Books:
Back in the Days, Jamel Shabazz (2001). A photographic journey back to the late 1970s and early 1980s to look at the beginnings of Hip-Hop fashion.
Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America, Trisha Rose (1994). An ethnographic exploration of rap within its social, cultural, and artistic contexts.
Droppin Science, Wiliam Eric Perkins (1995). A collection of essays about rap music including contributions on the pioneering of women and Latino rappers.
Fashion as Communication, Malcolm Barnard (2002). A theoretical approach to the ambivalent status of fashion in contemporary culture.
From the Underground: Hip-Hop Culture as an Agent of Social Change, Hashim Shomari (1995). A short study of the political possibilities and shortcomings of the current Hip-Hop culture.
From Totems to Hip-Hop: A Multicultural Anthology of Poetry Across the Americas, 1900-2002, Ishmael Reed (2002). A poetry compilation that ties Hip-Hop to American literary history.
Give The Drummer Some, Jim Payne (1996). A look at the influence of drummers in Hip-Hop’s evolution.
Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook, Bob Baker (2001). Self-Promotion ideas for songwriters, musicians and bands on a budget.
Hip-Hop America, Nelson George (1999). An informative and entertaining tome on the culture, politics, and business of Hip-Hop.
Hip-Hop Files, Martha Cooper (2004). A photographic journey through the origins of Hip-Hop style and creativity.
Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis of African American Culture, Bakari Kitwana (2003). A look at the cultural achievements and failures of the Hip-Hop generation.
Hip-Hop Poetry and the Classics for the Classroom, Alan Sitomer and Michael Cirelli (2004). A curriculum book that contrasts themes and literary styles of both classic and contemporary poets.
Keepin’ it Real: Post-MTV Reflections on Race, Sex, and Politics, Kevin Powell (1998). Issues such as racism, black self-hatred, gender violence, and personal anguish are all confronted.
Last Night a DJ Saved my Life, Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton (2000). A look at the role of the DJ in the evolution of dance music.
Lyrical Swords: Hip-Hop and Politics in the Mix, Adisa Banjoko (2004). A collection of essays and interviews on Hip Hop culture and its political, social and spiritual trends.
Native Son, Richard Wright (1940). A literary landmark that tells the story of a young black man who struggles through barriers of poverty and racism.
New York Ricans from the Hip-Hop Zone, Raquel Z. Rivera (2003). A look at the Puerto Rican influence on Hip-Hop.
Our America, Lealan Jones (1998). Two young people from Chicago’s South Side ghettos are given audio recording equipment to create a narrative about their own struggles.
Rhythm Science, DJ Spooky (2001). A book that shows how artists use technology and art to create something new and expressive.
Self-Promotion for the Creative Person: Get the Word Out About Who You Are and What You Do, Lee Silber (2001).
Spray Can Art, Henry Chalfant and James Prigoff (1987). An early look at graffiti as an art form as it traveled outside of NYC subways and around the world.
Subway Art, Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper (1988) Traces the history of New York graffiti.
Tales of the City: A Study of Narrative and Urban Life, Ruth Finnegan (1998).
The Art of Getting Over, Stephen Powers (1999). An insiders history of graffiti’s influence from its early days to undeniable ubiquity now.
The Rose That Grew From the Concrete, Tupac Shakur (1999). A collection of Tupac Shakur’s writings that reflect an array of political, intellectual, and social messages.
The Vibe History of Hip-Hop, Alan Light (1999). A 300-page Hip-Hop chronicle in historical terms.
When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: My life as a Hip-Hop Feminist, Joan Morgan (2000). A feminist look at the social roles of African American women in the Hip-Hop community.
Who Shot Ya? Three Decades of Hip-Hop Photography, Ernie Paniccioli, Kevin Powell (2002). A photographic showcase of Hip-Hop’s evolution.
Yes Yes Y’all, Jim Fricke (2002). The story of Hip-Hop’s birth through the vitality, character, humor, and menace of the individuals from which it came.
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