Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture [Paperback]

Yvonne Bynoe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2008

Hip Hop music is comprised of several art forms: 1) MC-ing or rapping 2) B-boying or breakdancing 3) Deejaying (music) and 4) Graffiti art (visual art). This encyclopedia examines all four elements of Hip Hop Culture, providing students, scholars, and music fans with a complete history of the thirty-year music genre. Tracing its early roots from black DJs talking over music in the 1960s, the B-boy dancers in the 1970s, and the scratching and sampling techniques of the '80s to the founding of Def Jam productions, the current East Cost-West Coast rivalry, and superstars such as Eminem and 50 Cent, hip hop fans will find this an indispensable resource.

This encyclopedia includes approximately 100 photographs, discographies after each entry, and a for further listening list at the end of the volume. Also included is the Hip Hop Declaration of Peace.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–A comprehensive resource covering the artists as well as various topics relevant to the culture. The insightful historical introduction will help readers understand the separate elements embraced by rap and hip-hop: the verbal (MCing), and the musical (DJing), break dancing, and aerosol painting. The alphabetical entries cover all these elements and include most of the well-known rap artists and groups, along with some less-familiar names. The articles also acknowledge some of rap's detractors. Average-quality, black-and-white photos are scattered throughout. The author's cross-references are especially helpful and the index will lead readers to information about individual artists beyond their main entry. The appendixes contain a selected discography and statements regarding the appreciation and preservation of hip-hop culture, including the Hip Hop Declaration of Peace. This title will be of interest to browsers and report writers.–Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

According to author Bynoe, "Hip Hop is a cultural expression that encompasses music, narrative poetry, dance, and art as reflected by its original four elements." Those elements are DJing, MCing (rapping), B-boying (break dancing), and graffiti or aerosol art. Bynoe represents each of these elements in this encyclopedia.

Entries, ranging from A+ to Zulu Nation, include biographical or descriptive information, popular songs or albums, apparel and other marketing ventures of artists, and, in several cases, highlights of artists' criminal offenses. Entries are alphabetical, either by the artist's real last name, or stage name, if the latter is more prevalent. Real names appear in brackets next to stage names but are not cross-referenced or listed in the index. Music-related entries also include a discography with known original recordings or a selection of the artist's complete works.

A list of entries, a preface, an introduction, two appendixes, a bibliography, and an index are included. The introduction offers a historical and cultural look at hip-hop. Appendixes provide a selected rap discography, including recordings of hip-hop and rap classics, and "Statements to Preserve and Appreciate Hip Hop Culture," aka "The Hip Hop Declaration of Peace" unveiled at the UN on May 16, 2002. A selected bibliography includes a sampling of the more credible books, articles, and Web sites on hip-hop.

The indexing and cross-referencing are incomplete. For example, the U.T.F.O. is made up of four group members: Doctor Ice, the Kangol Kid, the Educated Rapper, and Mix-Master Ice. None of the group members are listed in the index, nor is there a cross-reference in the index from UnTouchable Force Organization to U.T.F.O. Uninformed hip-hop researchers may have difficulty navigating with the inconsistent indexing and cross-references.

Even with its indexing problems, the encyclopedia is a great addition to music and cultural reference collections. The All Music Guide to Hip-Hop (Backbeat Books, 2003) includes 20 essays on rap and hip-hop topics but nothing as thorough as this encyclopedia. It is by no means a complete look at a huge and diverse topic, particularly the international scene, but will complement reference collections. Sue Polanka
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood (October 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313361908
• ISBN-13: 978-0313361906
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #533,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Music
  • #93 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Children's

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hopefully a work in progress!, January 14, 2006

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British Commentator (London, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture (Hardcover)

Whilst it is an ambitous and commendable idea to make a Hip Hop encyclopedia, new readers of the subject matter would be advised to find other books until this work has a second edition.

The problem is that it has much more information on Vanilla Ice than James Brown, nothing on Jazzy Jay, nothing on Rass Kass,and has nothing on Hip Hop outside the USA.

That said, it does go into detail on many well known and some obscure Hip Hop artists and subjects, which is useful for research purposes.

It bills itself as the first Hip Hop encyclopedia but is not substantially different from the Guiness guides, the Rap "Whoz Who", The All Music Guide to Hip Hop or Michael Small's "Break It Down", all of which have alphabetic entries on various artists like this book.

I can only hope that any future editions are more extensive in their entries.

1.0 out of 5 stars poorly thrown together, January 10, 2012

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Bartleby - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture (Paperback)

This book seems to be a compilation of internet searches that were copied, pasted, and transposed for the sake of making it the author's own, without a lot of fact-checking through other sources. (Strangely similar text to some of the blurbs here can be found on Web sites.) The byline should read "compiler," not author. This is not a creative, genuine project that was thoughtfully and painstakingly put together, it is a mishmash of random facts found online. The author does not seem at all in touch with the Hip Hop community but was more likely interested in publishing something for the sake of calling herself a published author. This is not reference material at all.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book on Hip Hop and Rap, March 24, 2006

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Alexander "Morehouse Man" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book for those who want to better understand the full history of rap and Hip Hop! It discusses the various elements that make-up Hip Hop and not just rap music. It also gives readers an inside look at many of the rap artists and explains the events that have made the news over the years. Many outside of the U.S. may complain that their Hip Hop history is not included, but the focus of the book is the United States, not the entire world. We also have to be real...everyone can't be included in one book...let's hope she does additional volumes.