Full Description
Listen to Rap! Exploring a Musical Genre provides an overview of this kinetic and poetic musical genre for scholars of rap and curious novices alike.
Listen to Rap! Exploring a Musical Genre discusses the 50 most influential, commercially successful, and important rappers, rap crews (bands), rap albums, and rap singles. Rap began as an American phenomenon, so the book's emphasis is on Americans, although it also includes information on Canadian, British, Indian, and African rappers and crews. Its organization makes information easily accessible for readers, and the emphasis on the sound of the music gives readers a new angle from which to appreciate the music.
Unlike other titles in the series, this volume concentrates solely on rap music. Included in the book are rappers who range from the earliest practitioners of the genre to rappers who are redefining the genre today. A background section introduces the genre, while a legacy section shows how rap has cemented its place in the world. Additionally, another section shows the tremendous impact rap has had on popular culture.
Contents
Series Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Background
2 Must-Hear Music
Beastie Boys
Big Daddy Kane and Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew: "Smooth Operator" and "La Di Da Di"
Big Pun
Birdman, Drake, and Lil Wayne: "Money to Blow" and "4 My Town (Play Ball)"
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: The Art of War
Bubba Sparxxx and Donatan: "Ugly" and "Country Folks"/"Slowianska Krew" and "Nie Lubimy Robic"
Busta Rhymes and Tech N9ne: "Break Ya Neck" and "Worldwide Choppers"
Cardi B: "Bodak Yellow" and "Money"
Chance the Rapper: Coloring Book
C-Murder: Bossalinie
Coolio: "Gangsta's Paradise"
Cypress Hill
Da Brat, Foxy Brown, and Lil' Kim
De La Soul
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
Drake: Scorpion
Dr. Dre: The Chronic
Missy Elliott: Miss E ... So Addictive and Under Construction
Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP
Eric B. & Rakim
50 Cent: "How to Rob" and "Ghetto Qu'ran (Forgive Me)"
Geto Boys: We Can't Be Stopped
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: "The Message"
Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Insane Clown Posse: "Crop Circles" and "Off the Track"
Jay-Z and Danger Mouse: The Black Album and The Grey Album
Jean Grae: "My Story" and "Desperada"
KRS-One: "Outta Here" and "Sound of da Police"
Talib Kweli: Eardrum
Kendrick Lamar: "Humble."
LMFAO and Shaggy: "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It"/"Angel" and "Don't Make Me Wait"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Professor Elemental: "Thrift Shop" and "Fighting Trousers"
MC Hammer: Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em
MC Lyte: Bad as I Wanna B
Nas and K'naan: "One Mic" and "Take a Minute"
Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday and Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
The Notorious B.I.G.
N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton
OutKast: Stankonia
Panjabi MC, Featuring Jay-Z, and Panjabi Hit Squad, Featuring Ms. Scandalous: "Beware of the Boys" ("Mundian To Bach Ke") and "Hai Hai"
Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet
Run-D.M.C.: Raising Hell
Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah: "Ain't Nuthin' But a She Thing" and "U.N.I.T.Y."
Gil Scott-Heron and Aceyalone: "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "The Guidelines"
Snoop Dogg
The Sugarhill Gang and Blondie: "Rapper's Delight" and "Rapture"
A Tribe Called Quest: The Low End Theory
Tupac Shakur: All Eyez on Me
The 2 Live Crew: As Nasty as They Wanna Be
Wu-Tang Clan: "Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber" (I and II) and "16th Chamber/O.D.B. Special"
3 Impact on Popular Culture
4 Legacy
Further Reading
Index
