Very clear and organized, knows what he's talking about, and passionate about the subject.

Shasko is a dynamic and interesting lecturer! The class is mainly about the civil rights movement and he is passionate about it. Doesn't have powerpoint, so you basically listen and jot down the important stuff! Plenty of reading for three credits but class is generally pretty easy. This is my favorite class taken here at UW!

wonderful class. it's his first year so it's not completely well-organized, but he's extremely passionate and a great lecturer - really interesting and clear. no powerpoint though, so you definitely have to come and pay attention, and take good notes.

This was an 8 am power lecture, but it was worth waking up for. Tests are extremely easy. Lectures and readings overlap, but they're both enjoyable. Basically, music.

Pretty good lecturer. He doesn't use powerpoints, so you need to take good notes. Passionate about what he does. A few opportunites for extra credit throughout the semester. 2 exams and 1 paper are your grade. 2/3 of each exam is writing an essay about one song. He gives you a list of 10 songs a week in advance and 3 of them are on the exam.

Really good teacher, lectures were really interesting mostly because we got to listen to music for 1/3 of the class. Exams were easy, and there were a ton of extra credit opportunities. You don't have to read the book as much as he says you should.

This was the easiest class I've taken here, and also one of the most interesting and fun. You never really use the books for anything except the one for the paper, and it's a wonderful read. I'd recommend this class to anyone, although it is difficult to get into your first or second year. Very low workload too

This was probably the most fun I've had in a class to date. He really knows his stuff and the class is not all that difficult.

By far my favorite class at UW. The lectures are actually fun to go to, because for the most part you are watching and listening to music. Shashko obviously loves what he does, and hearing some of his stories will make your semester. You will definitely listen to music differently after you take this class. Amazing class; just sad it's over!

One of the best ethnic studies classes! Super interesting, watch videos, listen to music, and he is a great lecturer. Don't need to read the book because he already covers everything in lecture. However, if your TA doesn't agree with your opinion in exams and the essay, you might not get an A.

This class is not an automatic A anymore. Attendance is mandatory. 25% of grade is a paper, 20% discussion, 25% midterm, and 30% final. Midterm and final are one essay and a short ID section from readings and lecture. The material is very intersting and I think you should be able to get an A if you put in a decent amount of effort.

Awesome

I LOVED this class! I would recommend it to anyone! Attendance is mandatory but who would want to miss his amazing lectures? I wish there was a continuation of the class because I loved it! Take it if you need the ethnic studies because it is worth it. The music is good and the history behind it is so interesting. Shasko is awesome!

I LOVED this class! I would recommend it to anyone! Attendance is mandatory but who would want to miss his amazing lectures? I wish there was a continuation of the class because I loved it! Take it if you need the ethnic studies because it is worth it. The music is good and the history behind it is so interesting. Shashko is awesome!

Easy A or AB without doing the readings! (if you luck out with a great TA, such as David Green). Make sure you talk with your TA in order to understand how they are grading you and what they are looking for, or else you will not be happy with exam grades.

Took this as an ethic studies credit. Great class, interesting material, and an easy A. Merely showing up to class everyday and half paying attention is more than enough to do well. If you have even a fleeting interest in music, this class will rock your world! Awesome professor that really cares about his students.

he is an amazing lecturer. he explains everything with great clarity, and really engages everyone. you probably don't have to read all of the books (there are a lot) but they'll definitely help you write good essays on the exams. the only downside is that he will often show documentaries that will take away from his amazing lectures.

Great class! Listen to music all class. Don't buy the books except the one for the paper. The exams are based on the most important topics and songs in class, so if you take decent notes, you will get an easy A

I loved this class and Professor Shashko! Every day was interesting and exciting. His use of videos in addition to the music really helped keep people's attention. The essay exams weren't too bad, but make sure to prepare! I would take it again for fun!

Afro-American 156 is the best class ever. You get to listen to amazing music during every class. Shashko is very intelligent and very clear with his lectures. I appreciated him playing the music loud in lectures so that people could FEEL the message of the song, and not chat with a neighbor. If you can get in this class (good luck), take it.

The best class I have taken in my 4 and a half year pedagogical quest. You listen to great and meaningful music every day. I actually miss having class over the weekends. The text books are engaging and the lectures are full of funny anecdotes and witty one-liners. Don't waste your time on any other ethnic studies, wait for this one.

Shasko is AWESOME! Highly recommended class for ethnic studies or just for interest. Engaging and clear lectures. His passion for the topic shows and the lectures are extremely enjoyable to attend. Must prepare for exams, but otherwise paying attention in class is all that's necessary. Take the class and ENJOY it! I'll miss it next semester!

Shashko is an incredible professor for an equally incredible class. There is never a dull moment during lectures. The lectures are mandatory but you wouldn't want to miss the content anyways. I never read (except for the novel Our America) and pulled off an A. One paper, one midterm, and a final. Take this class or forever regret it.

very excellent professor, he really knows and cares about what he is teaching. I looked forward to going to his lectures, I wish they were every day. The material is interesting, relatable, and not very difficult. This class is a must take.

Alexander did a phenomenal job teaching this course. I learned a lot, especially about older black artists and history. Attendance is "mandatory" for lecture, and you sign yourself in, but I don't think it counts for the final grade. His beard was great this semester.

3 in-class blue book essays and one essay out of class. Interesting and easy. Be sure to ask your TA what they look for in an essay (content, structure, etc.) since they will be grading it. Keep up on the readings so you don't have to cram. Out of class essay is very easy. Lecture is interesting

Possibly my favorite course at UW. Incredible lecturer with great subject material. Spent class listening to music and talking about its significance. 3 blue book exams and paper. Moderate reading load and easy grading, discussion somewhat useless. Takes attendance in lecture, but you wouldn't want to miss it anyways.

BOSS professor. wonderful class that really makes you think about pop culture with interesting material. mandatory attendance, but I wanted to go anyway. Really should keep up with readings for discussion and final exam. the TAs this semester were really bad. Just pray for a nice TA.

Incredible professor, incredible class. Don't let yourself graduate without taking this course, period.

Great professor and great lectures but the exams are not the best way to test the material since they are graded by TAs, who were horrible. Easy enough to get an A/AB, way better than any other ethnic study class.

Amazing professor, and even better class. Absolutely love the material and how it was delivered. One of the reasons for one of my best semesters at UW-Madison, Music makes life better.

Alex was easiestly the best professor I've had here at the UW. His exams were blue books but were really fairly graded. This course was the one I was looking forward to the least and enjoyed the most. Attendance is mandatory but you wont want to skip them cause their so interesting when alex teaches.

Shashko was easily the best teacher I've ever had. He is extremely knowledgable and passionate in this topic. I came into the class not knowing much about what it was all about, but left sad that it was over. The material is so interesting and his lectures kept fascinated every time. Excellent class and an even more excellent professor.

While Shashko was one of the best professors I've ever had, the grade is determined by the TA and my TA (Everett) graded the class like it was a 300 level class history class. Participation was 20% of the grade but he would make you feel stupid if you said something he didn't agree with. Wish I would've taken the class a different semester

Shashko is awesome! He knows so much about the music he covers and you gain a whole new appreciation for it, plus you get to listen to music in class. Lecture is mandatory and we had to choose a seat for the whole semester but this is a fun class to do to so its not a big deal. Only thing I didn't like was that it's entirely graded by your TA.

Professor Shashko is one of the most eloquent, knowledgable professors I've had at UW. He is a genius in the field of Black Music and makes learning the material worthwhile. Though exams cover a lot of material (lecture, discussion, books) and studying takes a somewhat serious time commitment, it's 100% worth it for how awesome the class is!

Professor Shashko was by far the best professor I've ever had at UW. He's a great lecturer and truly enthusiastic about the material he's teaching. I only used the books for exam prep (which he gives you two of the possible exam questions two weeks in advance). Take this class if you get the chance!

I picked this professor based partly on these ratings, and I was not disappointed. He did a great job making lecture interesting, and I didn't think it would be a class I would like. As it turned out, I looked forward to it. He clearly know what he's talking about in lecture. I have even told my friends they should take this class. It's that good.

Incredible professor. Lectures are mandatory, but I looked forward to them every week. Material is interesting and course workload is very manageable.

Very strict about attendance, interesting lectures, and very fun to have a class with.

272 is one of the best courses I've taken. It challenges your perspective on race relations and professor Shashko's lectures are extremely interesting. You learn a lot but the lecturers seem informal and almost story like. The essay based midterms were tough but the material was very interesting.

I signed up for this class as an "easy" ethnic studies because of his prior ratings from past students. Unless you're taking just 12 credits4 classes, that's not the case and consumes much more time than needed. Tests are very comprehensive and only test you on your memorization capabilities because he hands out the prompts ahead of time.

Best professor I've had at UW. I took the class just because I needed to, and ended up enjoying it way more than I thought I would. His lectures are almost story-like, and they give you a great perspective on the material covered. I will forever recommend this class to everyone who has the chance to to take it.

Lectures are mandatory but so good that I looked forward to them every day. Great, relevant course content that made the class seem like more than just a required ethnic studies. Two exams (comprehensive in-class essays that require prep) and one research paper. Definitely inspired me to take some Afro-American classes in the future.

He's an awesome professor and I actually looked forward to all of his lectures. He keeps things interesting and plays songs every day to help teach the material. The content of the class was super interesting and as long as you attend lecture it's easy to get a good grade.

I chose this class solely because of the reviews I saw on RMP. The class is decent, as is Shashko, but not as great as I was expecting from the reviews. One of the things I got from this class is how much Shashko hates Ronald Reagan. He spent 2 classes shredding him. It was bizarre. (and I am no republican). Shashko is a hardcore liberal

Shasko is brilliant at teaching history: he causes you to examine the past as an evolution and not as brief, isolated moments. Lectures are well organized and engaging. Midterms are not easy, but he helps you to be well prepared. One long(ish) paper, but on a topic of your choice (and he is very willing to help you). Definitely recommend!!

the class is so amazing and inspiring and i could not even begin to talk about how knowledgeable Shashko is on the topic. LOVE LOVE LOVE WOULD TAKE THE CLASS AGAIN.

Great professor, very interesting lectures and an overall great lecturer. He is very highly respected in his field, and votes for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A lot of reading every week, but you can get by without doing it, just read the information that pertains to the midterm prompts (in-class essays).

Shashko's lectures are extremely engaging and he beautifully links together music from the past and how it has influenced present day music. The material you will take away from this class is truly invaluable; makes you WANT to attend lecture! Truly a once in a lifetime experience. Wish I could take it again.

THE most amazing professor. Really easy class, no hw just 2 midterms and a final BUT even if it was super difficult still would be so worth it. I hate getting up before 11 but I wake up at 8 just for this class, lecture is amazing & even if this wasn't for credit I would still go and take it. Honestly cannot recommend it or him enough. Life changer

Shashko is by far one of my favorite professors I've ever had. He knows his stuff and is super engaging. The class is extremely interesting and I looked forward to class every day. You get to listen to great music everyday and hear the stories behind it. If there's one class I'd recommend for a student at UW to take, it would be this one by far!

Shashko is great! Lecture can get boring, but I learned so much throughout the semester and his class made me think about race in a completely different way. I didn't really keep up with the readings, just waited until the exam prompts and read the book, thinking about the prompt. I'd recommend that to save time. Overall, great teacher.

Made what I had thought would be boring material incredibly interesting. We listen to songs in class. It's insane how much I learned about music from Shashko. Tests are 10 short answer questions(20%) + 1 essay(80%). Potential songs for the essay, as well as the exact essay grading criteria are given a week before tests.

Very clear lecturer. Great grasp of the material. Did use a documentary as instruction for several classes which is a bit odd but luckily it was a great documentary. Exam grading criteria is not always clear considering the broad spectrum of topics discussed. Really informative class, should be required considering how important this information is

Great class, clear speaker, really cares about the topic and is willing to open up and speak. Favorite class so far. Just take decent notes and the essays will be no problem

This has been the most enjoyable class I have taken. You learn a lot, but it is not stressful at all, as the lectures are incredibly clear and informative. Super engaging, and it will stick with me for the rest of my life. I was actually upset the couple times I had to miss a lecture!

Took this class as an humanities credit, and I liked him so much I'm taking 154 for ethnic studies. You watch music videos/concerts in class so you can literally see what he's talking about. Lecture is mandatory, but is flexible if you have a good reason (I hurt my back, and he excused me for a week). First power lecture I didn't fall asleep in

Alexander was an outstanding professor. Every class was interesting and well put together. I have nothing bad to say about him.

Shashko was an amazing professor. He was very knowledgeable about hip hop and his lectures went by very fast and his notes were of good quality. 10/10 would recommended taking Afro Am 154!

Great class! It's not an "easy-A" as you end up putting a lot of work in the exams, but it's easily one of the most interesting class I've ever taken and I value the information I learned from it. Exams are easy as it's 80% essay, 20% fill in the blank. There's a ton of reading but I gave up on it halfway through the semester and so far it's fine.

An amazing teacher. The best professor I've ever had at uw madison. Take him if you get a chance.

Best lectures of any class I've taken in college. I recommend Shashko to everyone.

Shashko is an amazing professor, take a class or more with him at all costs. Show up, listen to hip hop, and talk about race and society in discussion, pretty great. He does expect you to do the readings, and there are a lot of them, but they are interesting, but if you don't do them, you aren't in bad shape either.

Shashko was an incredible professor. Not only did he absolutely understand what hip-hop culture and history, you could tell he was truly passionate about it and it made you care about the class too. There was a lot of reading, but it was all relevant, interesting, and helped you understand the class better.

One of the best professors I've ever had. Lectures were engaging, eye opening, and he made them really fun. He really knew his stuff and not only that, just the way he talks is soothing too. A lot to read but it's not that bad. Essay exam topics are also pretty interesting too. Put in some effort and you will get a good grade. He takes attendance!

He's an awesome lecturer and it's an interesting topic. However I would NOT suggest this class. It has nothing to do with the professor and everything to do with your TA. There's only a few grades so don't chance it; once you discover what your TA is like it's too late. Do yourself a favor and take an easier ethnic studies class.

Shashko is very knowledgeable and interested in the subject. He keeps things interesting and in general, is a pretty relaxed class. Two in class writing exams and one paper. Graded pretty easy as long as you show what you learned in class. I would recommend.

Shasko is a lecture heavy professor, but his lectures are great. He gives you a lot of information, but all this can be used for his exams, which are essays. He gives you the possible prompts so he allows you to prepare for it, which was great.

The best lecturer at UW. Really made every lecture interesting and keeps the class engaged until the last second of lecture. Since he only uses one slide every class, he forces you to listen and pay attention to what he's saying- and it's worth it. Awesome class with an awesome professor.

Shashko is easily one of the best professors I've had at UW Madison. He is very knowledgeable about hip hop and his passion for the subject is very evident. His lectures are full of information but are extremely engaging and interesting. Prepare to put in work to study for the exams which are essay questions you receive before hand. 10/10 recommend

Really passionate about Hip-Hop and it shows in his lectures. The assigned reading is pretty extensive, but you really just need to get the main idea for the exams.

One of the best professors in the university. Very knowledgeable and really knows how to teach a class. Really great guy, even if you have the slightest interest in hip hop you will look forward to every lecture. I am upset it has come to an end, I would definitely take it again if I could.

the best lecturer I've ever had. very engaged, knowledgable, and enthusiastic. wants students to be involved and excited about music/ videos shown in class. funny, modern, "hip", great. very honest and transparent with students. absolutely amazing.

This was the best professor I have ever had! He gives the most inspirational and exciting lectures in class! He combines music and history in the best ways possible, and honestly is a music genius. He is the professor you would want to have a cup of coffee with and just talk about life for hours. He is the best: do yourself a favor and take AA156!!

Professor Shashko is great. I felt every lecture he gave was entertaining and the way he intertwined history and music was excellent. The tests are not too hard, all you have to do is pay attention during lecture and care. For an ethnic studies class, this is a must take; especially if you want to know more about the history of Hip-Hop.

I loved this class and Alexander. So far, he gives the best lectures at UW. Don't really need to read the book, just go to lectures. Engaging and interesting lectures, would strongly recommend.

This was probably the most useful class I have taken at UW, and Shashko is a great professor.

Prof. Shashko is very knowledgeable in the field of music history and it certainly shows through his lectures. His slides are a little brief but he makes lectures interesting enough that it is easy to follow along. The class is basically based on 4 things: 2 exams, 1 paper, and discussion attendance. It's a hit or miss class but it's pretty easy.

Shashko has without a doubt been the most interesting and well-spoken professor I've had at UW. Would definitely recommend this class for an ethnic studies requirement, or if you're just looking to fill some credits with interesting material. While the exams were somewhat tough, the things I learned about music definitely make up for it!

Best lecturer in terms of style that I've ever had. But, he is very misleading on some of his political lectures. Also, the Tricia Rose book he has you read is quite possibly one of the most horrible books ever written.

Easily the best lecturer I've ever had. He's clearly incredibly knowledgeable and utilizes this in every lecture. He addresses politically divisive subjects with a wealth of knowledge and prowess and explains each subject in a way that's interesting and easy to understand.

Shashko is an amazing lecturer! He is extremely knowledgeable and makes the course extremely fun with many videos during lecture. There are 4 books to read and 2 midterms and a final essay. Very interesting material and I'm glad I got off the waitlist for this course!

Prof. Shashko is incredible. He is very knowledgable and passionate about the subject. The lectures are valuable and entertaining. Afroamer 154 was the most enjoyable class I have taken and that was mainly because of him. If you go to class you will get an A pretty easily. Exams are essays in class with the questions emailed out before the exam.

This is absolutely the class to take if you need to fulfill humanities requirements. He gives fantastic insight into how the music industry works and the messages being spread. The class is fairly easy but you do have to cram/brain dump for the exams when the time comes. Lots of the questions are random bands/authors brought up in lectures.

Absolutely wonderful person. Kind, knowledgeable, interesting. Great in discussions outside of class. Lectures are gripping from start to finish. Everything I wanted in a class and a professor. Only thing is grades are entirely based on 3 exams but if you show up and take notes, you shouldn't have a problem. You'll love his classes. Take them.

Professor Shashko is great! He is really passionate about the class and Hip Hop in general and it shows. My only gripe is the lack of feedback given. This semester, due to transitioning to online, we only had 2 assignments, a midterm paper and a final paper. I still don't know what I got on those 2 papers, only that I got an A in the class.

I picked this class with professor ratings for a course that filled the humanities requirement. I was excited, originally. But with the transition to online for Fall 2020, I was disappointed with how this course was run. Asynchronous, with the recorded lectures from last year. But Prof. Shashko is very willing to help if you can ever reach him.

This class was amazing. There is not a better teacher at this school. Professor Shashko's lectures are engaging and there is no one in the world who knows more about this topic than him. The class is graded based on only like 3 essays that you write throughout the semester. If you can get in, TAKE THIS CLASS.

Honestly, he is one of the most concise, well-versed lecturers at UW. His voice is so impactful, and you can tell how knowledgeable he is. He also seems like a great person. Unfortunately, the class is only based off of 3 papers and discussion 1 page papers, which aren't difficult but do require some time. All the lectures were pre-recorded.

This class is graded by 3 large essays and 3 smaller ones. Discussion grades participation too. Both the TA and Dr. Shashko are very nice, and willing to get in touch about any questions. Lectures are prerecorded, and Dr. Shashko is clearly knowledgeable about the subject. Textbooks are available online. Easy A, good class for ethnic studies!

Prof was very sweet and willing to help. The class is graded by three 1500 word essays and discussion participation. Even though the grade distribution you could see most people get an A. Amazing class and learned about the origins of hip-hop. Definitely recommend it for credit and not too time-consuming. Work well on the essays!!

Super wonderful class and very informative. Lectures were asynchronous online, very easy to watch and understand. Outside of the lectures, there was a decent amount of reading but nothing too terrible. There were only three essays throughout the semester, and they were very easy to write well based on Shashko's guidelines. Best class I've taken!

Professor Shashko had amazing lectures and was very understanding of students during the pandemic. The lectures were typically around an hour, twice a week, but they were asynchronous. The readings/lectures were mandatory for the 3 papers that make up your grade, but as long as you reference them at least once, you will get a good grade!

Great professor, good class to take you really won't regret it. If you know anything about Hip-Hop you'll find this class fairly easy.

Very passionate about his subject matter and it shows! Lectures are engaging and interesting, but were prerecorded from 2017/2018. Live Q&A sessions allowed us to interact w/ him as well as to get credit for submitting questions. Grade composed of Q&A participation and only 3 papers, but the papers were all graded reasonably.

Best lectures at UW-Madison. Shashko is, hands down, the best professor I have ever had. Please take this class if you have a chance. It is an easy A and will feel easier since the material is so interesting. You will not regret it.

He is cool.

This is the class I recommend for everyone. Interesting, not too hard, you write 3 papers throughout the semster. You can tell he really likes what he teaches (same with the TA's). They are very understanding and I wish I could take this class again.

Great professor. If you into music you will love this class. Im not the biggest music listen so the beginning of the class was a little dry. 3 big papers and 3 small papers graded very fairly. Definitely take this class with him for for ethnic studies. Also ta is great.

Literally the best lecturer I have ever had! You will sit there for 50 minutes and be so engaged that you will wonder how the time flew by so quickly. Lecture attendance is optional, but I highly encourage that you go. Your grade is based off of 3 essays, but those rely most on the reading. He is such an amazing professor definitely take his class!

Amazing lecturer who is interesting to listen to and clearly cares about subject. Lectures spent listening to and talking about music. 3 books are "required" for class but you only really need to read one of them. Only 3 longer papers and 3 very short papers for whole semester, graded VERY easily (90-95% class average). Fun class, easy A!

I took this class because I heard it was an easy A, so I didn't expected to be this engaged by the content. Amazing lecturer, really interesting course, highly recommend.

Shashko is as amazing as the other reviews say he is. He is easily one of the best lecturers at UW. He knows what he is talking about, his lectures are engaging, and he can answer quite literally any question thrown at him. Attendance was graded and there were a few papers, but he is one of the most understanding professors I think I will ever have

Prof Shashko is super passionate about the material. He makes it engaging and relevant to today's world. Assignments (6 papers) parallel the lecture material. Textbooks are a nice supplement but are not entirely necessary.

As all the other reviews say his lectures are some of the best. I didn't want to skip his lectures because they were so interesting. Papers are difficult if you don't go to class and that is what most of your grade is based on. 10/10 would recommend!

Great Professor, the only class I have truly loved and looked forward to attending.

The absolute goat. Amazing lectures and always excited to come to class. On top of that the class is very easy on grading and if you put a little bit of time into it you should receive an A. Would definitely take him as a professor again.

One of the most well spoken individuals I have met throughout my life. His lectures are captivating, and he always leaves you excited for the next lecture. Highly recommend any class that he teaches.

Shashko is my favorite professor so far at UW Madison. His lectures are incredibly captivating and I genuinely look forward to class. His lectures feel like ted talks and are always so moving. Shashko is very understanding, aware, approachable, and overall an amazing professor. I would 100% recommend his classes!

Literally the best professor here at UW Madison!!! I wish he taught more upper level courses just so I could have him be my professor again. Lectures were HIGHLY engaging and I normally walked out of class learning something new. It was a power lecture but never felt like one. Do yourself a favor and take a class taught by him and cherish it!!!!

He is amazing, and clearly loves his subject.

Shahsko is with zero question the best prof at UW. This class quite literally changed the way I think about the world, yet managed to do it in a way that is incredibly entertaining. Three papers and attendance make your grade - putting effort into the papers is required, but it'll come easy since his lectures as so good. Please take him, seriously.

AfroAmer154 has been one of my favorite classes at UW-Madison. Professor Shashko is an engaging lecturer and class is very easy to follow. Lecture attendance not mandatory, but discussion was. Even though they weren't mandatory, I was always excited to come to class and was genuinely interested in lecture material and class readings.

Alexander Shashko is one of the best professors at UW hands down. His lectures were never really required to attend but I kept going because he kept the material so engaging. It's clear he loves what he does and he really cares about his class and students. Most of the homework is writing papers. If you get the chance, take his class.

Loved the class and Prof. Material and lectures were interesting, fun and engaging so I still went to lecture. Prof is super available outside of class and loves getting to know his students. Super caring and understandable that his students have lives outside of school and take other classes. Take this class w Shashko you won't regret it!

Really smart guy, you can tell he knows what he's talking about. Overall great class that I would take again.

He is easily one of the best professors. He is an amazing speaker and creates lectures that are genuinely engaging EVERY class. He is beyond knowledgeable in his subject and is honestly interested in sharing his expertise with students. If given the chance, this class is definitely worth taking.

Because past students didn't show up this year there was two added quizzes worth 20% of your grade that were difficult even if you read the books and attended lecture because there was usually 4 questions that were smaller ideas/points other than that so interesting and lectures are great and engaging.

Great professor, Great lectures

By far my favorite class that I've taken at UW. Lectures are super interesting and engaging, you basically just watch music videos and learn about pop culture. Absolutely loved it, Shashko is really cool. Three essays, three novel type textbooks, two comprehension quizzes. Really not a bad workload.

Literally my favorite class I've ever taken. You can tell he is passionate about what he teaches. Lecture consisted of learning about new artists, events, etc that impacted hip-hop in that era. Got to watch a few music videos every lecture. Discussion was also great, the TAs were super engaging. Workload isn't alot, they grade pretty easy.

Absolutely amazing teacher, incredible class. Everyone should take his class. Truly life changing lectures (not mandatory but you HAVE to go because they are so great and we listen to the best music in them). We had 3 essays in total, which were honestly fun to write bc you become so passionate about the music bc of Shashko. So. Valuable.

Wonderful lecturer. Shashko is very knowledgeable about African American History. Class has 3 essays but not a difficult grader.

He wants his students to do well and is very passionate about his studies. You can tell that he has been teaching for ten years. I struggled with the comprehensive quizzes, but there are only two and other people seemed to think they were fair. Just pay attention to who wrote and did what in the Chang book. He makes the class material interesting.

If I had to take a class a second time, this would be the class. I enjoyed this class and learned a significant amount of information. Professor Shashko was terrific, and his material had a great structure. There are two comprehension quizzes in discussion and three essays throughout the semester. My TA was also excellent.

awesome class, seriously a must take. two exams worth low portion of the grade, 10 questions each. Go to lecture, listen, enjoy, and easy easy A

Professor Shashko sticks out amongst all the professors I've had at UW. He is an incredible lecturer and insanely respected. I enjoyed attending his lectures, as he is so knowledgable and obviously cares about what he does. I would recommend this class to anyone.

Afro Amer 154 does not have a lot of room for error when it comes to the # of assignments, BUT he was so nice to make the quizzes only 5 points instead of 10 like originally planned. One of the BEST lecture classes i've taken and he TRULY CARES about us as students. Just take all the notes you can during lecture, make quizlets for quizzes!!

Alexander is easily the best lecturer I have ever had, he is so knowledgeable on the subject and makes this class very interesting. There are 3 big essays and weekly 300 word writing assignments which are all very doable. Take this class if you have the opportunity, you won't regret it.

Excellent lecturer and very knowledgable. I love how he integrated stuff from his class on Black musical history. Three essays and attendance count for your entire grade.

I was an auditor, so I can't speak to anything regarding his assignments or grading, but this is the best class I've ever taken at this university. If you can fit this into your schedule, you won't regret it. Fabulous class - very engaging material, and he is a great lecturer!!

Shashko is a really cool and nice guy! He is so passionate about what he's teaching and wants you to be too! 3 pretty large essays, but you can do them on your own time and they're not too bad if you go to class and pay attention. Good grader too. Attendance is def mandatory.

Prof. Shashko is a phenomenal lecturer. His passion for this class and for hip hop as a whole is so apparent and very inspirational. This class does have quite a few writing assignments (3 papers, 10 disc. posts) but overall, I would take this class over and over again - if you have the chance (even if you aren't a huge fan of hip hop), take it!!

Professor Shashko was amazing. I took AfroAmer272 with him, and have never been so interested in a lecture-based course before. The way he delivers material is so engaging and he explains things clearly. He is so helpful if you have questions and is also super fun to discuss other material with. Great way to get ethnic studies breadth.

Professor Shashko's class was life changing. He is so passionate about what he teaches, which made this class something I looked forward to every day. Afro-Am 154 is an incredibly interesting class as well, and I would recommend it to every person at UW.

Professor Shashko is a great professor who actually cares about his students and what he is teaching. You can definitely get an A in this class. There are 3 papers, all based on books you read throughout the class. There are weekly discussion questions based on the readings assigned. Go to class and enjoy, it's a good getaway from other classes.

One of the best professors I've had at Madison. He's extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the topics in class. He's also an overall great guy. The class was easy and the lectures were engaging. 75% of your grade is made up of 3 papers, but they're pretty interesting and I got 100% on all three.

Genuinely interesting material and teaches with passion. Good communicator, great way to get your ethnic studies credit with little hassle. Readings not to bad, just give yourself time to work on essays and you'll get an A in the class, hard to sell that bad.

Alexander is one of the best profs I have ever had at this school. Never found myself being bored in lecture. He is an incredible speaker and can make things relevant as well as add fun stories.

Dr. Shashko was amazing last semester! I LOVED his lectures. Great class for an ethnic studies/U.S. history credit. Only really graded by 3 papers, but just generally keep up with the class content/books (skimming is fine) and you'll be just okay! He even gave me a point back on a paper. Super approachable, passionate, funny, and inspirational.

Definitely the best and easiest class for ethnic study requirement.

He is an amazing lecturer and he is effective at making us care about the content too. The TA's are all great as well. Best ethnic studies class

Very passionate about the subject, we essentially just listened to music and he talked about why it is important. If you get the chance, take this course.

Shashko is perhaps the most entertaining, most inspirational, and overall best lecturers of all time.

Shasko is one of the most inspiring and entertaining professors I have ever had. The way he teaches history is like a story, and a good one at that. He genuinely is passionate in what he is talking about and is overall just one of the best teachers I've ever had. We talk about music, listen to music, and he teaches you about it afterwards.

Incredible lecturer. Discussion sections: just show up and talk a couple times per session to get points. No exams, just essays and discussion questions. Essays are more about planning and organizing than writing. Very clear about what needs to be included to do well on essays. Grades do take a while however. Lectures are not recorded. High A rate.

Great professor

My favorite professor at UW Madison. He teaches unique and interesting courses, has many applicable stories to tell, and has a fantastic taste in music.

Professor Shashko makes the course material engaging. The readings are manageable, and with diligence, an A is achievable. Unstuck ai was a lifesaver for study prep.

Shashko was a dream. I found myself excited to attend lecture and learn from such a passionate and well-spoken lecturer. There are a few papers, one of which is on a relatively short, easy-to-read book. If you block out time to get the writing completed, the class is easy and quite enjoyable with Shashko.

This man recieved a STANDING OVATION in the final lecture of the semester. What other professors do you know of that have received the same? Incredible storyteller, very knowledgeable. I would always arrive to lecture early where we'd talk one-on-one about life and he'd share his wisdom. Extraordinary teacher, and human being.

if you have the opportunity to take a class with this man DO IT. genuinely the kindest professor, with organized note outlines that you fill in during lecture, so u actually listen and appreciate the content you're learning. extremely well spoken and knowledgeable, and i feel like i actually took something away from this class. thank you shashko!!

the campus is lucky to have him. he's a great storyteller- get in one of his classes if you can.

Goat lecturer, super nice guy as well. Papers are annoying but very manageable. Do the papers at a good level and show up, and you will most likely get an A.

Shashko is awesome. College professors never try to make college actually fun for the kids like teachers used to do in high school, but this guy does. He brought us all candy on halloween, and that was the only time I've seen a professor go out of their way to do something special all semester. Made my day!

Take this class—you won't regret it! Professor Shashko is simply outstanding. Lecture attendance isn't mandatory, but you must submit notes for 20 lectures by semester's end. Attend weekly discussions, complete the discussion posts, and write three papers. The workload is manageable and rewarding for anyone who takes it. You will do great!

Shashko is one of the most intelligent people I've ever met. He is passionate, aware, and clear. The 3 papers you write are short, like 1500 words. Discussion was fun and engaging. He is also very inspirational and so knowledgeable in his work. Highly recommend.

The lecture was a little boring, but the professor did a good job. But some of the grades are being graded by TA, and that's critical. My TA did not write feedback or reply to the email, so the score did not meet my expectations.

He's the goat. That's it. Literally couldn't say one bad thing about him. You HAVE to take him.

Shashko is extremely passionate about his lecture material, making the class incredibly engaging and genuinely interesting. Took to fulfill an ethnic studies req and I'm so glad I did. Only a few papers and weekly discussion posts which were graded fair. He plays the music for us in class which can be a nice break from content.

The essays for this class are a little unclear, but TAs are super helpful in explaining during discussion. You need to turn in notes based on the lectures, but these are pretty easy to take since the topic is so interesting and complex. Amazing combo of lecturing and listening to music.

Super engaging lectures, attendance is checked by submitting notes at the end of lecture but I rarely wanted to skip class. The entire course was super informative and I highly recommend to take. Essay rubric is unclear until explained in discussion, but the essays are super easy to write if you just look over the book and attend lecture.

You must take this class! I was genuinely EXCITED to attend lectures. Shashko is amazing and truly cares. Fun class, it was a breath of fresh air. If you're into hip-hop, rap, or R&B, you'll love it. Lecture notes submitted for attendance. Also, stay off your phone- he notices. Take detailed notes during class, they'll really help with the papers.

Professor Shashko is one of the only college professors you will ever have that truly inspires you and makes you excited to attend lecture. Coursework is simple and straightforward. The most knowledgeable people I have ever met regarding music with ability to teach music in a way you had never known before. Great Professor, best at UW Madison

Such a cool professor and so interesting and compelling. He tells a really great story about history and music and the songs are so great!! Best ethnic studies credit.

Hands down the coolest and most entertaining lectures I have been to on campus. Shashko never left me feeling bored or wanting to leave his class as he is an amazing storyteller. With that being said, you will have to read quite a but to succeed on the three papers for this class, but were not entirely difficult. Highly recommend this class.

Shashko's lectures are amazing. Worth going to all

Amazing lecturer; very passionate about hip-hop, and you learn so much about the genre and history, along with listening to some great songs during lecture. The papers are very easy to get a good grade on, but they are a large chunk of your grade. Two of the three books are very interesting reads, and the other only requires one chapter.

Excellent lecturer and very interesting subject matter. Expectations are clear and not overwhelming, so the students can relax a bit and absorb everything he's lecturing about. Even for the 4 week summer course (at 4 times the usual speed), his recommended schedule was easy to follow and helped quite a bit.

Three papers only. (MAX: 3 pages double spaced-basically nothing) Lectures are out of this world. Hands down the best teacher ever. Take the class!!! (Discussion are easy too, just make sure to do them on time.)

This professor is incredibly passionate about the material and even better at conveying the knowledge he has. He will change your perspective on music and history with his in depth lecturing. The grading is very fair and it is not hard to get an A if you interact with the material.

I really enjoyed his lectures and the content was interesting. He made me want to continue studying Hip Hop.

By far the best professor I've had at UW. I was actually excited to go to every lecture. The content is fun and interesting, and he is just overall a great lecturer. Make sure to take lots of notes, they will help you with the essays.

Lectures are not mandatory but he makes them so interesting that makes you want to go. You do need to be at discussions but they are quick. You will write 3 papers that are pretty easy. Such a good class.

Shashko is a great professor who is obviously very passionate about music. His lectures are pretty engaging and well-thought-out. The class was very enjoyable and his TAs are pretty laid back as well. The exams are papers but they are not very difficult.

This class was so much fun! You will learn so much & Shashko is a great professor .

very knowledgeable and is passionate in what he does. class is based on 3 papers, 11 discussion posts and lecture notes. TA's are usually considerate and easy graders. attendance isn't mandatory (for discussion it is) but recommended as he verbally explains the content and doesn't record them. highly recommend if you need an ethnic studies credit!

Shashko is incredibly well spoken and is very passionate about his students and class material. Expectations are clearly outlined, and it fairly easy to get an A.

This man is invited to my wedding. By far the best teacher I have ever had, not just professor. Great office hours and the content is fun and engaging. Lots of students stay after to ask questions and the class is very approachable, mostly because of his enthusiasm about the material. Would 100% take again.