contributors to join these ongoing conversations by submitting manuscripts to be considered for inclusion in a Special Issue of Arts on the topic of "Hip-Hop, Art, and Visual Culture".

Some of the topics and questions that can be addressed in this issue, include, but are not limited to:

  • How have hip-hop practitioners’ relationships with visual art changed over time?
  • In what ways can hip-hop be used in classrooms as a tool to foster critical discussions related to visual culture, cultural appropriation, postmodernism, and/or aesthetics?
  • What has been the effect of name-dropping artists like Basquiat and Warhol on popular rap songs? How has this contributed to art as a symbol of luxury or a form of investment in contemporary hip-hop?

Dr. Jeff Broome
Dr. Lisa Munson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Arts is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • hip-hop
  • visual culture art education
  • hip-hop and postmodernism
  • hip-hop and aesthetics
  • graffiti
  • culturally responsive pedagogy

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 154 KiB  
Editorial
Introduction “Hip-Hop, Art, and Visual Culture: Connections, Influences, and Critical Discussions”
by Jeffrey L. Broome and Lisa Munson
Arts 2019, 8(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts8010034 - 7 Mar 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4465
Abstract
Visual art has been tied to hip-hop culture since its emergence in the 1970s [...] Full article

Research

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18 pages, 6124 KiB  
Article
Roberto Lugo: Critical Discussions of Hip-Hop, Ceramics, and Visual Culture
by Heather Kaplan
Arts 2018, 7(4), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts7040102 - 10 Dec 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 14006
Abstract
This paper looks at the creative work of “ghetto potter” Roberto Lugo. Through the examination of his various forms of art-making, various discussions regarding the intersections of ceramics, hip-hop, and visual culture are explored. Through these intersections, issues related to access and equity [...] Read more.
This paper looks at the creative work of “ghetto potter” Roberto Lugo. Through the examination of his various forms of art-making, various discussions regarding the intersections of ceramics, hip-hop, and visual culture are explored. Through these intersections, issues related to access and equity are explored. This paper explores topics and issues important to visual culture and art education. Full article
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11 pages, 721 KiB  
Article
Hip Hop Pedagogy as Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy
by Melanie L. Buffington and Jolie Day
Arts 2018, 7(4), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts7040097 - 3 Dec 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 9231
Abstract
This paper argues that Hip Hop Pedagogy is a version of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and should be a part of art education. Further, we believe that when exploring Hip Hop Pedagogy, teachers need to reference the work of Black female and non-binary artists. [...] Read more.
This paper argues that Hip Hop Pedagogy is a version of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and should be a part of art education. Further, we believe that when exploring Hip Hop Pedagogy, teachers need to reference the work of Black female and non-binary artists. After an overview of Hip Hop Pedagogy and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, we argue that these approaches should be a consistent part of art education. Through the work of contemporary visual artist and DJ, Rozeal, we offer suggestions for art educators about how they might transition their practice to embrace some aspects of Hip Hop Pedagogy. Specifically, through sampling and the distinction of cultural appreciation versus appropriation, we believe that art educators can change their practice to make their teaching more relevant to their students and to contemporary culture. Full article
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9 pages, 187 KiB  
Article
Homage or Biting Lines: Critically Discussing Authorship, Creativity, and Copyright in the 21st Century through Hip-Hop
by Nicholas Leonard
Arts 2018, 7(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts7040086 - 22 Nov 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6544
Abstract
The inherent traits of digital media have challenged traditional understandings of artistic authorship and creativity. This division in understanding can clearly be observed in the popular culture context of hip-hop music. Hip-hop initially began with analog technologies such as vinyl record players, then [...] Read more.
The inherent traits of digital media have challenged traditional understandings of artistic authorship and creativity. This division in understanding can clearly be observed in the popular culture context of hip-hop music. Hip-hop initially began with analog technologies such as vinyl record players, then transitioned to predominately digital mediums. This changeover in artistic mediums has been well documented by opposing viewpoints from hip-hop artists, consumers, record companies, and lawyers. By focusing on hip-hop for critical discussion on artistic authorship and creativity, art students can engage in discussion reflecting on their own artistic and online practices, and how these behaviors are legally supported or suppressed by copyright law. Full article
14 pages, 253 KiB  
Article
The Intertextuality and Translations of Fine Art and Class in Hip-Hop Culture
by Adam De Paor-Evans
Arts 2018, 7(4), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts7040080 - 16 Nov 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 9916
Abstract
Hip-hop culture is structured around key representational elements, each of which is underpinned by the holistic element of knowledge. Hip-hop emerged as a cultural counter position to the socio-politics of the urban condition in 1970s New York City, fuelled by destitution, contextual displacement, [...] Read more.
Hip-hop culture is structured around key representational elements, each of which is underpinned by the holistic element of knowledge. Hip-hop emerged as a cultural counter position to the socio-politics of the urban condition in 1970s New York City, fuelled by destitution, contextual displacement, and the cultural values of non-white diaspora. Graffiti—as the primary form of hip-hop expression—began as a political act before morphing into an artform which visually supported the music and dance elements of hip-hop. The emerging synergies graffiti shared with the practices of DJing, rap, and B-boying (breakdancing) forged a new form of art which challenged the cultural capital of music and visual and sonic arts. This article explores moments of intertextuality between visual and sonic metaphors in hip-hop culture and the canon of fine art. The tropes of Michelangelo, Warhol, Monet, and O’Keefe are interrogated through the lyrics of Melle Mel, LL Cool J, Rakim, Felt, Action Bronson, Homeboy Sandman and Aesop Rock to reveal hip-hop’s multifarious intertextuality. In conclusion, the article contests the fallacy of hip-hop as mainstream and lowbrow culture and affirms that the use of fine art tropes in hip-hop narratives builds a critical relationship between the previously disparate cultural values of hip-hop and fine art, and challenges conventions of the class system. Full article

Other

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8 pages, 8431 KiB  
Book Review
Hip Hop Family Tree Treasury Editions: A Book Review for Art and Visual Culture Educators
by Jeffrey L. Broome
Arts 2019, 8(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts8010005 - 29 Dec 2018
Viewed by 4707
Abstract
This book review examines Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree as compiled and packaged by Fantagraphics into two gift box sets featuring a total of four treasury editions of collected works. The basic premise of Hip Hop Family Tree focuses on a loose [...] Read more.
This book review examines Ed Piskor’s Hip Hop Family Tree as compiled and packaged by Fantagraphics into two gift box sets featuring a total of four treasury editions of collected works. The basic premise of Hip Hop Family Tree focuses on a loose narrative detailing the historical development of hip-hop culture as depicted in a comic book format. The review begins with a brief summary of each treasury edition with a specific focus on selected vignettes detailing the role that visual art has played in hip-hop culture. The review closes with a discussion of the overall relevance of Piskor’s work to those working in art and visual culture education. Full article
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