Northside Hip Hop Archive Curriculum Resource Guide: Music, Grade 10, Open (AMU2O)

Northside Hip Hop Archive Curriculum Resource Guide: Music, Grade 10, Open (AMU2O)

Lesson Title Make Room: Women Emcees

Expectations:

Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing

B2. Music and Society

B2.1 explain the origins of traditional, commercial, or art music with reference to the culture or community in which it was created

B2.2 describe significant contributions of individuals within a community or culture to genres of traditional, commercial, and/or art music

Before: Minds On

Honey Jam

During : Action!

Learning Goals Assessment

Understand the diverse influences within the Canadian hip hop community

Honey Jam Gain knowledge of pioneering women hip hop emcees

Materials

Michie Mee Eekwol

Video: Honey Jam Canada's 20th Anniversary Party Highlights

Video: Michie Mee Stylus Hall of Fame

Audio: ‘Jamaican Funk’ by Michie Mee Article: “Meet Canada’s Hip Hop Hope” Audio: ‘Kisay's Song’ by Eekwol LCD Projector, Laptop and Internet access Laptop/tablets for small groups

The teacher shares the NSHHA text introducing Honey Jam, which began as a showcase for female emcees, then plays the clip “Honey Jam Canada's 20th Anniversary Party Highlights” (Click Music Lesson Arc Resources; 5 min). Consider the modern day hip hop scene in Canada and the U.S. Have things improved or deteriorated for female hip hop emcees? Discuss specific women artists. Are they financially successful, numerous and respected? Are the standards for women artists different from those of men? Is there equity? Why or why not? Discuss in elbow pairs and be prepared to share three key ideas with the large group.

Michie Mee

Students form small groups to rotate through the following activities centred on Canadian hip hop pioneer Michie Mee, all available at Click Music Lesson Arc Resources:

1. View a video clip celebrating Michie Mee’s induction into the Stylus Hall of Fame.

2. Listen to the song Michie Mee’s Jamaican Funk and read the introductory text.

3. Read the 1988 Toronto Star article “Meet Canada’s Hip Hop Hope”.

Once students complete all three activities, they consider how Michie Mee’s pioneering use of a Jamaican style has continued to influence hip hop in Canada. Why has Drake been criticized for using Jamaican patois in his hip hop? They discuss the role of authenticity and self representation in hip hop. They choose three hip hop artists who prioritize these values in their music and discuss how. They share their picks with the large group.

5 Essential Practices Designed to Promote Anti-Racist Pedagogy • Education for empowerment

Honey Jam •Talk about race Michie Mee •Capture the Unseen Eekwol •Tell a Complicated Story

Michie Mee

•Connect to the Present Honey Jam

Assessment Opportunities Assessment FOR Learning: Honey Jam discussion Assessment FOR Learning: Honey Jam female emcee picks and discussion Assessment FOR Learning: Eekwol written reflection

Differentiated Instruction: Learning environment Full class, small group and individual work

Interest& Content Choice of female emcees

After: Consolida tion & Connectio n

Eekwol

Students watch the video for pioneering Saskatchewan Indigenous rapper Eekwol’s track Kisay's Song (Iskeweak Iskotew Tapwewin) (Click Music Lesson Arc Resources). Students consider how Eekwol’s music is a reflection of her identity; what evidence of that did they notice? They reflect in writing and share one significant sentence from their thoughts before class ends.

Students can explore Michie Mee’s discography and look for explicit and implicit feminist ideas in her lyrics (Assessment for learning).

Northside Hip Hop Archive Curriculum Resource Guide: Music, Grade 10, Open (AMU2O) – Lesson 2

Lesson Title Set World Records: Canada’s Hip Hop Ambassadors

Expectations:

Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing

B2. Music and Society

B2.1 explain the origins of traditional, commercial, or art music with reference to the culture or community in which it was created

B2.2 describe significant contributions of individuals within a community or culture to genres of traditional, commercial, and/or art music

Before: Minds On

Rivalries, Feuds and Beef: The Battles

Learning Goals Assessment

Explore the central elements of hip hop culture

World Class The Battles

During: Action!

World Class: Canadian Hip Hop’s International Scene

Examine the role of radio and record label support of artists

Unsustainable Global Success: Exit Slip Materials

World Class: Explore Hip Hop guide and notes tool LCD Projector, Laptop and Internet access Laptop/tablets for small groups Unsustainable Global Success: Exit Slip

Students watch a clip of a rap battle (Click Music Lesson Arc Resources). The teacher asks them to think about what the element of competition brings to hip hop. Does it inspire innovation? Push creativity? Is it good for business? Is there a downside? Students discuss with an elbow partner and then share ideas with the larger group.

Assessment Opportunities

The teacher notes that as a cultural movement, hip hop goes beyond music genre. Students list the four elements of hip hop (rapping/MCing, DJing/turntablism, b boying/breaking dancing and graffiti). The teacher explains students will explore three of these areas via a series of video clips. Students form small groups and view the clip (and read accompanying text) that depict award winning Canadian pioneers of DJing, freestyle rap and break dancing, taking notes of key ideas. All clips are available at: www.nshharchive.ca/resources/nshha curriculum/music lesson arc resources/

1. World Record: Longest Freestyle

An 8 minute video excerpt of Sarnia, Ontario’s Duane “D.O.” Gibson’s (D.O. = Defy the Odds) Guinness world record setting freestyle 8 hours and 45 minutes long.

2. DMC World Champion: DJ Dopey

A 6 minute video of DJ Dopey’s award winning 2003 set.

3. Canadian Floor Masters in Russia 1985 news segment profiling the top ranked Canadian Floor Masters, a break dancing group.

Essential Practices

to Promote

Racist Pedagogy • Education for empowerment Rivalries, Feuds and Beef: The Battles

about race Unsustainable Global Success •Capture the Unseen World Class

a Complicated Story

World Class •Connect to the Present Unsustainable Global Success

Assessment FOR Learning: Rivalries discussion Assessment FOR Learning: World Class research notes Assessment FOR Learning: Unsustainable Global Success exit slip Differentiated Instruction: Learning environment

Full class, small group and individual work Interest& Content Choice of hip hop elements

After: Consolidati on & Connection

After groups have viewed all three, they pick one area to research using the Explore Hip Hop tool. What makes effective freestyle? An amazing set? Or an accomplished b boy? Each group presents findings to the class.

Next Steps

Unsustainable Global Success: Exit Slip

Students respond to a quote from Dr. Mark Campbell’s article in the Globe and Mail “The unsustainable global success of the Canadian music world” that discusses the lack of support of Canadian hip hop by the radio and music industries. Despite hip hop’s central role in popular music, and the success of Canadian hip hop artists internationally, why is Canadian hip hop sidelined in Canada?

Students can share their ideas from their exit slips on the course online forum, or they can be redistributed during another class to prompt small group discussions. (Assessment for/of learning)

“At this year’s Juno Awards, Jazz Cartier’s non televised expletive to describe the lack of support his music receives from the Canadian radio industry came at a perfect moment. Standing on the shoulders of Vancouver hip hop group the Rascalz, who refused to accept their Juno in 1998 because it was not part of the main ceremony, Cartier poignantly reminded us of the many ways in which only some music genres receive major label support in Canada. “This means a lot to me, but like I said this evening, the Canadian radio is gonna have to stop bullshitting and start playing our own on our radio so these kids don’t feel the need to leave to the States in order to make it or get heard,” he wrote on his Instagram account after appearing onstage.” (The Globe and Mail, Mark V. Campbell)

Despite hip hop’s central role in popular music, and the success of Canadian hip hop artists internationally, why is Canadian hip hop sidelined in Canada?

“At this year’s Juno Awards, Jazz Cartier’s non televised expletive to describe the lack of support his music receives from the Canadian radio industry came at a perfect moment. Standing on the shoulders of Vancouver hip hop group the Rascalz, who refused to accept their Juno in 1998 because it was not part of the main ceremony, Cartier poignantly reminded us of the many ways in which only some music genres receive major label support in Canada. “This means a lot to me, but like I said this evening, the Canadian radio is gonna have to stop bullshitting and start playing our own on our radio so these kids don’t feel the need to leave to the States in order to make it or get heard,” he wrote on his Instagram account after appearing onstage.” (The Globe and Mail, Mark V. Campbell)

Despite hip hop’s central role in popular music, and the success of Canadian hip hop artists internationally, why is Canadian hip hop sidelined in Canada?

Explore Hip Hop: Elements

MCing

DJing Breakdancing

Choose one of the elements. Research your area of focus and make notes on interesting, substantive information you discover. Ensure you engage at least three credible sources.

Sources:

Northside Hip Hop Archive Curriculum Resource Guide: Music, Grade 10, Open (AMU2O) – Lesson 3

Lesson Title Gateway to Canadian Rap Expectations:

Reflecting, Responding and Analyzing

B2. Music and Society

B2.1 explain the origins of traditional, commercial, or art music with reference to the culture or community in which it was created

B2.2 describe significant contributions of individuals within a community or culture to genres of traditional, commercial, and/or art music

Learning Goals Assessment

Understand the beginnings and contributions of key figures in the Canadian hip hop community

Narrative Perspectives What it Takes

Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist audio annotation Materials

Gain knowledge of tracks central to Canadian hip hop

Video: “Butcher T In the Beginning”

Article: DJ Lil Jaz’s ‘G Force Slipmat, the Beginning of Something Big’

Audio: Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist (CBC’s Q)

LCD Projector, Laptop and Internet access

Laptop/tablets for small groups

Summative Task: Gateway to Canadian Playlist Video: “Jonbronski: A Career to Remember”

Before: Minds On Narrative Perspectives: The Beginning of Something Big

Students watch “Butcher T In the Beginning” an interview with the legendary Montreal DJ, in which he describes how he got his name and his start in hip hop, (Click Music Lesson Arc Resources; 12 minutes). Students then read DJ Lil Jaz’s account ‘G Force Slipmat, the Beginning of Something Big’. Students compare and contrast the two narratives from different historical eras. They may want to re watch parts of the Butcher T clip. Consider: How do these two figures in the hip hop industry contribute to the culture? What is compelling about their beginnings? How might a hip hop artist or DJ get their beginning today? What has changed?

Then, students choose a modern hip hop artist or DJ to reference. How has technology, an established industry and history shaped today’s up and coming artists? How did they start?

Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist

During: Action!

Students listen to Mark V. Campbell on CBC Radio’s Q with the ‘Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist’ (Click Music Lesson Arc Resources; 9 minutes).

In small groups, students choose one of Dr. Campbell’s picks and view its music video (available at the URL above). How did the video complement, complicate or contradict the song lyrics? Do you agree this is an important song in Canadian rap? Why or why not? Discuss.

Over this lesson arc, students have learned about historical Canadian hip hop artists. The teacher distributes the summative task for which students will curate their own Gateway to Canadian Rap playlist. Choose two songs from Canadian hip hop history and two from the modern day scene. Prepare an audio annotation of song clips, modelled on Dr. Campbell’s Q interview. Be prepared to present to the class. As a large group, co create success criteria using the CBC interview as an exemplar. What should your annotated audio playlist include?

5 Essential Practices Designed to Promote Anti Racist Pedagogy • Education for empowerment Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist •Talk about race Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist •Capture the Unseen What it Takes

a Complicated Story

Narrative Perspectives •Connect to the Present Narrative Perspectives

Assessment Opportunities

Assessment FOR Learning: Narrative Perspectives discussion Assessment FOR Learning: Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist music video analysis Assessment OF Learning: Summative: Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist

Differentiated Instruction: Learning environment

Full class, small group and individual work

Interest& Content Choice of music videos

After: Consolidati on & Connection

What It Takes

View an interview clip featuring Jonbronski, a Canadian hip hop pioneer (Click Music Lesson Arc Resources). What do you notice about his career? What qualities are important to success/longevity in the music business? How are these qualities different from or the same as those necessary in other professions? Discuss with an elbow partner. In the large group, students share key ideas.

Students may use computer lab time to research songs and prepare annotations. (Assessment for/of learning)

Northside Hip Hop Archive: Lesson Arc for AMU2O

Summative Task: Gateway to Canadian Rap Playlist

Over this lesson arc, you have learned about historical Canadian hip hop artists. Now, you will curate your own Gateway to Canadian Rap playlist. Choose two songs from Canadian hip hop history and two from the modern day scene.

Record an audio annotation of your four audio song clips, modelled on Mark V. Campbell’s Q interview in which he shares his own playlist. Dr. Campbell chose songs to which he connected emotionally and that he felt represented Canadian identity. The themes of belonging to Canada and pride in where he’s from unite his selections. In his annotation, he explains themes of each song, provides some background on the artist(s), and presents links to the themes he states when introducing his playlist.

Explain why you chose your songs, ensuring you make clear why they are important to Canadian hip hop but also to you, and how they relate to your stated theme. Your entire recording should be about five minutes long, with song clips that don’t exceed one minute of this time total.

Refer to the success criteria co created by the class when completing this task. Be prepared to present your playlist to the class.