Alain-Philippe Durand, professor of French in the department of French and Italian, will give a talk titled "I Rap Therefore I Am: Why France is the Second-Largest Hip Hop Market in the World." Durand will explore this phenomenal cultural force that has influenced local, national, regional and global issues and discuss hip-hop's role in challenging stereotypes and bridging cultural divides. This will be a preview of the international symposium "The Poetics and Politics of Hip-Hop Cultures," to be held Feb. 7-8 at the UA.