(Hardback)

Aims to illuminate the origins of hip-hop nostalgia and examine how artists maintain control of their music and culture in the face of corporate record companies, government censorship, and the standardization of the rap image. This book provides a common ground upon which to reconsider many of the developments in the industry.

An insightful new resource that looks at the rise of American hip hop as a series of distinct regional events, with essays covering the growth of hip hop culture in specific cities across the nation.