Sherman Johnson, Hip-Hop Journalist
Listening Event and Panel Discussion Will Include Hip Hop Critic and Journalist Sherman Johnson, Dr. Lynn Sally and MCNY Students Taking Place on January 31, 2012
WHAT: Metropolitan College of New York’s popular “Urban Dialogue” Series will next bring to life its ‘Empowerment Through the Arts’ Constructive Action (CA) practicum with a live case study and public listening event analyzing The Roots critically acclaimed new CD undun. The Roots is a hip-hop band known for a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which includes live instrumentals. In 2009, The Roots became the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
This Listening Event and panel was created in conjunction with the Empowerment through the Arts’ special unit on “Lyrics as Poetry and Music as Protest.” This seminar focuses on mass media, media culture and new technologies, and their influence on organizational and social behavior. During their experiential learning projects, students are instructed to utilize their classroom learning to implement an effective idea for improving the community or communication. This seminar is part of the Bachelor of Arts in American Urban Studies degree program.
WHY: The Roots recent concept album, undun, follows one main protagonist throughout the album, beginning with his death on the first track and continuing in reverse chronological order through his life. A modern epic poem of sorts, the album is meant to be listened to in one sitting. Led by Dr. Lynn Sally, Professor, MCNY’s Audrey Cohen School for Human Services and Education, students, faculty, panelists and guests will do just that and listen to the full CD with a panel discussion to follow.
WHO: Dr. Lynn Sally received her Ph.D. in Performance Studies from New York University and began teaching humanities and writing and working with the Learning Enhancement Center at MCNY in 2005. Before joining MCNY, assistant professor Sally taught at New York University and was the Assistant Director of the Center for Writing and Language Arts at Cooper Union.
Sherman Johnson is a New York City DJ, a hip hop critic and a music journalist. His work has appeared in outlets including The Village Voice.
WHEN: Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Metropolitan College of New York
431 Canal St., Room 12L, New York, NY 10013
ADDITIONAL “Metropolitan College of New York’s School of Management hosts “Urban Dialogues”, a forum scholars, INFO: legislators, policymakers, students and citizens exchange ideas and discuss issues and trends that affect New
York City and other urban centers across the nation. Topics cover a spectrum of ideas, theories and viewpoints that inform and/or influence urban policy.
Since their first independent album release, The Roots band has released 10 studio albums, two EPs, two collaboration albums and have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres. undun is an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). Through the use of emotives and Redford’s internal dialogues, the album seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out ‘on the corner’. Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented–postmortem–and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun.
The event is open to the public. Seating is limited.
For more information on MCNY, visit www.mcny.edu or call 800.33.THINK.
