MUSC4300 - Black Club Music and Party Cultures in the United States

Long before the groundbreaking release of Beyoncé's Renaissance album in 2022, Black club music and culture had been thriving in the United States. In this course, we will examine the historical development and contemporary significance of Black urban club music and party cultures across the United States. From the post-emancipation era, where Black nightlife economies began to flourish, to the ongoing struggle of the "decolonize the dancefloor" movement in the present day, this course will reveal silenced and concealed narratives of Black electronic dance music. These narratives challenge the predominantly white, male, heterosexual EDM industry and the scholarly literature that surrounds it.

Throughout the semester, we will map out a dynamic Black urban club music ecosystem, with a special focus on club music scenes in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. We will also engage with various sub-styles and localities, such as Chicago house, Detroit techno, NYC ballroom, New Orleans bounce, and Miami bass. Our explorations will draw from a wide range of academic disciplines, including (ethno)musicology, gender and sexuality, Black cultural production, urban geography, performance, and dance studies. Furthermore, we will contextualize these themes and issues within broader historical, social, cultural, and geographical settings. Course activities will include critical discussion, reading, writing and listening exercises. Overall, this course will demonstrate the essential role of Black places, people, and sound in shaping club music cultures not only in the United States but also around the world.

Music Majors and Minors will be given preference during advance registration period.

Please email professor Jasmine Henry for permission henryja@sas.upenn.edu