In class, we have read many texts which directly and intentionally respond to Whitman, but we seldom explored the Whitman energies that went into hiding before making a subliminal resurgence in the late 20th century. One genre that embodies these energies in multitudes is hip-hop, a relatively new art form that projects various dimensions of Whitman across its thematic landscape. Hip-hop engages in a conversation between the past, present, and future, as it recognizes our predispositions alongside our potential, oftentimes finding itself next to Whitman, crying out to America and societies abroad from the rooftops.
I want to pursue this topic because I think we are entering an exciting era as people who study text. While Whitman has been a mainstay in academic journals for over 100 years, hip hop has only recently been recognized as a medium worth studying. It’s exciting to be able to ask new questions, and maybe come up with some answers ourselves. What Whitmanian energies do we see throughout hip hop? What historical and social factors have led to the genre’s collective voice? And do these factors connect hip hop to Whitman in a way that sets him apart from other precursors to the genre? The most beneficial medium for answering these questions would be a podcast, as I would like to invite Whitman and hip hop enthusiasts alike to bring these curiosities to light, and hopefully play some music along the way.
I will not be the first person to comment on the connections between Whitman and hip hop, but the discourse is open to the point that much of my job will involve joining research that would otherwise be considered disjoint in order to start a new conversation. This project will incorporate skills and knowledge I have acquired to this point as an English major and stretch my research efficacy, as historical, multicultural, and creative sources will be necessary to producing this podcast.
I think this topic is really unique and interesting. I would never think of connecting Whitman to the hip hop genre, but the more I think about this final project the greater potential I think it has. I wonder if through your research if you will link specific Whitman poems to hip-hop songs? Will artists like Jay-Z or Kanye West directly mimic Whitman’s words, or will you have to dig deeper into the meanings in order to find this connection? The other reason why I think this has potential to be an incredibly strong topic is because hip-hop is of course in relation to the African American community, and Whitman himself often tried to embody the black experience in his work. Because Whitman expands beyond time, place, and even people, I think the bold choice of choosing a music genre in relation to the poet will definitely pay off. Although right now I have no idea what your project will end up looking like, I know that if any white poet has the power to connect with hip-hop, it is definitely Walt Whitman!
I enjoyed out conversation about the various directions this project might take; I think we were leaning towards an a multimedia online project (which would allow you to link, included music / video, etc. I also like the idea of focusing on a single career, like Kanye’s, and really pressing on certain connections (experiments with their respective forms (book / album), tendency towards self promotion, the messianic intensity, etc. Very cool start to this project!