Mumbai college to start cert course in hip-hop

Almost 14 months after the course was approved by the University of Mumbai (MU), a suburban college is all set to start the first batch in Introduction to Hip-Hop Studies. Vile Parle’s Usha Pravin Gandhi College (UPG College) will be starting the first batch in March this year and registrations for the same have already begun.

Yatindra Ingle, a professor with the college said, “While hip-hop has been practised as a performing art, now having been included in academics will add an in-depth knowledge of the subject, for those who wish to study it as a culture. It’s important not only to learn the art form but also its history.”

Ingle has helped design the curriculum and will now be coordinating the course at UPG College. “Due to its cultural relevance and its tendency to promote through its connection with students—an increased social and cultural awareness can be created in an academic setting through this course.”

The 60-hour certificate course, originally meant to be launched in 2018, was under review by an expert committee and the final approval came through only in 2019, making it the first course of its kind to be offered by a university in the country.

Ingle said the course will teach hip-hop as a medium of communication and take students back to the roots when African Americans and other oppressed groups in the US used hip-hop to make their voices heard.

“The course will take students back to the days when hip-hop first was introduced on the streets of the US as a platform to speak out against oppression, violence, identity, culture as well as power,” added Ingle.

Sanjay Ranade, associate professor, department of communication and journalism, University of Mumbai, was also part of the formulation of this course along with Ingle and will now be part of the course at UPG College.

“My focus will be on lyrical development in the Indian hip-hop scenario, especially in Indian languages. I feel this will be unique to India,” he said.

Anju Kapoor, principal of UPG College, said, “Students will be given an opportunity to cover history and origin of hip hop culture and also get a chance to try their hands at hip hop thanks to the many artists on board.”

She added that the college has already received several registrations and they plan to start the course in mid-March.