Requirements: --One compilation (i. mix, playlist) of at least 5 songs --Write-up with at least one page per song explaining:

Requirements:

--One compilation (i.e. mix, playlist) of at least 5 songs

--Write-up with at least one page per song explaining:

• what the song is about
• why you chose the song and how it responds or relates to the main question driving your compilation

--Creative zine/liner notes

Final presentation during our in-class Gallery Walk

Prompt:

            Throughout this class we have listened to a variety of songs whose lyrics and tone relate to the topics we have been reading about for class. After playing each song we have discussed why I chose the song and how it fit with a particular topic. One of the reasons for this exercise was to show you how the topics we discuss in class have been explored in a number of ways by a wide range of artists. It is important to see how these social justice issues inspire people to create works that speak to large audiences, not just in academic articles or novels, but in pop music and underground hip-hop.

            The purpose of this final creative project is to reflect on the important ideas we have discussed in class, chose which one was most important to you, and find music that relates to that idea.         

Instructions: There are five major steps to completing the written project.

• Decidewhich topic was the most important to you and why.

• Develop a question about that topic that you want to answer in your compilation.For example, some of the topics we have covered this quarter are immigration and labor, racism against indigenous communities, industrialized agriculture, gender inequality, and embodiment and body image. We've asked ourselves a range of questions, such as: Where does our food come from and what are the political, social, or economic forces that get that food to our table? How does racism affect our bodies and our health? Why aren't we happy with our bodies? What does it mean to be “American?” Try to develop a question like this around your chosen topic.

• Pick the songs you want for your compilation and save them on whatever format you prefer.Remember, the assignment is not to make me a mix of your favorite songs! The assignment is to find songs that relate to a specific course topic. Therefore, it's possible you might not personally like some of the songs in your mix, but they may be highly relevant to the course topic you're responding to.

• Do your write-up. For each song, type up one page in which you explain what the song is about and how each song answers your question. You should try to think about the nuances between the songs you chose byexplaining how each song answers your question in ways the other songs don’t.

• Make the liner notes. This part might be the most work, but it also offers the most opportunity for creative expression. For each song, try to creatively illustrate the unique way this song answers your question. You could include portions of the lyrics, excerpts from your write-up, images, or artwork that you feel convey the particular message this song has and how that message responds to your question.