Wiley College seeks to establish the first annual conference at a Historically Black College that addresses hip-hop culture from an academic perspective. The aim is to facilitate student and attendee exposure to the history, art, rhetoric, and industry of hip-hop, and to increase participant awareness of the transformative possibilities and academic value of hip-hop. Through discussions of complex cultural issues that center on hip-hop, students will be encouraged to develop their skills of critical thinking and reflection by using the language that they are already familiar with as media consumers.
Scholars of the Culture is essential for successfully shaping Wiley College’s 21st century identity as a vibrant campus where students participate in critical contemporary dialog and become informed citizens who are influential in their communities. Scholars, graduate students, undergraduate students, and artists will participate in paper panels, Show and Proves, Cyphers, and creative performances.
As a Historically Black College, Wiley College is dedicated to educating and empowering its students, many of whom are the producers and consumers of hip-hop culture. The College, in fulfilling its basic purpose of providing a liberal arts education with a global focus, endeavors to provide an intellectually stimulating environment, promote student competencies in communication, and foster critical and analytical thinking. Scholars of the Culture responds to the College’s mission by demonstrating to students the educational and global importance of hip-hop culture.
