Hip Hop and the Politics of Race FIG Instructor and Assistant

Hey everyone! My name is Andre´, and I will be the instructor for our FYE Seminar meetings. I've been a fan of hip hop culture and music since the early 1980s when I caught the breakdance bug and started learning b-boy moves. My fandom went next level in the late-90s when I began writing for hip hop magazines, started buying records, and then got my own turntable setup and began catching wreck on college radio (107.7 WFCS in New Britain, Connecticut). Today I'm still a hip hop DJ/turntablist and crate diggin' beatmaker (got a couple loops on my soundcloud). I've been lucky enough to share stages with and rock for artists like Pharoahe Monch, Chali 2na, and Gift of Gab (to name a few), have 60+ mixtapes in the catalog (including collabs with Common, MF DOOM, Kool Keith, etc), and have done scratches on albums for a nice lineup of artists (most famously the scratches on the platinum selling track “I'm Awesome” by Spose). Although I'm old and a dad, I'm still out rocking parties here in Eugene, making beats, and am always out looking for records (I mean ALWAYS).

All this love and passion for hip hop DJing and the music went to another level when I was a Ph.D. student here at UO and started researching the culture, its technology, and how hip hop DJ culture/technique has influenced the technology we use. I wrote a dissertation on this, which eventually became my first book: Hip Hop DJs and the Evolution of Technology: Cultural Exchange, Innovation, and Democratization (you can check a free ebook version here if you're feeling nerdy or have a hard time sleeping). The whole process was pretty interesting as I got to interview and build with the DJs I grew up idolizing and emulating.

While doing all this I started collecting and archiving DJ mixers. I have, in my estimation, one of the largest and most diverse collections in the world featuring rare pieces from the 70s through the 2000s. One of the highlight items in the collection includes a pair of original Technics SL-1200 turntables that belonged to Disco King Mario and were used by Afrika Bambaataa, considered one of the most important hip hop DJs and pioneers of the art, in his first DJ battle in 1976. This collection has been built into a traveling exhibit and I'm currently working on a coffee table styled book featuring photos from the archive, as well as interviews with iconic DJs who influenced and used the technology, engineers who designed them, and company reps who marketed them. This book and exhibit are called Designed from Scratch: A Hip Hop History of the DJ Mixer, 1975-2005. Coming to your coffee table when I got some time, so like 2030.

Email: asirois@uoregon.edu

FIG Assistant: Skylar

Hi! My name is Skylar, I use she/her pronouns, and I am a FIG Assistant for the Hip Hop and Politics of Race FIG. I am pursuing a BA in Journalism with a minor in Ethnic Studies. I was born in Chicago and hope to move there after graduating next year, but I spent most of my childhood in Portland, Oregon. I love Oregon’s abundance of nature and greenery!

When deciding on a college, I knew I wanted to stay close to home because of my close relationship with my family. I'm the oldest of three girls and I have two French bulldogs. In my free time, I love binge-watching TV Shows, playing soccer, making playlists, gardening, hiking, getting food with friends, and (recently) knitting. I'd love to talk about your favorite restaurants and music artists! I'm so excited to be a FIG assistant for this incredible program for the 3rd year in a row. I was also a student in the Hip Hop and Politics of Race FIG during my freshman year! I can't wait to meet you all! 

Want to connect with your FA? Email figs@uoregon.edu to get connected!

FIG Assistant: Xitlalit

Hi! My name is Xitlalit, I use she/her pronouns, and I'm so excited to be a FIG assistant this fall! I'm a business major planning to get my BA in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Sports Business. I'm from Arlington, Texas, which is right in between Dallas and Fort Worth. I love to watch sports, especially basketball (go mavs!!). I also love listening to many types of music and going to concerts, so I'm open to any and all recommendations! I was in the Hip Hop FIG my first year and had so much fun so I hope I can make it as fun for ya'll as it was for me! If you have any questions about the FIG or just want to talk, feel free to reach out to me whenever! See you all this fall!

Want to connect with your FA? Email figs@uoregon.edu to get connected!