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 The
Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture
Greenwood Press, 2005
FAQ
Why did you write the Encyclopedia of Rap Music and Hip Hop
Culture?
Hip Hop culture is more than thirty years old, yet despite the thousands of books and articles written on the subject, to my knowledge, there was not a reference book that comprehensively discussed the development of the genre in the United States. Moreover, as Hip Hop gains more visibility worldwide, it is important to have reliable source of information so that people, not steeped in the genre, will have a place to begin their inquiries. The book is written in an A-Z format so that readers can easily look up artists, events or words associated with Hip Hop. Since this is only one volume, everything could not be included, however this book provides a wealth of important information.
Why would someone need to know about Hip Hop anyway?
Much has been written and debated about the lyrical and visual content of rap music and Hip Hop culture. Hip Hop can be profane, spiritual, political, clever or fun. The Hip Hop that is portrayed in mainstream media is but a fraction of what Hip Hop represents, even in the United States. Hip Hop however did not develop in a social, economic or political vacuum, and as such understanding Hip Hop, will to some extent help readers to understand more about young Americans. The lyrics and images of Hip Hop represent contemporary ideas about race, class and gender and social justice. Moreover, the popularity of Hip Hop and its messages are not solely confined to Black Americans. While Black Americans remain the public face of Hip Hop and the provide the text of the genre, Hip Hop appeals to young people of all races as demonstrated by domestic and international record sales, the emerging Hip Hop scholarship in academia, books published about Hip Hop and the ubiquitous media coverage of Hip Hop celebrities. Understanding Hip Hop means moving beyond stereotypes that portray rap artists as amoral, foul mouth and uneducated by learning about the artists lives as well as the events that shaped them and the genre.
What is Hip Hop?
Hip Hop has a different meaning for each individual who engages it. Hip Hop is a global industry that generates billions of dollar per year and has jettisoned platinum-selling artists to international fame and vast riches. Simultaneously, Hip Hop remains situated in local communities that incubate new artists, styles and messages that may have little connection to mainstream images and recordings. Hip Hop is also generational, with some fans preferring "Old School" music and it informed by regional languages, references and fashions. At its core however, Hip Hop it is a cultural expression that was birthed in New York City in the early 1970s, primarily by African American, African-Caribbean and Puerto Rican youth. Rap is often used interchangeably with Hip Hop, since MC'ing was the easiest component of Hip Hop to commodify. Rap records were relatively easy to produce and disseminate and thus this segment of Hip Hop continues to have the greatest exposure. As such many Hip Hop fans are only familiar with rap, however it is only one of four original "elements" of Hip Hop, the others being: DJ'ing (music); B-Boying (breakdancing), MC'ing (rap) and Graffiti (visual art). In recent years some Hip Hop practitioners have sought to expand the elements to include fashion and film.
Who created Hip Hop?
There is no one person who created Hip Hop. There are thousands of young people throughout the country who participated in birthing the genre as fans, practitioners, club owners, radio DJs and record company owners. However, the three pioneers who are credited with being the leading creative forces behind the early development and promotion of Hip Hop are Bronx, New York DJs: Kool DJ Herc (who emigrated from Jamaica, West Indies), Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash.
What was the first rap record?
In the beginning there were no "rap records." DJ often searched for obscure but
exciting R&B, Soul, Funk, Rock and World records that had great beats. The DJs
would play these records for the crowd and as the genre progressed, DJs rapped
a little over records and then MCs or Master of Ceremonies, took over the duties
of motivating or "moving the crowd." The first official rap song was "King Tim
III (aka Personality Jock) by the Fat Back Band in 1979. The song was released
on the B-side of the release of "You're My Candy Sweet." which came out before
the monumental "Rapper's Delight."
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