American Hip Hop: Rappers, DJs, and Hard Beats

American Music Milestones

by Nathan Sacks

A rapper spits rhymes into a microphone.
A DJ scratches a record back and forth against a turntable needle.
Fans' feet stomp along to a stiff beat.
These are the sounds of hip-hop.

Hip-hop music busted out of New York City in the 1970s. Many young African Americans found their voices after stepping up to the mic. In the decades afterward, rappers and DJs took over the airwaves and transformed American music. In the twenty-first century, hip-hop is a global sensation.

Learn what inspired hip-hop's earliest rappers to start rhyming over beats, as well as the stories behind hip-hop legends such as Run-D.M.C., 2Pac, Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z. Follow the creativity and the rivalries that have fueled everything from party raps to songs about social struggles. And find out how you can add your own sounds to the mix!

Genres: Nonfiction

64 pages, Library Binding

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Nathan is a professional academic editor, children's author and French graphic novel translator. He is from Ames, IA and lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and light. I have no idea how valid the history is.

[Petty Lisbon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was alright. I think it did a decent job at going into the different eras and scenes of hip hop. My biggest complaint would be the lack of female rappers. Normally, I spend too much time on social media where I see (probably ironic and patronizing) over appreciation of female rappers where I "forget" that the music industry as a whole is sexist but they seriously could have included a lot more women in here.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid history for young readers. Enjoyed the accompanying playlists, even if some of the stuff was definitely PG-13 rated, if not more.

[Shawn Persinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

A short, but exceedingly strong, introduction to/overview of the history of Hip-Hop.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book describes Hip Hop's journey from somewhat of a joke in the music industry to the mega powerhouse it is today. Hip Hop is the sound that changed the music world forever. This is a great book, especially anyone interested in the History of Rap/Hip Hop. There are so many great aspects of this book. Great Photography, "Must Download Playlist", detailed descriptions. I learned so much about the music that is an integral part of our nation (I mean who doesn't know who Beyonce, Jay-Z, and Tupac are?). Even the most controversial aspects of Rap/Hip Hop are discused and analyzed (East Cost/West Coast, controversal language and behavior.) One of the best things about this book is the length. There is a lot of information packed in the short, 70 page, book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be so cheesy. SOooooo cheesy. Like one of those awful books about "The World Wide Web" or "Learning About The Internet" that's obsolete before it ever came out. This book manages to tackle a ton of hip hop history, address controversies, and recommend plenty of solid music, all in under 70 pages. I don't know what my kids would think of it, but except for a few awkward, dweeby-sounding moments, the book is pretty legit. Excellent timeline and set of artist mini-bios at the end. Includes a list of must-have albums and singles.

[Rachel Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than average nonfiction. Nostalgic for those who grew up in this era, but extremely enlightening for those who didn't. Part of a series (American Country/Pop/HipHop, etc). Loved that it was written by era and at the end of each era was a playlist of top songs to listen to from that era. Excellent appendices. Torn on whether to order this one; not exactly for my clientele. Liked the format enough to check out the rest of the series, though. I was impressed!