2020 Reads
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I Am Hip-Hop – Cool Conversations
I Am Hip-Hop: Conversations on the Music and Culture by Andrew J. Rausch This is what Dres of Black Sheep had to say when he was asked, “What does hip-hop mean to you?” “It’s kind of grown over the years. I’ve kind of come upon a revelation that it’s the music of the people. I […]
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Change the World – Disrupt Systems of White Supremacy
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad We are living in an unprecedented time right now. We have the power to act in ways that can truly affect change. Social media is one way to capture the attention of the public and steer them toward […]
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I Surrender (Can I Raise a White Flag?)
Surrender, White People!: Our Unconditional Terms for Peace by D.L. Hughley and Doug Moe I’m not sure it’s appropriate to wave a white flag right now, but I truly believe that we need to surrender under the conditions that D.L. Hughley and Doug Moe lay out for us in this brilliant book. So here it […]
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Rakim’s Rhyme Book & How He Revolutionized Rap Music
Sweat the Technique: Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius by Rakim Rakim is one of the most talented poets that our generation has even known. He revolutionized hip-hop with his laid back style on the microphone and his novel way of rhyming. He didn’t merely place his rhymes at the end of each line, […]
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Advanced Flow & Delivery for MCs
How to Rap 2: Advanced Flow and Delivery Techniques by Paul Edwards This isn’t a manual on how to rap. I don’t think a book can really teach you how to craft great hip-hop songs. But studying the work of talented emcees is definitely a good place to start. There are plenty of ways to […]
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Word . . . The Language of Hip Hop Culture
Roc the Mic Right: The Language of Hip Hop Culture by H. Samy Alim “The African American oral tradition is rooted in a belief in the power of the Word. The African concept of Nommo, the Word, is believed to be the force of life itself. To speak is to make something come into being. […]
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The Vinyl Princess (Some Kids Still Love Records)
The Vinyl Princess by Yvonne Prinz The Vinyl Princess is a sixteen-year-old who works in a record store downtown. She loves vinyl and wants to share that with the world. To that end, she starts a blog and a zine, both of which become quite popular. Along the way, she gets interested in a guy […]
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The Story Behind Walk This Way
Walk This Way: Run-DMC, Aerosmith, and the Song That Changed American Music Forever by Geoff Edgers Run-DMC’s third album changed the landscape of popular music. Their first two albums were overseen by super-producer Larry Smith. Unfortunately, that is not a name everyone is familiar with these days, but he “oversaw six records—three by Whodini, two […]
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Surf Through Life (A Guide for Kids)
Mop Rides the Waves of Life by Jaimal Yogis & Matthew Allen Meet Mop . . . a young boy who really loves to surf and is having a difficult time navigating what is shaping up to be a bad week. His mom teaches him that he can navigate the good and bad parts of […]
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Read the Classics and Take Notes
“The adventurous student will always study classics, in whatever language they may be written and however ancient they may be. For what are the classics but the noblest recorded thoughts of man? They are the only oracles which are not decayed, and there are such answers to the most modern inquiry in them as Delphi […]