Is Hip Hop Dead?: The Past, Present, and Future of America's Most Wanted Music

by Hess, Mickey

• ISBN13: 9780275994617
• ISBN10: 0275994619
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-08-01
• Publisher: PRAEGER AGENCY ACCOUNT

Summary

Hip-hop is remarkably self-critical as a genre. In lyrics, rappers continue to debate the definition of hip-hop, and question where the line between underground artist and mainstream crossover is drawn, who owns the culture and who runs the industry, and most importantly, how to remain true to the culture's roots while also seeking fame and fortune. The tension between the desires to preserve hip hop's original culture and to create commercially successful music promotes a lyrical war of words between mainstream and underground artists that keeps hip-hop very much alive today. In response to criticisms that hip-hop has suffered or died in its transition to the mainstream, this book seeks to highlight and examine the ongoing dialogue among rap artists whose work describes their own careers.

Author Biography

Mickey Hess is Assistant Professor of English at Rider University.

Table of Contents

The rap career	p. 13
The rap life	p. 43
The rap persona	p. 69
Sampling and stealing	p. 89
White rappers	p. 109
Hip hop, whiteness, and parody	p. 135
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