DJ Class Offerings in IAP 2020
How DJs Invented Hip-Hop: The Rise and Rise of Turntables in Rap Music
January 6–9, 13 & 14, 2020 / 1-3pm (6 sessions)
MIT Building W97, Room 160
Though rappers get most of the attention, DJs started hip-hop, and they drive the culture as producers, broadcasters, or artists in their own right. This class will look at the origin of the hip-hop DJ, their effect on culture and the genre, and how, despite setbacks, DJs could continue to invent hip-hop’s future. Harry Allen, Hip-Hop Activist & Media Assassin, will lead the class, joined by a variety of guest lecturers.
How to Scratch: Six Techniques in Six Days
January 6–9, 13 & 14, 2020 / 3-5pm (6 sessions)
MIT Building W97, Black Box
Each student will have access to a DJ station equipped with two turntables, one mixer with a built-in Serato DJ interface, and vinyl, allowing them to develop a solid technical foundation that can be applied to changing DJ technology. Beyond the tactility of manipulating music, students will also learn about the history and cultural context of said DJing techniques. This will grant the class means for appreciating a creative form that was birthed in the midst of socio-economic oppression. No equipment or prior experience needed. Space is limited. Pre-registration required.
DJ History and Technology
January 10, 17, 24 & 31, 2020 / 2–4pm (4 sessions)
E15-335, Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Philip Tan reviews the evolution of music, technologies, and practices of the modern dancefloor DJ. Join him every Friday afternoon for discotheque history and classic grooves.
Each session will start with an informal talk on developments in the DJ’s tools and craft over five decades of dance music followed by an hour of listening to a music genre that fueled those changes, inspired creativity, and reimagined the dance floor.