In 1973, the music scene was forever changed by the emergence of hip-hop. Masterfully blending the rhythmic grooves of funk and soul with layered beats and chanted rhymes, artists such as DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash paved the way for an entire new genre and generation of musicians. In this comprehensive, accessible guide, Paul Edwards breaks down the difference between old school and new school, recaps the biggest influencers of the genre, and sets straight the myths and misconceptions of the artists and their music. Fans old and new alike will all learn something new about the history and development of hip-hop, from its inception up through the current day, in The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music.
"Combining Edwards's critical insight with stories from the people who lived it, The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music not only informs, it challenges a number of popular notions about this thing called rap, including some of my own. As KRS-One said, 'You must learn.'"
Jordan Ferguson, author of J Dilla's Donuts (Bloomsbury Academic's 33 1/3 Series)
"Paul Edwards has done it again. Having long toiled in the mines of hip-hop knowledge, he has collected the wisdom of the greatest representatives of the art to present us with another fact-filled, eye-opening, myth-busting resource. Everyone from fans and artists to students and scholars will have much to learn from The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music."
Mark Katz, author of Groove Music: The Art and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ
