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

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"When rapper Nas released his 2006 album Hip Hop is Dead, he became yet one more voice warning that excessive commercialism had killed off the vitality of the music. Hess (English, Rider U.) explores the relative validity of these fears through analysis of issues of authenticity as expressed in the lyrics of rap artists. Over the course of the discussion, he discusses how the artists represent their career paths and their roles in the music industry, complications of hip hop's basis in autobiography in the lyrical personas of such artists as Digital Underground and MF DOOM, the ways white artists such as an Eminem frame their autobiographies within the model of hip hop authenticity, and the role of parody in confronting racial stereotypes related to social privilege."

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Reference & Research Book News

"Any college-level library strong in contemporary music culture needs Is Hip Hop Dead, sure to be a popular library lead."

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Midwest Book Review

"Hess believes that the foundations of the lyrics of the music, which initially told stories about the artists as well as about their culture and environments, are disappearing. He offers a social and historical timeline of the music genre....The author reviews artists' biographies, marketing- and media- driven personas, and the scenarios that glorify violence and misogyny via offensive lyrics and videos. Capitalism and commercialism have affected the fabric of the music, but it is not dead yet. Notes and a historical biography supplement the text. Recommended for college collections and anyone studying the history of rap music."

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MultiCultural Review

Book Description

Examines the ongoing dialogue in the hip hop world surrounding issues of culture versus commercialism, and rhyme skills versus record sales.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Praeger (August 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275994619
• ISBN-13: 978-0275994617
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #355,275 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sure to be a popular library lend., December 2, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

IS HIP HOP DEAD? THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF AMERICA'S MOST WANTED MUSIC considers hip hop artists, the history of the genre, and the ongoing dialogue between commercialism versus culture which has kept hip hop alive and on the cutting edge of American youth culture. Chapters survey its history, roots, and the major hip hop groups' contributions over the decades with an eye to revealing the genre's underlying influences and possible futures. Any college-level library strong in contemporary music culture needs IS HIP HOP DEAD?, sure to be a popular library lend.