And It Don’t Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last 25 Years

By Raquel Cepeda

Hip-hop music not only gave birth to new directions in American culture, it also reformulated cultural journalism. In this collection of 29 articles and essays, editor Cepeda chronicles the growth of hip-hop music and journalism. The collection (which includes contributions by Nelson George, Cheo Hodari Coker, Joan Morgan, Toure, and Greg Tate) chronicles the early days of hip-hop culture in the South Bronx when break-dancers, graffiti artists, and deejays contributed to the atmospherics. The collection also examines the essential role of these writers (and their publications, including Vibe and Rap Sheet) in explaining and popularizing hip-hop, the strained relationships between writers and artists, the conflicts, and the occasional crossover. The book is divided into decades: the 1980s examines early efforts to report on hip-hop; the 1990s, when hip-hop journalism shifted to critical analysis while mainstream reporting focused on the “Benjamins”; and the 2000s, with widespread use of hip-hop music and images in everything from fashion to fast-food jingles. This is an important look at an energetic, inventive culture and the writers who have covered it. - Vanessa Bush