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Laban Carrick Hill

Theodore Taylor III

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop (Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent) Hardcover – Picture Book, August 27, 2013

by Laban Carrick Hill (Author), Theodore Taylor III (Illustrator)

258 ratings

A John Steptoe New Talent Award Winner

Before there was hip hop, there was DJ Kool Herc.

On a hot day at the end of summer in 1973 Cindy Campbell threw a back-to-school party at a park in the South Bronx. Her brother, Clive Campbell, spun the records. He had a new way of playing the music to make the breaks―the musical interludes between verses―longer for dancing. He called himself DJ Kool Herc and this is When the Beat Was Born. From his childhood in Jamaica to his youth in the Bronx, Laban Carrick Hill's book tells how Kool Herc came to be a DJ, how kids in gangs stopped fighting in order to breakdance, and how the music he invented went on to define a culture and transform the world.

Reading age

6 - 10 years
Print length

32 pages
Language

English
Grade level

1 - 5
Lexile measure

AD770L
Dimensions

9.98 x 0.53 x 10.11 inches
Publisher

Roaring Brook Press
Publication date

August 27, 2013
ISBN-10

9781596435407
ISBN-13

978-1596435407
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-5–As a child in Jamaica, Clive Campbell aspired to be a DJ. At 13, he moved to the Bronx, where he gained the nickname Hercules because he grew to be more than six feet tall. He shortened the name to Herc, added Kool, and is credited as a pioneer of hip hop. He created a new art form for his parties when he plugged in two turntables to create longer breaks for dancing and began chanting the names of his friends during the breaks. Hill's descriptive writing is paired with Taylor's vibrant artwork, which features large crowds dancing, close-up shots of breakdancing, or Herc's hands masterfully spinning the dual turntables. This is a fine introduction to the topic, and the extensive time line, which spans from 1973 to 1986, will help students with reports and show them how this American art form was created.–Glynis Jean Wray, Ocean County Library, Toms River, NJα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From Booklist

This picture-book biography introduces one of the unsung creators of hip-hop, Clive Campbell, who was born in Jamaica in 1955. He was entranced by the massive dance parties thrown by a neighbor, and when his family moved to the Bronx, he took up the name Kool Herc and created the innovative techniques behind hip-hop DJing. Stacking musical breaks on top of each other to fuel long stretches of dancing frenzy, calling the kids with the best moves “break-dancers,” and sending shout-outs to friends and little offhand rhymes over the music—Kool Herc unique and hip-hop wouldn’t exist without any one of these flashes of inspiration. By the time rap music really took off, in the early 1980s, he was already out of the limelight but not without leaving a massive legacy. Aside from the bouncy bio of the book’s star, Hill also highlights the positive social force of hip-hop and the boundless energy of musical joy. It’s all matched by Taylor’s freewheeling artwork. A treat from an underrepresented corner of music history. Grades 2-4. --Ian Chipman

ASIN : 1596435402
Publisher : Roaring Brook Press; Illustrated edition (August 27, 2013)
Language : English
Hardcover : 32 pages
ISBN-10 : 9781596435407
ISBN-13 : 978-1596435407
Reading age : 6 - 10 years
Lexile measure : AD770L
Grade level : 1 - 5
Item Weight : 15.5 ounces
Dimensions : 9.98 x 0.53 x 10.11 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #18,804 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Children's Rap & Hip-Hop
- #20 in Children's Musical Biographies (Books)

Customer Reviews:
258 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		94%
4 star		4%
3 star		1%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Musician

Great History

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2016

Verified Purchase

I teach music to kids who don't come from the best homes. I used this book as a jumping off point for dance music and some history. My kids, who wouldn't listen to anything else when I taught them, or other books, listened to this one. They loved it, and it was great for a lot of them because they listen to rap, and so this is a good intro into some history about hip hop and rap.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

OffVision

A bit of history

Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

As a Bronx native I've heard this story many times. My 8 son is a music lover and this is a great book to introduce him to a little bit of history about the music he love. I love that the cared more about the words on the paper that the great art work. They changed the color of the words to make sure that the words are visible. I just with the font was a bit bigger but overall it's a great book.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

clarkemason

Good resource for students, great nostalgia for me

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2019

Verified Purchase

Used this book for a student project on Hip Hop and it was informative, useful and the student was able to learn more about the origins of a great art form. I loved the illustrations and the book was well written. Brought me back to the old days!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Jaime W. Tae

I LOVE it! Why isn't learning about the TRUE roots ...

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2015

Verified Purchase

I bought this for my son but he's a bit too young for it yet, so I read it myself. I LOVE it! Why isn't learning about the TRUE roots of hip hop more mainstream?!?!?!? It's an engaging and educational read about how this cutting edge form of music came to be. I felt like I was watching an animated short film as I was reading because the artwork is so dynamic and vibrant. A smart and gorgeous work of art!

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Well worth it

Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is a classic that my son will read tp me and i will read to him and this book will be passed down the family line.

Helpful

Erica Campos

Great book!

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2016

Verified Purchase

This book is fabulous! I read it at the school library, but immediately bought one for my husband (a former DJ). He enjoyed reading it. The illustrations fit the book perfectly.

One person found this helpful

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Reda Rountree

One of the best picture books ever written

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019

Verified Purchase

The birth of hip-hop + amazing illustrations + a timeline in the back of important events in music = a great read and conversation starter with your kid who loves rap

Helpful

Stephanie

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2018

Verified Purchase

My daughter loved this book. We’re a hip hop family!! Great story-we need more like it.

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Top reviews from other countries

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James

Educational and accessible, fit for everyone

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

An honest, educational, accessible portrayal of the beginnings of one of the greatest cultural movements of the last century. Kids need to know!

lucky Phil

Well written and illustrated. A super book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

A great book for anyone, super illustration too.

Maxine Whittaker is

Is a really good book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2018

Verified Purchase

Great book - godson loved it!

Nelly Kunze

Eine Geschichte, die nicht jede*r kennt....

Reviewed in Germany on October 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

... aber deren Effekt wir täglich imRadio hören.
Das Buch erzählt wie auf Clive DJ Kool Herc wurde, was ihn prägte und wie er den Hip Hop erfand.

One person found this helpful

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British Commentator

For young children only.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2013

Verified Purchase

This short book about the early years of Hip Hop is for 5 - 7 year olds only.
As an adult I read it all in five minutes, literally.
It only has a few pages of simple English text, with clear and good illustrations.
It contains one error (oft repeated in Hip Hop books) which is it calls Kool Herc's MC crew the "Herculoids" but Herc himself told me it was "Herculords".

One person found this helpful

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