Homework: Funk- Music as a Cultural Artifact- Rhythm Blues and Hip Hop
Overview:
For each week in our course, you will consider music as a cultural artifact and be assigned either a piece of music or a specific musical artist to explore and analyze for the week. This week, you will be listening to music from the funk genre. As you have read this week, Fun is a musical trend of the late 1970s that came into music through Jazz. It referred to a simpler, more blues-oriented style and featured a strong, powerful rhythmic "groove." For each week in our course, you will consider music as a cultural artifact and be assigned either a piece of music or a specific musical artist to explore and analyze for the week. This week, you will be listening to music from the funk genre. As you have read this week, Fun is a musical trend of the late 1970s that came into music through Jazz. It referred to a simpler, more blues-oriented style and featured a strong, powerful rhythmic "groove."
In addition to your etextbook, you should expect to complete some research online to respond to these questions. Be sure to use vetted resources-if you aren't sure what a reliable source is, remember, you can use the CRAP test to determine if your source is reliable!
Resources that might help you:
a) Tony Aguirre. (2017, Feb 27). The history of funk music.
b) History of funk. (2019). The Funk Hall of Fame.
Instructions:
1. On the internet or your phone, listen to TWO of the following songs from the funk genre in the list below:
• Wild Cherry, "Play that Funky Music" o Lyn Collins, "Think (About It)" o Isley Brothers, "It's Your Thing" o War, "Lowrider"
• Marvin Gaye, "Got to Give It Up" o James Brown, "Papas Got A Brand New Bag" o Funkadelic, "One Nation Under a Groove" o Sly and the Family Stone, "Thank You" o Rufus and Chaka Khan, "Tell Me Something Good" o Kool and the Gang, "Jungle Boogie" o Kool and the Gabg, "Get Down on It" o The Commodores, "Brick House" o Rick James, "Super Freak"
• Zapp, "Bounce to the Ounce"
2. After listening to your TWO selections, answer the following questions in a word document:
• Define the musical term: Funk
• Share a brief biography of each of the two bands you chose.
• Name the members of each of these bands.
• Examine the lyrics and share the lines of each song which are your favorite and/or made an impression on you.
• What are the ideas being addressed in each of these songs?
• What is the date that the original music was written? What is the date that this original recording was made/released?
• Has anyone else recorded the two songs you have chosen? If so, find one YouTube recording of "covers" of each the two songs you have chosen if they are available. If nothing is available, please indicate that as well.
• List the instruments you hear in these recordings. Are each of these songs the same or different instrumentation?
• How would you describe the rhythm? 1950s shuffle rhythm, ska, rock steady, reggae?
• What was your favorite thing about the performances/recordings?
• What emotions did the performances/recordings make you feel when you heard it?
Format your homework according to the give formatting requirements:
• The answer must be using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, typed, with one-inch margins on all sides.
• The response also includes a cover page containing the student's name, the title of the homework, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
• Also include a reference page. The references and Citations should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.