The first event of the series begins with a workshop led by Kimberly Williams (Ph.D. Student, English) and Dr. Victor Del Hierro (Hypeman and DJ). Join us in this workshop as we reflect on the experiences of Black virtual and communal spaces.
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz’s’ Verzuz is a testament of Black storytelling, archiving, and improvisation. Created during the 2020 quarantine, these sonic “battles” spotlight the cultural knowledges on contemporary and “old-school” Black musicality and kinship. From singer Patti Labelle to rapper Jadakiss to dancehall artists Bounty Killer and Beenie Man–Verzuz actualizes the aural, multidisciplinary production that marks a new discourse of Black tradition. How do Black theories reframe or complicate these battles or celebrations? How does Verzuz enrich the oral tradition? How does the context of the COVID-19 quarantine influence Verzuz? For this interactive workshop, come ready to battle, critique, and learn how the impact of Verzus reverberates into Black globalism discourse.
September 18, 2021 at 1:00 pm
Meet the Speaker
Kimberly Williams is a doctoral student studying Black nonbeing, healing, and sound studies across multimedia. You can catch her recent co-curated work entitled: Shadow to Substance at the Harn Museum of Art.
Meet the Hypeman and DJ
Victor Del Hierro is an assistant professor of Digital Rhetoric and Technical Communication in the English department at the University of Florida. His research focuses on Cultural Rhetorics, Hip Hop, and community engagement.