Bun B opens "Religion & Hip Hop Culture" course to the public starting September 13

Professor Bun B and Dr. Anthony Pinn speak to last semester's
"Religion and Hip Hop Culture" class at Rice University.
Photo by Erik Quinn from the course Facebook page

UGK rapper Bun B is full of interesting news this week.

On Tuesday, August 30 it was the proclamation of an official “Bun B Day” by Mayor Annise Parker and the City of Houston. And now, it’s the announcement that he’ll be donning his professor’s cap once again for a public session of the fascinating “Religion and Hip Hop Culture” course he taught at Rice last spring.

However, this time around, the class will be open to the general public through the university’s School of Continuing Studies.

The course will be held on eight Tuesday nights at 7pm – 8:30pm from September 13 through November 1, 2011. The cost is $170 ($150 for Rice alumni) and offers 1.2 CEUs (Continuing Education Unit credits.)

As with last semester’s session, it will be co-taught by Bernard “Bun B” Freeman and Dr. Anthony Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and professor of religious studies at Rice University.

Topics will include the following:

• What is religion? - A theoretical grounding
• What is hip hop? - Break dancing and visual art, and the look and language of hip hop
• Religious traditions and rap music: Islam, Christianity and rap
• Hip hop as a critique of religious institutions
• Hip hop and life meaning
• Hip hop, a “new” religion - Works of artists who argue hip hop is a unique religious language and experience

I’m told the classroom holds 100 student and that they’d like to, but don't yet, have every seat filled. Also, there will not be any required work to complete outside of the class which certainly makes it a more attractive opportunity for potential students who may already be managing busy day jobs and homes.

Those interested can find more details and sign up for the course online through the school’s website.

Here’s what Bun B told me about the class at the end of last semester.



UPDATE 09/07/11 (11am CST) - I'm told the class has been cancelled due to low enrollment. No word yet on whether or not it will be offered at a later date.