Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists

by Sacha Jenkins, Elliott Wilson, Jeff Mao

Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists is more popular than racism!

Hip hop is huge, and it's time someone wrote it all down. And got it all right. With over 25 aggregate years of interviews, and virtually every hip hop single, remix and album ever recorded at their disposal, the highly respected Ego Trip staff are the ones to do it. The Book of Rap Lists runs the gamut of hip hop information. This is an exhaustive, indispensable and completely irreverant bible of true hip hip knowledge.

Genres: Music, Hip Hop, Nonfiction, Reference, Collections, History, Cultural

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 3, 1999

About the author

Sacha Jenkins was an American television producer, filmmaker, writer, musician, artist, curator, and chronicler of hip-hop, graffiti, punk, and metal cultures. While still in his teens, Jenkins published Graphic Scenes & X-Plicit Language, one of the earliest 'zines solely dedicated to "graffiti" art. In 1994, Jenkins co-founded Ego Trip magazine. In 2007, he created the competition reality program ego trip's The (White) Rapper Show, which was carried by VH1. Jenkins was the creative director of Mass Appeal magazine

Reviews

[Simon Goetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant compilation of rap-related lists. One of my favorites is Kool Keith's top places to masturbate in public - #1 The bathroom of Sbarro's in Times Square.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

a must read for all my hiphop heads, RIP Sacha Jenkins

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

like a cake made out of joy

[Idris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hours of entertainment

[Bill Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book in the mail on a Saturday in 2000 and spent the entire day ignoring my girlfriend and reading it cover to cover. Not only is it a magnificent gonzo pastiche of hip hop artifacts, trivia, lists, and commentary, but it's a veritable time machine back to the days when hip-hop was still important, and not just a product. If you grew up with hip hop like I did, it's impossible not to be overwhelmed by nostalgia and transported back to the days of door-knocker earrings, kangols, Pro-Keds and "X" hats. As far as really knowing what hip hop is all about, I've yet to find a better document.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year in November when I was checking out The Wu-Tang Manual, the staff person at the library who was helping me recommended this book to me instead. It's basically exactly what the title says-- a very comprehensive book of lists about rap. I'd go so far as to say this thing is like a Bible of rap and hip hop history (to the days of Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, etc). I had this book on hold for about 6 months before it was my turn to check it out. My time with it was up all too quickly and of course other people had it on hold, so I ended up ordering a copy of it for myself. I don't actually buy books very often now since I mainly use the library, so that says a lot! I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in hip hop. If anything, it makes for a lot of really fun playlists.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One strictly for the rap geeks. As it says on the cover, this is a book of lists about rap and it's as simple as that. Highly amusing and extremely well put together you'll enjoy this if you are a fan of 80s/90s rap. If you're not, this book will be totally meaningless to you.

[Aruna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, argument-inducing, random but always engaging. This book is essential reading for hip-hop junkies.

[De'Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book is a very good book for the simple fact of the connection between you and music. Gret book overall.

[Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting way to learn your hiphop ABCs, entertain yourself with trivia, or just reminisce about "back in the day". Excellent.

[Rushay Booysen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it just the amount of research that went in this book will amaze you.I would suggest you get a copy im bummed as mine is stolen.

[Jason Comely · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll start with the good first: some lists are great for new listeners who want to explore Hip-Hop, especially the pioneers of the genre. The bad is that this book is dated. There's been a lot of innovation since 2014.

And a warning: some lists are vulgar and seem to glorify the violence and misogyny so prevalent in Hip-Hop culture.

I'd like to read another new book of rap lists, but next time with more conscious collaborators.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.25 stars (4.25 nostalgia stars)

Often insightful, funny, and cringe worthy, this is the perfect coffee table book for any hip-hop fan - circa the beginning though 1999.

Turns out that reading a book of lists isn't all that much fun though.

Wu-Tang Forever

[James Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Collection of hip hop knowledge

A interesting read .Reading the book is akin to a storyline of the 50 plus years of hip hop.After reading this book i have a collection of additional music to listen to.

[Alfonso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I own the 1999 edition, which one of my friends is holding hostage. It's classic. If you love Hip Hop, this is a good book to have.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

great, but yall got to update this through the aughts and teens!

[Antonio Depietro · Rating 5 out of 5]

classic. somehow not dated!

[Twan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's bigger than hip-hop.

[Monty Circus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got into hip-hop way late, 1998 actually. In my childhood I was taught (by my parents, church and the media) that rap music was EEEEEVIL! What I discovered was lyrics and rhymes and wordplay that I'd never dreamed of! The glorious boom of subwoofers, those funky-ass beats, the incredibly deft scratching. It was an amazing time. And this book of lists went a long way in immersing myself in the culture and hunting down all those choice classic albums. Whether you lived it, or you missed it, this is a great book for reminiscing or cluing yourself into the golden era of 80's and 90's hip-hop.

[Muneer Uddin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sure lives up to its name. There are hundreds of offbeat and informative lists. The one thing that impressed me was that it doesn't really lean toward any particular period or area. The editors do a good job in informing readers about hiphop from all the geographic areas and eras. For the hiphop fan, this is a must have. For the inexperienced, it's a good place to start learning about hiphop's roots.

[Devoya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kind of a list person. I know, I know....hella nerdy. One of the reason's I liked High Fidelity soo much was I could truly identify with a character who creates lists (especially ones regarding music) all the time.

Anyway...this book is full of em. If you want to know who the most sampled artist of all time is, the dopest MC (according to them) etc...It's a fun time...honest it is:)

[Miguel Arsénio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bursting with incredible info, tips and trivia about golden age hip-hop, this is probably one of the best books to pick every once in a while for anyone who wants to know more about the history of the genre. These cats really knew hip-hop, that's a fact, and they gathered a bit of a rap bible here. I'm not giving it 5 stars for now but I'm sure it will deserve all five of them once I assimilate just about 50% of all things written here. This one takes time.

[Leonard Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's never been a magazine that captured the humor and feel of hip-hop better than Ego Trip, and this collection of lists -- from the sublime to the very frequently ridiculous -- is endlessly readable.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite reference book EVER. I've dog-eared it pretty good from all the nerding-out I've done with it. The writers must be my age because we have very similar taste in rap music. SUCH a fun read!

[Rebecca Noran]

a fun read for those who like music and culture lists. do you know people like this?

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love books that use lists and this is the ultimate one along with its brother book "Ego Trip's Big Book of Racism".. it is a listing extravaganza!!!!!!!!!!11

[Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun enough to have laying around for flipping through

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like this book was put together specifically for me, I absolutely loved it

[Kevan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you could buy only one HipHop book, this should be it. After almost two decades, The Book of Rap Lists is still number 1.

[Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so fucking fun and funny. Selling my copy when I moved seven years ago is one of my biggest regrets.

FFO: Hip hop, humor, trivia, Kool Keith.