Surveys the unique musical languages created by African Americans during the postwar era and focuses on five distinctive and durable styles: R&B, Soul, Funk, Techno and Hip-Hop. The listening examples, readings, discussions and assignments are designed to illuminate the connections between historic and contemporary African American genres. These connections are traced broadly by focusing on five themes present in each genre: sex, politics, appropriation, technology, and transnationalism. See department chair.