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Arguably one of the most mainstream music styles today, rap was in fact born centuries ago in West Africa with historians or 'griots' who used to tell stories of the past over the beat of a drum. But it wasn't until the 1970s in New York that rapping as we know it was born and began to flourish. 50 Rappers Who Changed the World profiles some of the genre's biggest influencers, from the 1970s until the present day. From Bronx-based legends Afrikaa Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash in the 70s, to Run-DMC and Public Enemy in the 80s, Biggie, Tupac and Snoop in the 90s, and Eminem and Jay-Z in the 00s, this is a history of music for anyone who loves rap. Featuring MCs like Melle Mel, West Coast legends including N.W.A. and Ice-T, and countless women who changed the game, like Salt-n-Pepa, MC Lyte and Missy Elliot. And today, we have a new breed of artists who are dominating the charts, from J. Cole to Kendrick Lamar, Logic and Cardi B. Filled with a stylish illustrations and short biography of each artist, this book is a celebration of the musicians who shaped the genre and changed the world.
For years Rap artists have met with mixed reception--acclaimed by fans yet largely overlooked by scholars. Focusing on 135 tracks from 56 artists, this survey appraises the artistry of the genre with updates to the traditional methods and measures of musicology. Rap synthesizes rhythmic vocals with complex beats, intonational systems, song structures, orchestration and instrumentalism. The author advances a rethinking of musical notation and challenges the conventional understanding of Rap through analysis of such artists as Eminem, Kanye West and Jean Grae.
Hip-hop evangelism--a compelling look at a rap subgroup that explores its musical, social, and political contexts.
"Roth Family Foundation music in America imprint."
In this book, Jabari Evans examines Chicago’s controversial Drill rap scene and the “always-on” nature of social media for these musicians, who are often tasked with maintaining constant connection across multiple platforms in order to both affirm their street authenticity locally and promote themselves to an imagined audience of global Hip-Hop fans. Drawing on empirical studies, ethnographic fieldwork, and prominent members of Chicago’s Hip-Hop scene, Evans explores the role of social media as an economic resource supporting artistic labor and the implications, both positive and negative, of relying on these platforms for success. Clout, a term heavily used by Drill rappers, refers to the way their influence on social media is measured according to numeric metrics including likes, views, re-posts, and followers. Ultimately, Evans argues that while Black youth of Drill effectively use Hip-Hop cultural norms to harness the power of clout and gain individual celebrity, this success comes with ambivalence over unwanted surveillance of their private lives and the need to rely on negative stereotypes as central to their identities.
In this first musicological history of rap music, Cheryl L. Keyes traces the genre's history from its roots in West African bardic traditions, the Jamaican dancehall tradition, and African American vernacular expressions to its permeation of the cultural mainstream as a major tenet of hip-hop lifestyle and culture. Rap music, according to Keyes, is a forum that addresses the political and economic disfranchisement of black youths and other groups, fosters ethnic pride, and displays culture values and aesthetics. Blending popular culture with folklore and ethnomusicology, Keyes offers a nuanced portrait of the artists, themes, and varying styles reflective of urban life and street consciousne...
Scholarly studies on the Igbo have been scant and fragmented. Politics and Identity Formation in Southeastern Nigeria: The Igbo in Perspective fills an obvious gap, exploring the social, cultural,economic, political, and aesthetic traditions that distinguish the Igbo of southeasternNigeria from their neighbors. In scope, content, and analysis this book is both multi- and cross-disciplinary, focusing on the experiences and forces that have shaped the Igbo society, identity formation, and sociocultural, political, and aesthetic representations. Themes such as the importance ofIgbo names in understanding the people’s social, linguistic, religious, gender, and cultural identities, as well as the intersection of language, politics, socialization, education, and aesthetic expression in the Igbo experience in Nigeria, are interrogated in a refreshing fashion with an appreciable level of originality.
Eminem is the best-selling musical artist of the 21st century. He is also one of the most contentious and most complex artists of our time. His verbal dexterity ranks him among the greatest technical rappers ever. The content of his songs combines the grotesque and the comical with the sincere and the profound, all told through the sophisticated layering of multiple personae. However one finally assesses his contribution to popular culture, there's no denying his central place in it. This collection of essays gives his work the critical attention it has long deserved. Drawing from history, philosophy, sociology, musicology, and other fields, the writers gathered here consider Eminem's place in Hip Hop, the intellectual underpinnings of his work, and the roles of race, gender and privilege in his career, among various other topics. This original treatment will be appreciated by Eminem fans and cultural scholars alike.
Hip Hop Africa explores a new generation of Africans who are not only consumers of global musical currents, but also active and creative participants. Eric Charry and an international group of contributors look carefully at youth culture and the explosion of hip hop in Africa, the embrace of other contemporary genres, including reggae, ragga, and gospel music, and the continued vitality of drumming. Covering Senegal, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa, this volume offers unique perspectives on the presence and development of hip hop and other music in Africa and their place in global music culture.