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VH1
VH1 Storytellers: Jay-Z
Life of an American Gangster
VH1 Music Studio
Cable in the Classroom
Lesson for Music Classes, Grades 7-12
Lesson 1
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Note to Teachers: The programs viewed in conjunction with these lesson plans may include references, consistent with the eras portrayed, to substance abuse, violent acts, and topics of a sexual and/or political nature. Because this may be considered inappropriate for classroom use in some communities, you are encouraged to review the programs before presenting them to your students, and if necessary, choose those sections that enhance your lesson and are acceptable for use in your classroom.
Objectives
- Students will be better able to understand the life and personal journey of Shawn Corey 'Jay-Z' Carter and in turn, make connections within their own lives.
- Students will be able to analyze the poetry of 'Jay-Z' and compare it to that of Shakespeare and Langston Hughes.
- Students will be able to compose a rap in the style of 'Jay-Z' using his song "Pray" as an example.
National Standards:
- Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
- Evaluating music and music performances.
- Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
- Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Materials
Prior Knowledge:
- Students should have familiarity with the term ‘Concept Album’. [Examples of such include critically-acclaimed ‘Concept Albums’ such as the ‘Rock-Opera’ Tommy (1969) by The Who; The Wall (1979) of Pink Floyd; Queensrÿche’s Operation Mindcrime (1988) and Dream Theater’s Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, released in 1999.
- Distribute the ‘Lyrics Sheet’ to Pray as a preparatory activity for student review before viewing the VH1 Storyteller episode for the first time. Students may [at their own choosing and cost] visit the link above for access to purchasing the CD of the same name as a series of mp3 downloads.
Procedures
- Play video, VH1 Storytellers: Jay-Z: Life of an American Gangster video in its entirety.
- After the video, lead a short class discussion about the 3-acts of Jay-Z’s self described ‘Indie-Film’ that is ‘American Gangster’. What does Jay-Z want you to know about his life [the Genesis], his journey [The Rise] and near demise of the autobiographical characters portrayed throughout this ‘Concept Album’?
- Now, divide your class into groups of 5 or 6 students each. Distribute the Lyrics Sheet to “Pray”(below) and give students a few minutes to read the lyrics. Pay special attention to the individual names [Mowtown’s, Barry Gordy, Shawn Corey, The Kennedys, Frank Sinatra, The Genovese Family] and using the internet, find out some background information on each and their longtime alleged ties to organized crime and roles within the world of ‘American Gangsters’.
- Play the opening segment including “Pray” for a second time. After the initial reading, reviewing and researching the lyrics, conduct a Socratic Seminar based on your notes on how Jay-Z shared his life story.
- Use the following questions to lead a short discussion about what the students found in the song lyrics:
- When Jay-Z and Beyoncé [during spoken interludes] talk about Prayer, are they being figurative, literal, or both? Why?
- If the role of Verse 1 is largely of an historical context, what ‘Storyteller’ qualities does Verse 2 contain and what is its function as the songs Plot develops?
- Verse 3 is a descriptive first-person account of the making and subsequent breaking of the main character. What environmental and social factors of life on the street contribute to the Genesis, Rise and Demise trilogy depicted throughout Jay-Z: Life of an American Gangster?
National
Standards for Music Education
- Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
- Reading and notating music.
- Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
- Evaluating music and music performances.
- Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
- Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
These standards-based materials are provided through a partnership with MENC: The National Association for Music Education. This lesson plan was created by MENC member Timothy M. Black, Kadena High School, Okinawa, Japan.
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