The majority of courses are dedicated to professors and other individuals, but recently, more academic institutions have started to provide courses that are focused on well-known musicians.
Nonetheless, it is understandable why College students might be drawn to these classes, which frequently fill up rapidly and are offered only once. Celebrity and sociology subjects frequently result in viral social media posts that increase enrollment.
For example, in 2016 the University of Texas at San Antonio Beehive was given the chance to examine the Black feminism underpinnings of Beyoncé’s Lemonade.
Fortunately for students fighting for spots in these incredibly popular sessions, several universities around the nation are and will continue to offer courses and workshops dedicated to stars and popular musical genres.
The following list of popular music courses features artistes like Rihanna, Kanye West, and others.
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Kanye West
Rapper and professor Yassin “Narcy” Alsalman, who taught the course, wrote on Instagram, “an opportunity to bring more amazing guests to the University and to discuss the world through the lens of one of the most influential artistes of our generation.” There’s more to this class than just Kanye. It’s about creativity and community. Georgia State University announced a similar course in 2015, and Washington University in St. Louis followed suit in 2017. Then, five years later, a course titled “Kanye vs. Ye: Genius by Design” at Concordia University in Montreal introduced Ye research to Canada.
JAY-Z
Just like his wife, rapper Jay-Z gained notoriety in the late 2000s when he was the topic of a Georgetown University course led by Michael Eric Dyson, a best-selling author of Jay-Z: Made in America and a sociologist. The college course allowed learners to examine the life, work, and sociocultural relevance of Hova.
Sean Combs
“Though sometimes not treated with the seriousness he deserves, Combs has had a profound effect on global culture of the last 20 years,” said the New York University course handbook. The sole issue with the class, it appears, is that it was mostly centered on his reign in the 1990s. Not a single study on the 2000 debut of Making the Band.
Michael Jackson
The legendary musician held the unique distinction of being the only celebrity on this list to have an MBA course taught to them (at Clark Atlanta University). The program, which was taught by an industry lawyer, covered “how he negotiated and his tours, record deals, merchandising, to how he revolutionized legal practices related to entertainment copyrights, trademarks, licenses and more”.
Rihanna
In a course taught at the University of Texas Austin titled “Beyoncé Feminism, Rihanna Womanism,” Rihanna represented half of the material. Under the direction of associate professor Dr. Omise’eke Tinsley, the course examined the connections between these icons and Black feminist tenets.
Drake & The Weeknd
A college course honoring two of the most well-known Canadian-born musicians was held in Toronto. In the fall of 2021, Canada’s X University (formerly Ryerson University) launched a course called “Deconstructing Drake and The Weeknd.” The course’s goal is to analyze the representation of Canadian musicians in the music scene as well as the infrastructure issues that forced both artistes to pursue their careers in the United States rather than their native country.