Office Hour Tangents

Fresh off a faculty development workshop on artificial intelligence in the classroom, this episode digs into why educators should resist playing "AI police" and instead evolve how creativity and design are taught. The discussion centers on prioritizing the "why" over the "how", arguing that while tools and software constantly shift, the strategic rationale behind design decisions remains much more consistent.

It also asks how are we reinvesting the saved time AI-based tools provide? Are we using it to increase our scroll obsession or are we creating the dopeness that we couldn't create before because of time constraints?

Ultimately, the episode serves as a candid call to use emerging technology as a vehicle to elevate genuine "dopeness" rather than automate average work.

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Straight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/@brandanCraft?si=bc5Cx_NbQJ1cYOaqInstagram:

https://www.instagram.com/brandancraft

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandancraft/

https://www.brandancraft.com

All editing, design, and music: @BrandanCraft

TANGENTS:

00:00 - Intro

21:58 - Grades

23:54 - Do we trust LLMs

27:08 - FAMU inside joke (FAIL!) 😆

36:35 - How are we using the extra time AI provides?

42:05 - A child-like curiosity

47:24 - Designers are the original AI

Host Brandon kicks off the "Problem Solvers" segment with Emmanuel "Dupree" Jackson, founder of Delray Beach's EJS Project. Dupree shares how overcoming personal crossroads—from high school academic struggles to earning a Division I football scholarship—shaped his approach to community building. He breaks down how grassroots action, clear vision, and accountability enabled him to build a youth empowerment nonprofit from scratch, offering a practical blueprint for turning setbacks into solutions.Mentioned in this episode:Emmanuel "Dupree" Jackson@delray_dupree(https://ejsproject.org)__________________________________________________Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor who incorporates design thinking methods into his UI, UX, and Branding-related courses, discusses problem-solving techniques from various perspectives and disciplines.YouTube

https://youtube.com/@brandanCraft?si=bc5Cx_NbQJ1cYOaq@BrandanCraft everywherehttps://www.brandancraft.comAll editing, design, and music: ⁨ @brandanCraft ​

This Tangent began in the coffee shop when Zappy Zapolin, resident Psychedelic Concierge and cool conversationalist, said that we'll see domesticated robots in a significant number of homes in about 3 years (ie. robots that vacuum). That conversation spilled into the booth...which includes a Teddy Ruxpin on Psychedelics

Mentioned in this episode: @zappyzapoline(https://zappyzapolin.com)

Reality of Truth documentary

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glNJHVJgI2Y)

Lamar Odom Re/Born

(https://youtu.be/IahbdWT6z7U?si=5_BumOB_CR-iUIIJ)

I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSwfpVRVWlo&t=88s

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Straight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor, continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to tech, design, Hip-Hop, and culture

YouTube:

(https://youtube.com/@brandanCraft?si=bc5Cx_NbQJ1cYOaq)

Instagram:

(https://www.instagram.com/brandancraft)

@brandanCraft everywhere

(https://www.brandancraft.com)

All editing, design, and music: ⁨ @brandanCraft ​

It’s almost March, but these ideas have been living rent-free in my notes since January...and they’re too important to delete. In this episode, I’m clearing out my "Podcast Ideas" list by giving myself a 5-minute limit to expound on nine distinct topics sitting at the intersection of culture, design, and technology

Topics:

1. Smartphone Cameras Negatively Effect Memory

2. Art for Art's Sake vs Practical Art

3. Why Do I Continue to Use Tidal?

4. How the Original Facebook and TikTok are Related

5. Screens Have Accelerated Copy Culture

6. Pulling From Students vs Pushing Them

7. Music Used to Feel Like Treasure, Now It Feels Like a Commodity

8. Code Switching

9. Folks Looking Back in Order to Cope w/ an Uncertain Future

Mentioned in this episode:

(https://playlistparty.online)

(https://brandancraft.com/pro_athlete.html)

Straight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.

SUBSCRIBE: (https://open.spotify.com/show/4yoEP7KWL31k9CdhMO3BCd?si=z73ELRJaRBOLdTGgSk1TyQ)

Watch or Listen on YouTube: (https://youtu.be/4LvJ0f-n03Y) or

Apple Podcasts: (https://rb.gy/2yffl0)

Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/brandancraft)

Bluesky: (https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social)

(https://www.brandancraft.com)

All editing, design, and music: @BrandanCraft

TANGENTS:

00:00 - Intro

03:50 - Smartphone Cameras Negatively Effect Memory

08:43 - Art for Art's Sake vs Practical Art

14:16 - Why Do I Continue to Use Tidal?

19:34 - How the Original Facebook and TikTok are Related

25:16 - Screens Have Accelerated Copy Culture

29:32 - Pulling From Students vs Pushing Them

34:49 - Music Used to Feel Like Treasure, Now It Feels Like a Commodity

40:11 - Code Switching

45:44 - Folks Looking Back in Order to Cope w/ an Uncertain Future

For my 30th ep 🎉 I get into why I even do these podcasts/streams/videos (hint: therapy). I also get into A.I. music, Timbaland and his new A.I. artist, Milli Vanilli (the group Milli Vanilli, not saying that Tims new artist is Milli Vanilli...but 🤔 😁), and even Macromedia Dreamweaver. It's a rather scatterbrained episode, but I think I tied it together in a fittingly tangential manner 🤞🏽✌🏽

Watch or Listen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDdIExRnyJY

Apple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/2yffl0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandancraft

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social

https://www.brandancraft.com

Straight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.

All music, design, and editing: @BrandanCraft

TANGENTS:

00:00 Intro

02:57 The designer/dev relationship

08:32 The producer/artist relationship

22:49 Why I even do these things

Year 2: First Semester

The Tangent I go off on for this ep revolves around HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), my introduction to them and some of my past experiences attending one as an undergraduate (Alabama A&M) and professor (Florida A&M). I delve into issues such as representation and funding as well as lighter topics like HBCU "Classics" and kicking it on The Ave.

As someone who began at an HBCU, graduated from PWIs (undergrad and graduate), started full-time teaching at a second HBCU, and is currently teaching at a third PWI, my unique perspective regarding the topic of HBCUs could be deemed as valuable to some.

Watch or Listen on Spotify: https://rb.gy/hu0itv
Apple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/2yffl0

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandancraft
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social

https://www.brandancraft.com

Straight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.

All music, design, and editing: @BrandanCraft

TANGENTS:

00:00 Intro

02:02 (Very brief) Why do we have HBCUs?

03:47 What drew me to HBCUs

04:00 The Classics

05:59 The Cosby Show, Different World, & School Daze

06:59 Alpha Esquires

08:33 Alabama A&M (undergrad)

09:13 EVERYONE IS BLACK!

12:29 Why I left

19:04 Florida A&M (professor)

20:46 How many black male teachers have you had EVER?

21:25 The (2) black male teachers I had K-16

23:18 A family atmosphere (homecoming, bands, step shows, etc)

26:35 Funding issues

29:30 Teaching all-black classes

31:24 Why I left (again)

Year 2: First SemesterClass: Intro to Design

Dive deep into a fascinating discussion exploring the intersection of "Art" and "Design" across the worlds of Hip-Hop and the NBA!In this video, we break down how these two concepts manifest in the careers and legacies of cultural giants. Is Kendrick Lamar's lyricism pure art, or is there an element of calculated design in his album rollouts? Does LeBron James's sustained dominance represent a meticulously designed career, or is it a raw, artistic expression of talent?We touch on:- The raw artistic genius of figures like K Dot (Kendrick Lamar), Andre 3000, J Dilla, and Lauryn Hill.- The strategic "design" elements seen in the careers of icons like LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Drake, and Jay-Z.- How figures like Kanye West blend both art and design in their music and brand.- The unique contributions of producers like Dr. Dre, Timbaland, and DJ Premier.- The "Art vs. Design" lens applied to other figures across sports and entertainment, from Kobe Bryant to Beyoncé, and even Paul Rand.Join the debate and share your thoughts in the comments: Who embodies "Art" and who embodies "Design" in your eyes? And where do the lines blur?#ArtVsDesign #HipHopCulture #NBADebate #KendrickLamar #LeBronJames #Drake #KanyeWest #MichaelJordan #MusicTheory #SportsAnalytics #CultureTalk #YouTubeDiscussionWatch or Listen on Spotify: https://rb.gy/hu0itvApple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/2yffl0Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandancraftBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social https://www.brandancraft.comStraight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.All music, design, and editing: @BrandanCraft TANGENTS:00:00 Intro02:07 - Main Topic Intro: Art vs. Design02:34 - Art vs. Design: Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar (The Catalyst)05:40 - Revisiting Drake: Wanting to Be Famous vs. Being an Artist07:05 - Drake's Calculated Approach vs. K Dot's Expression07:38 - Introducing the "Artsy Slider" (Creative Scale 0-100)10:52 - Andre 3000 vs. Hip-Hop (Flute Album Discussion)13:22 - Speaker identifies himself as a "Designer," not an "Artist"14:09 - Andre 3000 (Flute) vs. Hip-Hop (Programmatic)17:30 - Black Eyed Peas: Artist to Designer Transition (with Fergie)22:52 - Miss Hill vs. Beyonce (Artsy Slider)27:21 - Artistic Producer vs. Designer Producer27:37 - Kirk Franklin & R. Kelly (Formulaic Producers)28:29 - DJ Premier vs. Dr. Dre (Art vs. Design in Production)29:07 - Nas vs. Jay-Z (Art vs. Design in Rapping)31:18 - B.o.B.'s Career Trajectory: Commercial to Artistry32:11 - Kanye vs. Kanye (Yay vs. Kanye, as artist/designer)33:17 - Steve Jobs vs. Tim Cook (Apple: Art vs. Design)35:59 - Basquiat vs. Paul Rand (Fine Art vs. Commercial Design)36:27 - Donald Glover vs. Childish Gambino (Actor vs. Rapper Persona)38:10 - Spike Lee vs. Tyler Perry (Filmmaking: Art vs. Design)54:15 - Michael Jackson vs. Prince (Art vs. Design)01:01:09 - NBA Artists & Designers: Jordan vs. LeBron vs. Kobe vs. KyrieEpisode: 28Year 1: Second Semester

V1 of this was my attempt at a scripted/essay-type cast. I generally read from a script I wrote (should've memorized it, but...), something that I've never done before. I wasn't sure how it turned out so I immediately re-did it without the script to see what style translates best. I TRULY understand that no one really cares, but I guess this is part of my personal discovery process. If you do read this AND watch both casts 😆 let me know which version flows better. The one with the script, graphics, and animation or this one. ✌🏽Thinking creatively is easier said than done. Expanding our thoughts beyond ourselves is a valuable skill to have in these days of automation and algorithm driven processes. Design thinking techniques help us tap into alternate pathways to problem solving. These more organic routes help to keep us grounded and expansive at the same time. This cast touches on tapping into these aforementioned alternate pathways of thought by treating a design thinking activity more like a Hip-Hop cypher, where collaboration and dopeness serve as valuable problem solving techniques.I decided to expand on my previous podcast's premise for a session I was invited to lead at a recent conference. This is that session's presentation redone as a cast. Watch or Listen on Spotify: https://rb.gy/hu0itvApple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/2yffl0Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandancraftBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social https://www.brandancraft.comStraight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.All music, design, and editing: @BrandanCraft Year 1: Second SemesterClass: Summer School

Thinking creatively is easier said than done. Expanding our thoughts beyond ourselves is a valuable skill to have in these days of automation and algorithm driven processes. Design thinking techniques help us tap into alternate pathways to problem solving. These more organic routes help to keep us grounded and expansive at the same time. This cast touches on tapping into these aforementioned alternate pathways of thought by treating a design thinking activity more like a Hip-Hop cypher, where collaboration and dopeness serve as valuable problem solving techniques.

I decided to expand on my previous podcast's premise for a session I was invited to lead at a recent conference. This is that session's presentation redone as a cast. Watch or Listen on Spotify: https://rb.gy/hu0itvApple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/2yffl0Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandancraftBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social https://www.brandancraft.comStraight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.All music, design, and editing: @BrandanCraft TANGENTS:00:00 Intro03:06 The lines06:38 The design thinking process07:15 How Herc and Flash solved a problem07:55 They identified the problem08:14 They identified the user08:22 The idea09:42 Testing the prototype10:21 Hip-Hop lives between the lines11:27 DJs live between the lines11:35 Breakdancing lives between the lines11:43 Grafitti lives between the lines12:01 MC means Move the Crowd!12:13 Hip-Hop cyphers12:31 Design thinking groups13:15 Spark the Skypher!15:04 This (AI) is something differentYear 1: Second SemesterClass: Summer School

This ep was inspired by a technology and A.I. panel I sat in on at a conference I had just left. I couldn't wait to share my thoughts with friends, but, none of my friends want to discuss such things so....I stopped by the podcast booth to let it out. Unfortunately, the booth I normally use was in service so I took the opportunity to test the new one. I touch on A.I., but from the perspective of where it may not be yet.Watch or Listen on Spotify: https://rb.gy/hu0itvApple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/2yffl0Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandancraftBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/brandancraft.bsky.social https://www.brandancraft.comStraight from class to the cast, Brandan Craft, a visual communication design professor continues his thoughts, instruction, stories, and TANGENTS regarding topics relating to art, design, and tech.All music, design, and editing: @BrandanCraft TANGENTS:00:00 Intro: From Conference to Podcast Booth

00:30 Conference Insights and AI Discussion

03:14 The Unique Human Element: Feeling

06:34 Creativity and Teaching Perspectives

11:04 A.I. is Great on the Lines

11:36 In Between the Lines

13:26 Holding Out Hope

14:17 Draft Kings Needs People to FEEL

16:54 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsYear 1: Second SemesterClass: Interaction Design III