In August 2023, hip hop turned 50. For at least the last 40 years, it has functioned as a global form of cultural expression.In Latin America, rappers claim the art form as a means to empower themselves and their communities in the face ofpostcolonial racial and class violence. Despite the geographic and linguistic borders that separate these artists, their songs point to a common understanding of hip hop’s capacity to intervene in the public sphere and a shared poetics of neighborhood, nation, and transatlantic yearnings. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti, Charlie Hankin '11 will share findings and musical selections from his recent book, Break and Flow: Hip Hop Poetics in the Americas.

Charlie Hankin '11 received his Master of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Oregon and his PhD in Spanish and Portuguese from Princeton University. His research explores the relationship between popular music.

Free and open to the public. Reception to follow in the E314 foyer from 5:30-6pm. Sponsored by the Spanish department.