Music-Genres & Styles-Rap & Hip Hop

"They would transform your whole look into a superstar." -- -- Nas The exiting story about how the street wear pioneers Shirt Kings created a style that would define hip hop culture in the 1980s and beyond. Jamaica, Queens, New York in the mid...

Casual listeners and die-hard purists, test your hip-hop knowledge in this 300-card trivia spinoff from the live game show, The Questions--just in time for hip-hop's 50th birthday! Which Judd Apatow film stars Eminem as himself? Which Broadway Musical was sampled by Jay-Z in his...

Notions of hip hop authenticity, as expressed both within hip hop communities and in the larger American culture, rely on the construction of the rapper as a Black, masculine, heterosexual, cisgender man who enacts a narrative of struggle and success. In Queer Voices in...

Award-winning actor, rapper, and producer Ice-T unveils a compelling memoir of his early life robbing jewelry stores until he found fame and fortune--while a handful of bad choices sent his former crime partner down an incredibly different path. Ice-T rose to fame in the...

What does sovereignty sound like? Sonic Sovereignty considers how contemporary Indigenous musicians champion self-determination through musical expression in Canada and the United States. The framework of "sonic sovereignty" connects self-definition, collective determination, and Indigenous land rematriation to the immediate and long-lasting effects of expressive...

What does sovereignty sound like? Sonic Sovereignty considers how contemporary Indigenous musicians champion self-determination through musical expression in Canada and the United States. The framework of "sonic sovereignty" connects self-definition, collective determination, and Indigenous land rematriation to the immediate and long-lasting effects of expressive...

Do you have a ride or die chick in your life? A ride or die chick is a Black woman who holds down her family and community. She's that friend or family member that you can call up in the middle of the night...

"In the late 90s, the music scene in Miami was at the infancy of becoming the multi-million dollar cultural and artistic force that it is today. Musicians like Pitbull, DJ Khaled, and countless others staked Miami's claim as the newest Mecca for Hip Hop...

A continuation of Christopher's first book "Running Lips". Lyrical Righteousness is poetic and loving way to learn to appreciate the art of rapping in the Hip-Hop Culture and to come to a closer more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ (if you do not already...

There have been rappers who have done great things but have never been considered the greatest if not the greatest. They fall into the category of the underrated.Check out who was the#1 underrated rapper in hip hop history.Author: Rashad Skyla MitchellISBN-10: 150315503XISBN-13: 9781503155039Publisher: Createspace...

New York Puerto Ricans have been an integral part of hip hop culture since day one: from 1970s pioneers like Rock Steady Crew's Jo-Jo, to recent rap mega-stars Big Punisher (R.I.P.) and Angie Martinez. Yet, Puerto Rican participation and contributions to hip hop have...

An extended study of the writings of Lil' Kim, the multi-platinum selling Hip Hop artist. Examines Lil' Kim's anti-sexist, gender-defiant and ultra-erotic verse alongside issues of race and the politics of imprisonment. This is the first study to apply the tools of literary criticism...

This book opens up the philosophical life force that informs the construction of Hip-hop by turning the gaze of the philosopher upon those blind spots that exist within existing scholarship. This book illustrates the abundance of philosophical meaning in the textual and graphic elements...

Untangles the intricately knotted issues around hip-hop culture and its treatment of young black women Pimps Up, Ho's Down pulls at the threads of the intricately knotted issues surrounding young black women and hip hop culture. What unravels for Tracy D. Sharpley-Whiting is a...

Take control of your narrative and become the best version of yourself with 50 Hip-Hop inspired lessons that will motivate a new generation. Grant Brydon has interviewed some of the biggest names in hip-hop. Here he shares the creative directions and tips derived from...

A collection of essays, interviews, and other prose works revolving around the North American underground and independent rap scene and the author's experiences with it, this book offers appreciation for those already steeped in the genre and provides outsiders a glimpse into a fertile...

Author: Adrienne AndersonISBN-10: 0595270360ISBN-13: 9780595270361Publisher: iUniverseLanguage: EnglishPublished: 02/24/2003Pages: 108Format: PaperbackWeight: 0.39lbsSize: 9.16h x 6.00w x 0.28d

A stunningly illustrated oracle deck featuring 52 of hip-hop's most influential queens (from Lauryn Hill to Megan Thee Stallion) serving as compass points for spiritual growth and portals to guidance and meditation--from the author of God Save the Queens: The Essential History of Women...

The story of infamous Chicano rapper Sir Dyno of group Darkroom Familia. Pastor David Rocha shares his incredible story of being a Christian while serving an eight-year federal prison sentence. Come into his world as he takes you on a trip that many have...

Notions of hip hop authenticity, as expressed both within hip hop communities and in the larger American culture, rely on the construction of the rapper as a Black, masculine, heterosexual, cisgender man who enacts a narrative of struggle and success. In Queer Voices in...

The untold story of the world's most controversial album---a surreal tale of secret recordings, the Wu-Tang Clan, baffled customs agents, the world's most hallowed art institutions, and a villain of comic book proportions: Martin Shkreli. In 2007, the innovative young Wu-Tang producer, Cilvaringz, took...

Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Dennis Graham, is African-American and a practicing Catholic from Memphis, Tennessee, who worked as a drummer, performing alongside country musician Jerry Lee Lewis. His mother, Sandra "Sandi" Graham, is a...

In the Heart of the Beat argues for a fresh understanding of rap as an exemplary form of literary expression, rather than a profane and trendy musical genre. Pate focuses on works by several well-known artists to reveal in rap music, despite its penchant...

This book explores an important aspect of hip-hop that is rarely considered: its deep entanglement with spiritual life. The world of hip-hop is saturated with religion, but rarely is that element given serious consideration. In Street Scriptures, Alejandro Nava focuses our attention on this...

This book explores an important aspect of hip-hop that is rarely considered: its deep entanglement with spiritual life. The world of hip-hop is saturated with religion, but rarely is that element given serious consideration. In Street Scriptures, Alejandro Nava focuses our attention on this...

The essential oral history of hip-hop, from its origins on the playgrounds of the Bronx to its reign as the most powerful force in pop culture--from the award-winning journalist behind All the Pieces Matter, the New York Times bestselling oral history of The Wire...

Hip-hop as survivor testimony? Rhymes as critical text? Drawing on her own experiences as a lifelong hip-hop head and philosophy professor, Lissa Skitolsky reveals the existential power of hip-hop to affect our sensibility and understanding of race and anti-black racism. Hip-Hop as Philosophical Text...

An illustrated highlight reel of more than 100 women in rap who have helped shape the genre and eschewed gender norms in the process, The Motherlode "shines a bright light on a history of overlooked female talent and breaks down the ingenuity of our...

This "smart, confident, and necessary" (Shea Serrano, New York Times bestselling author) first cultural biography of rap superstar and "master of storytelling" (The New Yorker) Kendrick Lamar explores his meteoric rise to fame and his profound impact on a racially fraught America---perfect for fans...

Since the first day after the tragedy was announced, controversy has surrounded the death of rap and cultural icon Tupac Shakur. In this work, preeminent researcher on the topic, John Potash, puts forward his own theories of the events leading up to and following...

In The 50th Law, hip hop and pop culture icon 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson) joins forces with Robert Greene, bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power, to write a "bible" for success in life and work based on a single principle: fear...

The New York Times bestselling memoir from the legendary Gucci Mane spares no detail in this "cautionary tale that ends in triumph" (GQ). For the first time Gucci Mane tells his extraordinary story in his own words. It is "as wild, unpredictable, and fascinating...

Early hip hop film musicals have either been expunged from cinema history or excoriated in brief passages by critics and other writers. Hip Hop on Film reclaims and reexamines productions such as Breakin' (1984), Beat Street (1984), and Krush Groove (1985) in order to...

Award-winning actor, rapper, and producer Ice-T unveils a compelling and astonishing memoir of his early life robbing jewelry stores until he found fame and fortune--while a handful of bad choices sent his former crime partner down an incredibly different path. Ice-T rose to fame...

A modern epic about the most consequential music culture today, Atlanta rap--a masterful, street-level story of art, money, race, class, and salvation from acclaimed New York Times reporter Joe Coscarelli.From mansions to trap houses, office buildings to strip clubs, Atlanta is defined by its...

Asserting that hip hop culture has become another locus of postmodernity, Osumare explores the intricacies of this phenomenon from the beginning of the Twenty-First century, tracing the aesthetic and socio-political path of the currency of hip hop across the globe.Author: H. OsumareISBN-10: 1403976309ISBN-13: 9781403976307Publisher:...

Influenced by the blues as well as West African and African-American sounds, rhythm and blues, rap, and hip-hop have become popular and influential forms of music around the world. Featuring soulful lyrics, hard-driving beats, and infectious rhythms, these genres form a rich branch of...

The musician and Hip Hop legend--hailed as "the greatest MC of all time" and compared to Thelonious Monk--reimagines the writing handbook in this memoir and guide that incorporates the soulful genius, confidence, and creativity of a master artist.When he exploded on the music scene,...

HIP-HOP (AND OTHER THINGS) is about, as it were, rap, but also some other things. It's a smart, fun, funny, insightful book that spends the entirety of its time celebrating what has become the most dominant form of music these past two and a...

*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**AN XXL BEST RAPPER-PENNED BIOGRAPHY*"A gripping journey."--PeopleThe highly anticipated memoir from hip-hop icon Rick Ross chronicles his coming of age amid Miami's crack epidemic, his star-studded controversies and his unstoppable rise to fame.Rick Ross is an indomitable presence in the music...

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER! An album-by-album celebration of the life and music of Mac Miller through oral histories, intimate reflections, and critical examinations of his enduring work. "One of my most vivid memories of him is the way he would look at you while he...

Get to know the "real" Nipsey Hussle behind the music. Here's just a taste of what you're about to read to in this concise Nispey Hussle biography.Nipsey Hussle's personal life Hussle has a daughter named Emani from a previous relationship. He dated actress Lauren...

A NEW YORKER & GLOBE AND MAIL BEST BOOK OF THE YEARA love letter to the verbal artistry of hip-hop, What's Good is a work of passionate lyrical analysis"What's Good is, among a great many other things, a byproduct of joyful obsession and immersion...

A stunning, in-depth look at the power and poetry of one of the most consequential rappers of our time. Kendrick Lamar is one of the most influential rappers, songwriters and record producers of his generation. Widely known for his incredible lyrics and powerful music,...

Machine Gun Kelly revisit his 2019 album Hotel Diablo as he makes his debut in the world of comics! Between Heaven and Hell lies a waystation for the soul--a place where your deeds in life are the keys to your eternity in the afterlife--at...

"Sue Kwon's undeniable hip-hop résumé should be bowed down to! Sue is definitely one of the greats in visually capturing a culture." -Posdnuos of De La SoulA New York Magazine 2021 holiday gift guide pick The last decade of the 20th century into the...

Instant National Bestseller Wall Street Journal bestseller; USA Today bestseller; Publishers Weekly bestseller; international bestseller.An inspirational book by self-made musical superstar, Russ, reminding you that it starts with YOU, to believe in yourself, and to get out of your own way. Twenty-seven-year-old rapper, songwriter,...

From the founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, an inspirational book for the hip-hop fan. The RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the lessons he's learned on his journey from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom. A devout student of knowledge in every...

Tupac Shakur's most intimate and honest thoughts were uncovered only after his death with the instant classic The Rose That Grew from Concrete. His talent was unbounded a raw force that commanded attention and respect. His death was tragic--a violent homage to the power...

The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA's first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop's original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan.Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior...