Kanye West Is The Subject Of A College Course At Washington University

(ALLHIPHOP)
Back in 2014, Kanye West took on the role of instructor for an L.A. Trade Technical College class as part of his court-ordered community service.

A year earlier, the self-described college dropout gave an impromptu speech at Harvard University.

Now students at Washington University in St. Louis will not learn from Mr. West, but they will have the chance to learn about the G.O.O.D. Music founder.

“Politics of Kanye West: Black Genius and Sonic Aesthetics” began at the campus this week.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, seventy-five students registered for the 14-week class and more are on a waiting list.

“I always wanted to teach a course looking at black genius and the impossibility of black genius for the American public,” said associate professor Dr. Jeffrey McCune. “We’re always thought of as maybe being articulate or smart but not really genius.”

There have been other colleges to offer instruction focused on West.

Georgia State University had a Kanye class in 2015, and the University of Missouri had one that centered around him and his Watch The Throne collaborator Jay Z.

McCune’s syllabus includes topics such as “Who is Kanye West and Why Is He in the Flashing Lights?” “Father Stretch My Hands, or How Hip-Hop Takes Us to Church” and “Love Lock Down, or Hip-Hop’s Queer Love Languages.”

“I knew my students had connections to Kanye. They’re always referencing his music and performances and videos and fashion,” added the African and African-American Studies and the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies department member. “What better time than now to take seriously Kanye West as a cultural icon? I’m always interested in how he’s pushing whatever boundaries.”

Entertainers like Jay Z, 2Pac, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Beyoncé, and Rihanna have been studied at various institutions of higher learning as well.