Somebody Scream!: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power

by Marcus Reeves

For many African Americans of a certain demographic the sixties and seventies were the golden age of political movements. The Civil Rights movement segued into the Black Power movement which begat the Black Arts movement. Fast forward to 1979 and the release of Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight." With the onset of the Reagan years, we begin to see the unraveling of many of the advances fought for in the previous decades. Much of this occurred in the absence of credible, long-term leadership in the black community. Young blacks disillusioned with politics and feeling society no longer cared or looked out for their concerns started rapping with each other about their plight, becoming their own leaders on the battlefield of culture and birthing Hip-Hop in the process. In Som e body Scr e am , Marcus Reeves explores hip-hop music and its politics. Looking at ten artists that have impacted rap--from Run-DMC (Black Pop in a B-Boy Stance) to Eminem (Vanilla Nice)--and puts their music and celebrity in a larger socio-political context. In doing so, he tells the story of hip hop's rise from New York-based musical form to commercial music revolution to unifying expression for a post-black power generation.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 18, 2008

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and informative book about the history of rap music in the context of the day's politics. Somebody Scream! focuses on how messages about poverty, black nationalism, political power, and racism are transmitted by, and through, rap. Reeves has a way with words reminiscent of the elaborate wordplay in rap itself; the book is plenty humorous although the subject is always taken seriously. Through the extensive use of well-chosen lyrical quotes, he allows rappers to speak for themselves, while always providing robust context. I think that this would be a really enjoyable read for hiphop fans, as nothing is dumbed down (no "making cheddar does not, in fact, refer to a cheese factory!" jokes here). It is, however, an accessible pop culture read for a general audience.

The book's flaws include a a disproportionate emphasis on the 80s and 90s--although the book was published in 2008, the 00s seem like an afterthought--as well as an occasional tendency to run a particular line of thought into the ground. [Disclaimer: my copy is an uncorrected proof from the publisher and may not accurately reflect the final book.]

[RK Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book went the way Hunter S. Thompson describes good mescaline; “comes on slow... then ZANG!”

[Joshua Finnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library Journal Review:

Drawing upon his fifteen years of experience writing on youth culture and politics in publications such as The New York Times and The Source, Reeves traces the political history and influence of rap since the decline of the black power movement in the 1970s. His thesis, succinctly stated, is that rap music is a “hardrock vessel carrying the hopes, anger, disappointments, attitude, and history of post-black power America.” Chronologically focusing on ten artists that have impacted rap over the last three decades (from Run-DMC and Public Enemy to Eminem and Jay-Z), Reeves places each musician within the sociopolitical context of the times that produced them. Extending the historical analysis found in other works on the genre, such as Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation (Jeff Chang and D.J. Kool Herc. Picador. 2005), Reeves underscores the importance of rap as an art form that continues to evolve while remaining a viable means in which to channel future discourse of post-black power America.

[Kraig Spaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are looking for an easy read on the history of hip hop,this might be for you. It barely scratched the surface of such a deep history,& I was already familiar with most included anecdotes,so it didnt offer anything new for me. A history of hip hop that is going to give pages over to the (much deserved) importance of Rappers Delight to the developement of hip hop,yet barely mention Grandmaster Caz(and not go into the backstory of Rappers Delight's creation),is a much too simple view for most people with a more than passing knowledge of the artform. I guess for a complete newcomer to the history of hip hop,its a good jumping off point. I just feel strange seeing an artform with so much depth simplified so much.

[Douglas Sellers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really the tale of two halves of a book. The first half is an interesting retelling of the failing of the black power music and how rap music rose from its ashes. The second a bland set of biographical chapters about famous rappers

[Chi Chi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent overview of the history of hip hop. Not any particular stance that makes it stand out, but he does a decent job of placing the popular artists amongst society at the time.