This course traces the emergence of the French hip-hop movement and especially rap. We will study songs from the beginning of French rap in the 1980s through to today. We will also read cultural and historical analyses, including of the banlieue. Our exploration will include ethnic and sexual identities as they are reflected in hip-hop--rap, DJing, graffiti, dance, and style. Because much of our analysis will center on sound performance, we will also work on French pronunciation and especially prosody.