Decode the Message in the Music

Decode the Message in the Music

Introduction to the lesson

It's all about the code - whether you are listening to music or reading a computer program, we are always looking for deeper meaning. This lesson will be introduce lyric analysis through the "OUTKAST Imagination framework, and explore how to decode the message in music.

Objective

By the end of this lesson, scholars will explore how to decode the message in the music and embed messages in their code with comments.

TOOLS TO DECODE MUSIC

To help us better understand the message behind Pharrell’s music, we’ve enlisted the help of Dr. Joycelyn Wilson, a professor of Hip Hop Studies and Digital Humanities in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech. Dr. Wilson is a scholar in Black Media Studies and she created a framework to help her students decode song lyrics to find the true meaning of an artist’s lyrics. We will use her framework to help us better analyze Pharrell’s lyrics so we can understand his message.

OUTKAST IMAGINATION RUBRIC

• O : Open minded thinking

• U: Uprightness

• T: Truth, Transparency

• K: Kinship

• A: Accountability

• S: Sequence

• T: Teach Love

OUTKAST IMAGINATION RUBRIC Continued

• Open minded thinking: Mining for contemplation

• Uprightness: Choosing to do the right thing... even when it's unpopular

• Truth, Transparency: Awareness. Social, cultural, political, economic, and spiritual awareness. Stay Woke.

• Kinship: Knowledge of self, others, society, and spirit

  
  

• Accountability: Responsibility to self and others

• Sequence: Recognizing the order of things

• Teach Love: Righteousness

BUILD YOUR TOOLBOX TO PROMOTE EQUITY

Let's take a deeper dive to ensure as a class that we have a common understanding of three really important themes that are deeply embedded within this song's lyrics. Those three themes are entrepreneurship, equity, and racism. Let's start off by defining entrepreneurship and equity. 

Multiple Choice

The act of starting and operating any type of business. Entrepreneurs make profit or financial gain from the products and/or services they provide.

• Computer Science

• Entrepreneurship

• Equity

• Software

Multiple Choice

The ability for all groups of people to experience the same quality of life. It includes taking any necessary actions to make sure that all groups of people get fair treatment and the right resources that enables you to thrive.

• Equity

• Self Determination

• Racism

• Input

Open Ended

Create your definition of racism, in your own words define what racism mean to you.