A complete guide to the history, development, people, events, and ideas of Hip Hop music and culture.
Yvonne Bynoe is an author and lecturer whose work combines the relevant issues of politics, culture, and economics within the context of American popular culture. She is the author of the book Stand and Deliver: Political Activism, Leadership and Hip Hop Culture (2004). Bynoe's writings have appeared in such publications as The Georgetown Journal of International Affairs and the National Urban League's 2001 State of Black America.
Hip-hop is a genre of music and cultural expression long on
popularity but short on authoritative reference resources. Hip-hop
cultural expert Bynoe's (Stand & Deliver: Political Activism,
Leadership, and Hip Hop Culture) encyclopedia should help fill that
void by providing a commanding single-volume guide that will be of
value to those unfamiliar with hip-hop culture or those who like
the culture or music but are unfamiliar with its origins and
development. The work examines the four manifestations of hip-hop
culture-DJ, MC, B-boy, and graffiti artist-and the 30-year history
of the music genre. The more than 500 mostly biographical entries
each range in length from a couple of sentences for lesser artists
or concepts to several pages for prominent figures like Dr. Dre and
Public Enemy. The artists covered run the gamut from true
old-schoolers, e.g., Kurtis Blow, to relative newbies, e.g., Lil'
Romeo….Bynoe's writing is clear and concise, and her knowledge of
the topic is obvious. Her work would make a good addition to public
and academic library collections, especially given the current
popularity of hip-hop culture and music.
*Library Journal*
This is a well-written, informative encyclopedia that would sit
well on any bookshelf and will appeal to readers of all ages.
*Reference Reviews*
[B]ynoe chronicles the history and influence of hip-hop via
approximately 450 entries, mostly biographical, with a good
representation of both East Coast and West Coast
personalities….Bynoe's guide is an essential acquisition for all
music collections….Recommended for all public and academic
libraries.
*MultiCultural Review*
Bynoe provides a solid overview of the rap and hip hop
genre….[t]his work will be a useful resource for students of music
and culture at the outset of research. Recommended for
undergraduate and public libraries.
*College & Research Libraries*
Hip Hop culture encompasses more than just rap music, having been
founded on the original four elements of DJing (turntablism), MCing
(rapping), B-Boying (dancing), and Aerosol Art (graffiti). Although
this encyclopedia recognizes this fact in its choice of material,
the bulk of the figures and terms discussed in the entries remain
related to rap. Although the size of the encyclopedia limits the
comprehensiveness of the treatment, a careful effort has obviously
been put into making the entries representative of the genre across
the scope of its time period. The author includes commercially
successful artists alongside lesser-known but more artistically
influential creators.
*Reference & Research Book News/Art Book News Annual*
[A] great addition to music and cultural reference collections. The
All Music Guide to Hip-Hop includes 20 essays on rap and hip-hop
topics but nothing as thorough as this encyclopedia.
*Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin*
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
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.
*School Library Journal*
This is the first comprehensive collection in the genre's
30-year-plus history to contain factual information compiled under
one cover. Entries chronicle hip-hop's four mainifestations (DJ,
MC, B-boy, graffiti artist) and illustrate the differences between
rap and hip-hop culture….[p]hotographs, artist biographies and a
selected rap discography provide a thorough cross-section of
hip-hop history.
*Chart*
Yvonne Bynoe's Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture blends music
history with an overall survey of hip hop culture, considering over
thirty years of a genre which began back in the 1960s with black
DJs talking over music and today has spread around the world. Over
a hundred photos pepper references which cover music groups,
genres, attitude, style, ethics and more.
*The Midwest Book Review - California Bookwatch*
This volume provides students, scholars, and music fans with a
complete history of the 30-year musical genre. Concise yet
comprehensive, the entries range from profiles on legendary
performers to topics such as sampling, censorship and tagging.
*MetroLA*
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