Assistant​/Associate Professor, Hip Hop, Culture, History and Practice

Title: Assistant/Associate Professor, Hip Hop, Culture, History and Practice

Division Name: Academic Affairs

College/Unit: Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts

Department: School of Creative Technologies

Campus

Location:

Normal, IL

The Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University invites applications for an energetic, interdisciplinary educator-practitioner to teach “Hip-Hop:
Culture, History & Practice”, a new large-section General Education course. This tenure-track position will also play a central role in developing additional offerings that integrate hip-hop culture, history, and creative practice with critical inquiry and emerging creative technologies, including AI, as tools for artistic expression and research. The ideal candidate will have roots in hip-hop’s artistic expressions—such as sound design, beat production,ism, breaking technique, urban dance, stylized lettering, or related creative domains—and be a practice‑led teacher and creative‑scholar who integrates critical inquiry and emerging creative technologies as a foundational component of their work.

We are especially interested in candidates who use artificial intelligence not only as a cutting‑edge tool, but also as a pedagogical means, creative medium, or research methodology.

They will understand that teaching and mentorship are essential for sustaining hip‑hop culture and cultivating community connections and local scene engagement. Their creative‑scholarly work should inform the design of courses and experiences that explore intersections across technology and culture, including generative media, architecture and spatial design, or other emerging digital forms. The position requires demonstrated fluency in creative technologies across multiple modes of expression—Audio Music Production, Film, Game Design, Dance, Theatre, Music Business, Art and Design, or other areas within the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts.

In addition to launching the General Education course, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop additional classes aligned with their expertise. Potential offerings may include “Breaking & Culture”, “Letterform and Visual Aesthetics”, “Sound Design and Production”, or cross‑disciplinary explorations of hip‑hop culture, history, and practice through interactive media, digital arts, textiles, architectural contexts, or related domains.

• Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
• Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
• Tuition waiver benefits available to staff and eligible dependents
• Paid holiday and administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
• Paid benefit time

Illinois State University was founded in 1857 as Illinois’ first public university. We enroll approximately 21,000 students in six colleges. Our new strategic plan, Excellence by Design: 2024‑2029, lists our seven core values:
Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship;
Individualized Attention;
Equity, Diversity, Access, and Belonging;
Collaboration;
Community and Civic Engagement;
Respect; and Integrity. By acting on these values, we create a learning environment that results in our university being the first‑choice public university in Illinois for high‑achieving, motivated students who seek an individualized educational experience combined with the resources of a large university. Learn more .

Bloomington‑Normal:
Illinois State University is located in the growing twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, with a metro population of approximately 172,000. The community is also home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center, Carle Bro Menn Medical Center, COUNTRY Financial, State Farm Insurance’s International Headquarters, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and the electric truck manufacturer Rivian Motors.

The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems and high level of educational attainment. Bloomington is ranked No. 3 on College Values Online’s list of Best Small College Towns in America (2024).

Assistant Professor:…