Although it’s been part of the cultural soundscape for over 25 years, hip-hop has been the focus of very few books. And when those books do pop up, they tend to be either overtly scholarly, as if the writer in question has just landed on some alien planet, or a bit too much like a fanzine. If there’s anyone qualified to write a solid, informative, and entertaining tome on the culture, politics, and business of hip-hop, it’s Nelson George. A veteran journalist, George is one of the smartest and most observant chroniclers of African American pop culture.

Read more »

Many good books have been written about the history of hip-hop music and the generation that nurtured it. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop ranks among the best. Jeff Chang covers the music–from its Jamaican roots in the late 1960s to its birth in the Bronx; its eventual explosion from underground to the American mainstream–with style, including DJs, MCs, b-boys, graffiti art, Black Nationalism, groundbreaking singles and albums, and the street parties that gave rise to a genuine movement. But the book is about more than beats and rhymes. What distinguishes his book from the pack is Chang’s examination of how hip-hop has shaped not only pop music, but American history and culture over the past 30 years. He shows how events such as urban flight, race riots, neighborhood reclamation projects, gang warfare in the Bronx and Los Angeles, and grassroots movements that influenced political agendas are as integral a part of the hip-hop story as the music itself. He also charts the concurrent rise of hip-hop activism and the commodification of the music and the ideological clashes that developed as a result.

Read more »

That’s the Joint: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader brings together the best-known and most influential writings on rap and hip-hop from its beginnings to today. Spanning nearly 25 years of scholarship, criticism, and journalism, this unprecedented anthology showcases the evolution and continuing influence of one of the most creative and contested elements of global popular culture since its advent in the late 1970s. Think of it as “Hip-Hop 101.”

Read more »

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

Read more »

Hip hop culture emerged from an environment of extreme deprivation and decay in the South Bronx, New York City. The concept of pure invention-of creating something from nothing-was in full effect at the end of the 1970s as graffiti (”borrowed” spray paint), breaking (cardboard as dance floor), and outdoor jams (electricity source: the base of street lights) captured the attention of urban youth, coalescing into new forms of artistic expression. Fortunately, photographer Martha Cooper was at the right place at the right time to document the people that created the music, dance, and art that became known worldwide. Cooper followed people who would one day become icons: the Rock Steady Crew, Fab 5 Freddy, DURO and DONDI, LADY PINK, and Afrika Bambaataa, to name a few. Now, Martha Cooper has the reputation of being the first and foremost photographer of hip hop culture in New York City. While the publication of Cooper’s photographs in the early 80s disseminated the culture both at home and abroad, her new book, Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984, makes a significant part of her extensive and unique archive accessible for the first time. From 1999 to 2003, the German hip hop head and music publisher Akim Walta tracked down the subjects in Cooper’s legendary shots and conducted numerous interviews obtaining insightful quotes and statements to accompany and add voices to the photographs. Other members of the early hip hop scene, including ZEPHYR, Charlie Ahearn, FABEL, and Patti Astor, contribute text and essays, adding fresh data to the growing body of hip hop history. “Marty’s pictures capture the exact moment when hip hop traveled from the Bronx uptown, downtown to the Manhattan nightclub and gallery scene. The photos and movies were suddenly in the works and (through her pictures) “discovered” by the press and then seen by the rest of the world.” - Charlie Ahearn

Read more »

This rich, diverse, and intelligent collection of hip-hop and rap album reviews includes pieces from some of the country’s most talented critics on hip-hop music, drawing on a range of expertise from writers at such magazines as Spin, Rolling Stone, The Source, and Vibe. With over 40 entries covering more than 60 classic albums, it disproves the idea that there is a dearth of intelligent commentary and criticism on rap music. Essays and reviews include observations on the music and meaning of the Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, Eminem, Ice-T, Public Enemy, and Run DMC. Tupac’s legacy, Jay-Z’s pop allure, and Pharcyde’s black masculinity issues are also explored.

Read more »

With artwork from the most important hip hop albums of all time, this book charts the amazing visual expression of over 30 years of innovative music and culture. Organized chronologically by music style and interspersed with informative and amusing writing throughout, it covers the history of cover artwork of hip hop and rap music, from the inception of hip hop in the 1970s to the present day, including the Electro era, the Afrocentric era, and the Jiggy era.

Read more »