Available to all UCSD students, the course “honors the people of color, who pioneered groundbreaking genres within electronic music” according to a course description. Throughout the course, students will learn about “the lineage of many of the groundbreaking Black electronic artists who have been integral but overlooked in the development and commodification of House, Techno, Drum and Bass and experimental music.”

According to the Blacktronica Instagram page, the course will include artists Mad Professor, Ron Trent, Flying Lotus, and others. It will also feature a mixture of guest lectures by these artists along with live performances.

 

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Philadelphia-native King James Britt, a 30+ year composer/producer in electronic music, joined the Pew Fellowship in 2007. He received a $50,000 grant, the largest amount that artists can be awarded. The Pew Charitable Trust aims to “award outstanding artists who live and work within the five-county Philadelphia area, who have a demonstrated commitment and professional accomplishment within their field.”

The Blacktronica course is a recent addition to UCSD’s lecture program and has been attended by artists such as Questlove and Goldie.

In conversation with West, Troxler touched on the the author and activist’s love for house music as well as the genre’s place in the broader context of Black music. Later, he discussed the significance of spaces like The Loft in NYC and Chicago’s Warehouse with Trent and Humphries. Common themes in both live streams were comparisons between soul and techno/house in addition to how the music industry’s influence on Black music arguably circumvented social movements.

“When Beatport approached me to host a month of streams during Black History Month, I was truly honored,” Troxler told Beatportal. “Being from Detroit and mentored by people like Omar-S, Keith Worthy, and Scott Grooves, as well as understanding that techno and house history is Black history, this is a story that was so deeply connected to my family’s heritage, it has always been deeply important to keep the origins of dance music alive for the next generation.”

Future installments of the live stream series will take place on February 15th and 22nd as well as March 1st. Paul Johnson, Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, Al Ester, DJ Holographic and Channel Tres will be among the interviewees.

More information including the full schedule is available via Beatportal.