What do you think?
Rate this book
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop
Explore the roots of rap in this stunning, rhyming, triple-timing picture book!
A generation voicing
stories, hopes, and fears
founds a hip-hop nation.
Say holler if you hear.
The roots of rap and the history of hip-hop have origins that precede DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Kids will learn about how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, to the showmanship of James Brown, to the culture of graffiti art and break dancing that formed around the art form and gave birth to the musical artists we know today. Written in lyrical rhythm by award-winning author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford and complete with flowing, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book beautifully illustrates how hip-hop is a language spoken the whole world 'round, and it features a foreword by Swizz Beatz, a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop rapper, DJ, and record producer.
A generation voicing
stories, hopes, and fears
founds a hip-hop nation.
Say holler if you hear.
The roots of rap and the history of hip-hop have origins that precede DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash. Kids will learn about how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, to the showmanship of James Brown, to the culture of graffiti art and break dancing that formed around the art form and gave birth to the musical artists we know today. Written in lyrical rhythm by award-winning author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford and complete with flowing, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison, this book beautifully illustrates how hip-hop is a language spoken the whole world 'round, and it features a foreword by Swizz Beatz, a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop rapper, DJ, and record producer.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published January 8, 2019
6 people are currently reading
523 people want to read
About the author
Carole Boston Weatherford
106 books423 followersCarole Boston Weatherford is a children's book author and poet who mines the past for family stories, traditions, and struggles. A number of CAROLE's books tell the stories of African-American historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens, and Billie Holiday. Other books recount historical events such as the Greensboro Sit-ins and the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. CAROLE's books have received a wide variety of awards, including a Caldecott Honour for “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom”.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
December 5, 2019
The artwork is amazing in these pages. There is energy and heart in the artwork. It’s mostly about the artwork. They have a 2 page spread that is mostly artwork with a single line of poetry at the bottom of the page going across both pages. I was interested in learning more about the music genre as it’s not really something I know much of, but for the most part, they put up a picture of a person I didn’t really know and the line text below was not enlightening as to who this was and what they did. I don’t feel like I learned much reading the story. You have to already know something to get something from this. I’m pretty sure I recognized Queen Latifa, but it doesn’t tell us who it is until you find the list in the back. The other faces, I don’t know.
I didn’t know that James Brown helped usher in rap. I didn’t know that funk led to rap and hip hop. Now I do. I did learn something. The most helpful was the last pages where the authors tell their past and about these artists in their lives and then a page of definitions. It’s a lovely book, but it wasn’t great at enlightening and educating.
The nephew didn’t understand this either. He didn’t really know what was going on and he didn’t know the music or the people. It didn’t make sense to him. There were no robots, monsters or kid stuff, so he didn’t like this. He gave it 1 star and told me that I sometimes pick out terrible books.
I didn’t know that James Brown helped usher in rap. I didn’t know that funk led to rap and hip hop. Now I do. I did learn something. The most helpful was the last pages where the authors tell their past and about these artists in their lives and then a page of definitions. It’s a lovely book, but it wasn’t great at enlightening and educating.
The nephew didn’t understand this either. He didn’t really know what was going on and he didn’t know the music or the people. It didn’t make sense to him. There were no robots, monsters or kid stuff, so he didn’t like this. He gave it 1 star and told me that I sometimes pick out terrible books.
January 16, 2019
Don't miss the back matter, which includes a great timeline and glossary. Fantastic illustrations!
January 17, 2019
My only quibble with the book is that it doesn't have enough pictures of female MCs from back in the day: Queen Latifah, Salt in Pepa and TLC but TLC was more on the R&B side than hip hop.
Where is Monie Love? Where is MC Lyte? Where is Roxanne Shante?
If we are getting to the root --even a picture book for kids-- then let the little ones know that there were some heavy spitters on the female side.
Just saying.
Where is Monie Love? Where is MC Lyte? Where is Roxanne Shante?
If we are getting to the root --even a picture book for kids-- then let the little ones know that there were some heavy spitters on the female side.
Just saying.
January 29, 2019
“Hip-hop is a language that’s spoken the whole world ‘round.”
Big, bright pages rule this book. The art comes alive on the page! Faces, graffiti, boom boxes, and DJs! The images stand tall. They inspire you to listen and move and take action. I loved every page!
The Roots of Rap will definitely get the attention of young readers. But I just wish the words tied it all together a bit better. All the pieces were there—the past, the street dancing, the records, the performers—but something more needed to be said. The foreword and notes from the author and artist help for sure. But in the pages and verse itself is where I wanted to see it all come together. A lot of readers skip prologues and end notes.
The pictures, artists, and influences will get kids researching and reaching out though. Reaching out to the past for beats and stories to mix and produce.
What I simply should have said and wanted to say here is….
Check it out at your local library.
BA BUMP BA BUMP SHA BOOM BOP BUZZ…
January 14, 2019
Stunning illustrations and language. It’s history and celebration rolled into one fabulous book. My high schoolers will appreciate it.
January 16, 2019
Music is one of the most influential cultural expressions there is and hip-hop is a perfect example of that. As Carole Boston Weatherford points out in her new picture chronicling the history of rap and hip-hop and the people who made it happen, this was not a musical genre that sprang up out of nowhere. Instead it had its roots in the oral tradition of folktales, street rhymes and spirituals. These were the very same influences, she points out, on two of the greatest African American poets - Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) and Langston Hughes (1902-1967).
It all began in the 1960s, when James Brown hit the music scene and introduced the world to funk, a form of music that incorporates soul, jazz and R&B, with a funky bass line (emphasizing the downbeat or putting the emphasis on the first beat of a measure). And just as important was his message, "I'm black and I'm proud."
James Brown paved the way for rappers and in the 1970s things began to change. Inner city youth found creative expression in rapping. Other found it in a spray paint can, leaving their tags and other forms of graffiti on subway cars, billboards, bridges and buildings. Boom boxes made it possible for youthful street performers with a whole repertoire of moves to break dance to an audience of passersby, and deejays introduce the Jamaican dub, while in the Bronx DJ Kool ushers in the birth of hip-hop.
A proliferation of hip-hop performers were soon producing records and getting air time on the radio, not just changing music, but also influencing styles and clothing, and bringing a certain awareness to the world.
Weatherford is a master at crafting a story, and here she has presented a whole history in a mere 32 lines of poetry. I realized while reading this book just how she managed to accomplish that.
The beauty of hip hop is that each song tells a story. The story told in this book is about hip-hop's roots and beginnings using the form that makes hip-hop such a stand out musical genre. A hip hop song is generally 16 to 32 bars and every two lines should rhyme with each other. Unlike a bar in most musical forms, however, a rap bar is simply a sentence. In The Roots of Rap, Weatherford used a 32 bar rap, making this essentially a two verse "song." The first 16 bars are the roots of rap, while the second 16 bars are the beginning and rise of hip-hop and the performers who popularized it.
"A generation voicing stories, hope, and fears/found a hip-hop nation. Say holler if you hear.
From Atlanta to Zanzibar, youth spit freestyle freedom sounds/Hip-hop is a language that's spoken whole world 'round."
Since the words in a hip-hop song are also a form of poetry, if you are teaching kids different poetic forms you might want to include it and The Roots of Rap would be the ideal book to do that with.
Frank Morrison's bold, powerful illustrations sets a stage that unmistakably resembles kind of graffiti of the New York City rap culture of the 1970s when I was a kid and it was all around me. Each detailed two page spread compliments and enhances Weatherford's words, and together they bring their history of hip-hop to life.
The book begins with an introduction by rapper Swizz Beatz, and there is an Author's Note and Illustrator's Note, as well as a Glossary and a Hip-Hop Who's Who you won't want to miss.
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop is a wonderful introduction to rap and hip-hop, and should be a welcome addition to any music curriculum. However, I personally feel it is more of a picture book for older readers rather than the recommended 4 to 8 year old range.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was sent to me by publisher, Little Bee Books
It all began in the 1960s, when James Brown hit the music scene and introduced the world to funk, a form of music that incorporates soul, jazz and R&B, with a funky bass line (emphasizing the downbeat or putting the emphasis on the first beat of a measure). And just as important was his message, "I'm black and I'm proud."
James Brown paved the way for rappers and in the 1970s things began to change. Inner city youth found creative expression in rapping. Other found it in a spray paint can, leaving their tags and other forms of graffiti on subway cars, billboards, bridges and buildings. Boom boxes made it possible for youthful street performers with a whole repertoire of moves to break dance to an audience of passersby, and deejays introduce the Jamaican dub, while in the Bronx DJ Kool ushers in the birth of hip-hop.
A proliferation of hip-hop performers were soon producing records and getting air time on the radio, not just changing music, but also influencing styles and clothing, and bringing a certain awareness to the world.
Weatherford is a master at crafting a story, and here she has presented a whole history in a mere 32 lines of poetry. I realized while reading this book just how she managed to accomplish that.
The beauty of hip hop is that each song tells a story. The story told in this book is about hip-hop's roots and beginnings using the form that makes hip-hop such a stand out musical genre. A hip hop song is generally 16 to 32 bars and every two lines should rhyme with each other. Unlike a bar in most musical forms, however, a rap bar is simply a sentence. In The Roots of Rap, Weatherford used a 32 bar rap, making this essentially a two verse "song." The first 16 bars are the roots of rap, while the second 16 bars are the beginning and rise of hip-hop and the performers who popularized it.
"A generation voicing stories, hope, and fears/found a hip-hop nation. Say holler if you hear.
From Atlanta to Zanzibar, youth spit freestyle freedom sounds/Hip-hop is a language that's spoken whole world 'round."
Since the words in a hip-hop song are also a form of poetry, if you are teaching kids different poetic forms you might want to include it and The Roots of Rap would be the ideal book to do that with.
Frank Morrison's bold, powerful illustrations sets a stage that unmistakably resembles kind of graffiti of the New York City rap culture of the 1970s when I was a kid and it was all around me. Each detailed two page spread compliments and enhances Weatherford's words, and together they bring their history of hip-hop to life.
The book begins with an introduction by rapper Swizz Beatz, and there is an Author's Note and Illustrator's Note, as well as a Glossary and a Hip-Hop Who's Who you won't want to miss.
The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop is a wonderful introduction to rap and hip-hop, and should be a welcome addition to any music curriculum. However, I personally feel it is more of a picture book for older readers rather than the recommended 4 to 8 year old range.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was sent to me by publisher, Little Bee Books
January 9, 2019
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is The Roots Of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Frank Morrison, a lush and beautiful ode to the art form.
It started with poetry, folktales, spirituals, and rhymes. Then came funk, providing the basslines and rhythm, then the Jamaican MCs and dub. Finally, it was all pulled together in the Bronx by DJ Kool Herc – and hip-hop was born. It spread across the country, then across the world, giving rise to street fashion, culture, dance, and – most critically – the music and verse. Now it is a worldwide nation of the faithful, those who feel the beat, hear the words, and are moved – ya heard?
Phenomenal. Using a flowing rhyme interspersed with onomatopoeic syncopated rhythms and drop-dead gorgeous urban-inspired art, this book takes both fans and newcomers through both the history and musical elements of hip-hop. Not only the music itself is explored; B-boy and B-girl dancing, street art, and other cultural elements both influential and influenced by the genre are showcased. Kid-unfriendly elements are skipped over (the East Coast/West Cost feud, the censorship wars, etc.), and the focus is primarily on East Coast and male rappers, though two spreads gloriously celebrate the original holy trinity of female rap: Salt n’ Peppa, TLC, and Queen Latifah. A wealth of backmatter and a foreword by Swizz Beatz are the cherry on top. The length was great, and JJ especially loved trying out the beats. Stylish, beautiful, informative, and fun – a must for music lovers of all ages. Baby Bookworm approved!
(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
January 10, 2019
The Roots of Rap, 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop is an incredible work of art with a value that far exceeds its humble price tag. Each page is a brilliant expression of the creativity and passion that is rap music and hip-hop culture. Paying tribute to poetry, street rhymes and phat beats; storytelling in its many artistic forms. From breakdancing and boom boxes, to deejays and block parties; brothers with funky-fresh rhymes and queens rocking the mic. This is an ode to hip-hop that is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in the picture book format.
The Roots of Rap opens with a note from rapper, DJ, and record producer, Swizz Beatz, encouraging readers to learn more about rap and its roots, starting with the pages of this book. Carole Boston Weatherford delivers. Her words grace this space with ease and finesse. Dropping bars so poetic that she could get down with the dopest MCs. Then there’s Frank Morrison who made this picture book feel like an art gallery had come to life in my hands! Each piece capturing the pulse of the heart of hip-hop, taking me on a trip down memory lane. Time traveling through history on turntables spinning records connecting old school with the new over bits of sampled beats, to the present day where I’m the adult now saying to my kids, “That ain’t new!”
I thoroughly enjoyed this book all the way through to its end where there are author and illustrator notes, a glossary of terms used throughout, and a Hip-Hop Who’s Who. I found it noted on Amazon that this book is for ages 4-8 but I would think that the interest level will go beyond that range. It would be well suited for any elementary, middle, and high school library.
The Roots of Rap opens with a note from rapper, DJ, and record producer, Swizz Beatz, encouraging readers to learn more about rap and its roots, starting with the pages of this book. Carole Boston Weatherford delivers. Her words grace this space with ease and finesse. Dropping bars so poetic that she could get down with the dopest MCs. Then there’s Frank Morrison who made this picture book feel like an art gallery had come to life in my hands! Each piece capturing the pulse of the heart of hip-hop, taking me on a trip down memory lane. Time traveling through history on turntables spinning records connecting old school with the new over bits of sampled beats, to the present day where I’m the adult now saying to my kids, “That ain’t new!”
I thoroughly enjoyed this book all the way through to its end where there are author and illustrator notes, a glossary of terms used throughout, and a Hip-Hop Who’s Who. I found it noted on Amazon that this book is for ages 4-8 but I would think that the interest level will go beyond that range. It would be well suited for any elementary, middle, and high school library.
April 10, 2019
Award-winning author Weatherford illuminates hip-hop’s complex history, rooted in the spoken word of folk tales, street rhymes and spirituals. Beginning with homage to Langston Hughes and James Brown, she jumps forward to when “rappers start to rule” and B-boys are busting new moves on New York street corners. DJ Kool appears, “dropping, scratching, beat juggling/matching wax on wheels of steel”. Hip-hop nation spreads, till today, “From Atlanta to Zanzibar, youth spit freestyle freedom sounds.” Morrison’s jaw-dropping art exuberantly celebrates graffiti, break dancing, rapping and DJing, and back matter fills in the slender book’s gaps.
August 7, 2020
I enjoyed the illustrations and the storyline for this picture book but what I thought was the best part was the personal stories from the author and illustrator followed by a dictionary & list of influential people in hip-hop.
October 24, 2019
very cute book on how hip-hop originated.
April 30, 2019
Good back matter with a glossary and a list of top artists. Love the bold art. The illustrator's note doesn't include how he created the artwork, but the jacket info shares he a graffiti artist and that does come through. Interestingly, before he illustrated books, Morrison was part of the dance entourage for one of the groups included in the book.
I felt the art was stronger than the text. For a picture book style, this covered time and included as many groups as possible but it meant doing so quickly and without much depth. Good intro. For flow with the art, I didn't like the line about Queen Latifah with her crown under a illustration of TLC and Queen Latifah then appearing on the next page with another line about her. Confusing for readers.
Glossary and a list of who's who are good additions.
I felt the art was stronger than the text. For a picture book style, this covered time and included as many groups as possible but it meant doing so quickly and without much depth. Good intro. For flow with the art, I didn't like the line about Queen Latifah with her crown under a illustration of TLC and Queen Latifah then appearing on the next page with another line about her. Confusing for readers.
Glossary and a list of who's who are good additions.
September 8, 2019
This picture book is phenomenal! Frank Morrison's illustrations are amazing, and the rhythmic text flows through the history of rap music. I especially appreciated all the back matter, including the author & illustrator notes in which their respect, love, and appreciation for the genre shone through. This book should be in all classrooms and school libraries. Perfect pairing with What Is Hip-Hop? & When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop.
January 18, 2019
Do yourself a favor and read aloud and let the flow come through! We need more books like this!! It's such a great way to introduce kids and more to the pure artistry of rap and breaks down some of the language at the end if you're unfamiliar. The only thing I would ask is that the professor and the illustrator made an introductory playlist and link it in the book. I knew all the artists and songs but having the compiled in a sweet playlist would be awesome and truly impactful for folks who haven't heard the music.
July 31, 2019
I wish I had any kind of skill/confidence to read this during a class visit or storytime. Regardless of whether I feel cool enough to read it (I don't - I am a big dorkus), I am definitely going to put it on basically all possible displays here on out. Frank Morrison's art is sublime as always; and Carole Boston-Weatherford crafted a incredibly informative, but also fun and (literally) lyrical text.
January 29, 2019
It'as not spectacularly well-written (not poorly written, either) but nicely illustrated. Primary to its importance is its subject matter, which is rarely if ever addressed in children's literature, particularly picture books.
March 12, 2019
I love love love the art (especially the page where the spray can is painted at the reader) but the material could’ve been better organized.
January 22, 2020
Creative and beautiful!
March 10, 2020
Interesting introduction to the roots of rap. There’s still a lot to learn but I found a lot in the book to create a better understanding. The illustrations are very good.
July 24, 2021
A lively, informative overview of the development of rap and hip-hop music with bold, vibrant illustrations by Frank Morrison.
May 17, 2022
Forty years plus into the music we all love, there are finally books on the shelves. Books for children. And I love it.
November 21, 2019
The art in this book is STUNNING! I opened this book and started rifling through the pages and there were pages that literally took my breath away. This book is a beautiful homage to the history and possibility of rap as well as the art and the icons. I think this book is especially powerful one on one with a kid, or when read with an adult (or older teen?) who has some additional love/insight into the genre, because it's such a wonderful book to build on.
I do really wish the authors had included MCs like MC Lyte who was among the women who really started to pave the way for women in the genre, but that is absolutely a subjective want, and the book was a delight.
I do really wish the authors had included MCs like MC Lyte who was among the women who really started to pave the way for women in the genre, but that is absolutely a subjective want, and the book was a delight.
February 14, 2020
I was excited about this book and assumed I would love it because of the subject matter, but I guess I'm a little disappointed.
For readers who don't already know much of this history (which I assume is going to be most children who encounter this book, including those who are fans of contemporary rap and hip hop) the text moves so quickly and resorts to so much listing and name-checking without context that they will likely need to go to some other sources if they want to actually make any sense out of it. (Like maybe the book should come with a link to a YouTube playlist or something? At least a bibliography or discography.) There are moments in which it gives off a vibe that you should just already know these things, and if you don't you should be a little embarrassed to raise your hand and ask, which in my opinion isn't a great vibe for a children's book.
On the other hand, for older readers and actual hip hop heads that do know, the illustrations will be perfect but I think the text reads kind of corny, while the back matter is extremely dry. Maybe I'm overthinking this or expecting too much, and the main point of this book is actually just for kids to flip through and look at the awesome pictures. And if they are interested in hip hop it works fine for that. It is just slightly frustrating when there are so many great stories that could be shared from the history of hip hop, but this book hardly gives readers a single hook into learning or exploring more about any of it.
Pair this with When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop(a great example of a specific engaging story from the early days of Hip Hop) or the Hip Hop Family Tree, Vol. 1: 1970s-1981 graphic novels (although I can't remember whether those are particularly kid-friendly) to give a peak into some of those stories. And if you want to hear the actual music, since the book doesn't reference any kind of playlist, these yearly History of Hip Hop mixes are one great resource. (http://brooklynradio.com/history-of-h...)
For readers who don't already know much of this history (which I assume is going to be most children who encounter this book, including those who are fans of contemporary rap and hip hop) the text moves so quickly and resorts to so much listing and name-checking without context that they will likely need to go to some other sources if they want to actually make any sense out of it. (Like maybe the book should come with a link to a YouTube playlist or something? At least a bibliography or discography.) There are moments in which it gives off a vibe that you should just already know these things, and if you don't you should be a little embarrassed to raise your hand and ask, which in my opinion isn't a great vibe for a children's book.
On the other hand, for older readers and actual hip hop heads that do know, the illustrations will be perfect but I think the text reads kind of corny, while the back matter is extremely dry. Maybe I'm overthinking this or expecting too much, and the main point of this book is actually just for kids to flip through and look at the awesome pictures. And if they are interested in hip hop it works fine for that. It is just slightly frustrating when there are so many great stories that could be shared from the history of hip hop, but this book hardly gives readers a single hook into learning or exploring more about any of it.
Pair this with When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop(a great example of a specific engaging story from the early days of Hip Hop) or the Hip Hop Family Tree, Vol. 1: 1970s-1981 graphic novels (although I can't remember whether those are particularly kid-friendly) to give a peak into some of those stories. And if you want to hear the actual music, since the book doesn't reference any kind of playlist, these yearly History of Hip Hop mixes are one great resource. (http://brooklynradio.com/history-of-h...)
January 9, 2019
"A boom box-toting homey blasts a hot track on the corner./Passerby four-deep surround a street performer."
Frank Morrison's "drips"coming off of the letters on the dust jacket of Carole Boston Weatherford's new book seem to indicate that both Coretta Scott King award winner and honoree are coming together to tag children's literature with some fresh and unique: a closer look at hip hop and rap that we don't often see in the picture book format.
Morrison's characterization are a kind of a "I Know That Artist" invitation for those growing up in the 70s and 80s and the early incarnations of rap. Brown, Latifa, Tupac, Grandmaster Flash, L.L., and Biggie look out from the dust jacket from around the fresh ink on a brick wall inviting the reader to come and take a look at the roots of rap.
Morrison's end papers depict the "steel wheels," the "one and the two" of deejaying. And from these end papers, the mixology of Morrison's vision and Carole Boston Weatherford's verse creates a nice introduction for a new generation who might not have had an opportunity (or invitation) to consider the origins of one of today's most popular musical genres.
A forward by Swizz Beats will have you. . .looking for albums by Swizz Beats (which I did well in advance of seeing this new picture book). The deejay/rapper celebrates the book as an introduction to the music and I agree with his assessment.
Well before WHEN THE BEAT was born, I fell in love with the picture book, QUEEN OF THE SCENE with Morrison's depiction of a young girl come larger than life in her own sense of self and Latifah's voice reading the text.
Every figure on the page comes at the reader with boomboxes, cardboard squares, spray paint cans and attitude to spare. Face-forward figures present with all of the swagger of the street to present the text to the reader as the reader sees how rap comes to be.
Carole Boston Weatherford, without the aid of a mixer and fader, provides a mentor text in the punctuation of verse with deft (or def) use of slashes and semi-colons and stops that inform a rhythm for the reading. Even in the succinct presentation of the history, the poet shows us how to incorporate listing elements into the text:
Sugarhill Gang, Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, Kurtis Blow,
Biggie, and the Fat Boys jamming on the radio.
Nas, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac, too.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five; "The Message" ringin' true.
One spread of the book presents two early rap trios that provide some necessary nostalgia within the book for older readers who might share with the younger. Salt-N-Pepa on one page, TLC on the other (Chile and T-Boz flanking a centered Lisa Left-Eye Lopes who presents in the baggy overalls and floppy hat like she has never really been away from us.
To have another book available to young readers means not only opening a door to the history but providing an opportunity to see and to hear the music they hear in the car on the way home from school. In their homes after school. Carole Boston Weatherford also provides a mentor text in how to take a nonfiction subject and distill it down into something that is both accessible and celebratory at the same time.
The book becomes a portal, a chance to go back into the stacks. To dust off the records or to swipe clean those CDs. This book will have forward-thinking and diversity-minded classroom teachers combing resale shops for old rap music (if it is not in the room already). I cannot wait to read this book aloud in the room "rapped up" in a musical framing of Grandmaster Flash and The Sugarhill Gang.
Frank Morrison's "drips"coming off of the letters on the dust jacket of Carole Boston Weatherford's new book seem to indicate that both Coretta Scott King award winner and honoree are coming together to tag children's literature with some fresh and unique: a closer look at hip hop and rap that we don't often see in the picture book format.
Morrison's characterization are a kind of a "I Know That Artist" invitation for those growing up in the 70s and 80s and the early incarnations of rap. Brown, Latifa, Tupac, Grandmaster Flash, L.L., and Biggie look out from the dust jacket from around the fresh ink on a brick wall inviting the reader to come and take a look at the roots of rap.
Morrison's end papers depict the "steel wheels," the "one and the two" of deejaying. And from these end papers, the mixology of Morrison's vision and Carole Boston Weatherford's verse creates a nice introduction for a new generation who might not have had an opportunity (or invitation) to consider the origins of one of today's most popular musical genres.
A forward by Swizz Beats will have you. . .looking for albums by Swizz Beats (which I did well in advance of seeing this new picture book). The deejay/rapper celebrates the book as an introduction to the music and I agree with his assessment.
Well before WHEN THE BEAT was born, I fell in love with the picture book, QUEEN OF THE SCENE with Morrison's depiction of a young girl come larger than life in her own sense of self and Latifah's voice reading the text.
Every figure on the page comes at the reader with boomboxes, cardboard squares, spray paint cans and attitude to spare. Face-forward figures present with all of the swagger of the street to present the text to the reader as the reader sees how rap comes to be.
Carole Boston Weatherford, without the aid of a mixer and fader, provides a mentor text in the punctuation of verse with deft (or def) use of slashes and semi-colons and stops that inform a rhythm for the reading. Even in the succinct presentation of the history, the poet shows us how to incorporate listing elements into the text:
Sugarhill Gang, Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, Kurtis Blow,
Biggie, and the Fat Boys jamming on the radio.
Nas, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac, too.
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five; "The Message" ringin' true.
One spread of the book presents two early rap trios that provide some necessary nostalgia within the book for older readers who might share with the younger. Salt-N-Pepa on one page, TLC on the other (Chile and T-Boz flanking a centered Lisa Left-Eye Lopes who presents in the baggy overalls and floppy hat like she has never really been away from us.
To have another book available to young readers means not only opening a door to the history but providing an opportunity to see and to hear the music they hear in the car on the way home from school. In their homes after school. Carole Boston Weatherford also provides a mentor text in how to take a nonfiction subject and distill it down into something that is both accessible and celebratory at the same time.
The book becomes a portal, a chance to go back into the stacks. To dust off the records or to swipe clean those CDs. This book will have forward-thinking and diversity-minded classroom teachers combing resale shops for old rap music (if it is not in the room already). I cannot wait to read this book aloud in the room "rapped up" in a musical framing of Grandmaster Flash and The Sugarhill Gang.
January 30, 2019
Stunning artwork! A very accessible text for kids. The glossary will be important for kids, too.
March 21, 2019
Interest Level: K-3; Reading Level: 4.6
Do you know the origins or rap and hip-hop? Rap started from folktales, spirituals, and James Brown. Then in the early seventies rap starts to rule with tagging on just about all surfaces in New York. Next comes boom boxes, dancing, and remixing. Then comes wordplays and rhyming from one of my favorites - the Sugarhill Gang! Not long after that the women start to rule the rap and rap starts to rule the world! Who is your favorite rapper or hip-hop song? You know you have one!
This is such a great book! The lyrical lines will have you rapping as you read and the illustrations and absolutely incredible! The drawings are so life-like and the colors are so vibrant. This book needs to be in every library around the world!
Follow me:
Blog - Blazer Tales - https://blazertales.com/
Facebook - Laurie’s Library Place - https://www.facebook.com/LauriesLibra...
Instagram - laurieslibrary - https://www.instagram.com/laurieslibr...
Twitter - @laurieevans27 https://twitter.com/laurieevans27?lan...
Goodreads - Laurie Purser - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/auburngirl2...
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCulD...…
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-ev...
Do you know the origins or rap and hip-hop? Rap started from folktales, spirituals, and James Brown. Then in the early seventies rap starts to rule with tagging on just about all surfaces in New York. Next comes boom boxes, dancing, and remixing. Then comes wordplays and rhyming from one of my favorites - the Sugarhill Gang! Not long after that the women start to rule the rap and rap starts to rule the world! Who is your favorite rapper or hip-hop song? You know you have one!
This is such a great book! The lyrical lines will have you rapping as you read and the illustrations and absolutely incredible! The drawings are so life-like and the colors are so vibrant. This book needs to be in every library around the world!
Follow me:
Blog - Blazer Tales - https://blazertales.com/
Facebook - Laurie’s Library Place - https://www.facebook.com/LauriesLibra...
Instagram - laurieslibrary - https://www.instagram.com/laurieslibr...
Twitter - @laurieevans27 https://twitter.com/laurieevans27?lan...
Goodreads - Laurie Purser - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/auburngirl2...
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCulD...…
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-ev...
October 17, 2019
White girl from Utah alert! 3.5 stars
My musical roots, are Irish folk songs, Welsh Hymns, English Ballads and Scottish love Songs.
This type of music is so not my comfort zone. So to educate my self, I played some songs
"The Revolution will not be Televised" by Gill Scot-Heron
"The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
"Plant Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa
"Let me clear my throat" by Dj Kool
And I have to say... Thanks for the education but now "I've got my paper and I'm free!"
Exposure to books, music and cultures outside of your own is important, enlightening and necessary!! Having said that, Rap is never going to be my jam, and It is something that I can appreciate but I do not love.
This book is a great 'window and mirror' for the right reader. Get this book in the hands of that reader. Nicely illustrated, well written. This isn't for my demographic, and kids in my area probably won't be drawn to this book.. so I say again " GET THIS BOOK INTO THE HANDS OF THE RIGHT READER!!!"
For me... when I think of rap and hip pop " It is SugarHill Gang "Rappers delight " is as far as I can go. Thanks
My musical roots, are Irish folk songs, Welsh Hymns, English Ballads and Scottish love Songs.
This type of music is so not my comfort zone. So to educate my self, I played some songs
"The Revolution will not be Televised" by Gill Scot-Heron
"The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
"Plant Rock" by Afrika Bambaataa
"Let me clear my throat" by Dj Kool
And I have to say... Thanks for the education but now "I've got my paper and I'm free!"
Exposure to books, music and cultures outside of your own is important, enlightening and necessary!! Having said that, Rap is never going to be my jam, and It is something that I can appreciate but I do not love.
This book is a great 'window and mirror' for the right reader. Get this book in the hands of that reader. Nicely illustrated, well written. This isn't for my demographic, and kids in my area probably won't be drawn to this book.. so I say again " GET THIS BOOK INTO THE HANDS OF THE RIGHT READER!!!"
For me... when I think of rap and hip pop " It is SugarHill Gang "Rappers delight " is as far as I can go. Thanks
February 19, 2019
I was disappointed. I was hoping to learn something about, oh, I don't know, the roots of rap. The author just flashed some names by (in hip-hop beat of course, which was cool) and didn't tell us anything about who they were or what they did to influence the music or the culture. I learned a lot more just in the author's and illustrator's notes at the end of the book.
I was also disappointed by the author's emphasis that graffiti played an important role in the development of rap and hip-hop. Did he give a justification? No, he did not. He admitted it was illegal in the hip-hop dictionary at the end of the book, but he seemed to encourage it as a good part of the hip-hop culture in the book. I guess some rap artists are involved pretty heavily in gang activity (think Tupac), but that doesn't automatically make it an important part of rap. So sad to portray it in such a positive light in a children's book.
I like the artwork. Yep, that's what I can say good about the book. I also like that the hip-hop culture is being introduced in books for children. It's a culture, for example, that I would love to learn more about. Didn't happen here.
I was also disappointed by the author's emphasis that graffiti played an important role in the development of rap and hip-hop. Did he give a justification? No, he did not. He admitted it was illegal in the hip-hop dictionary at the end of the book, but he seemed to encourage it as a good part of the hip-hop culture in the book. I guess some rap artists are involved pretty heavily in gang activity (think Tupac), but that doesn't automatically make it an important part of rap. So sad to portray it in such a positive light in a children's book.
I like the artwork. Yep, that's what I can say good about the book. I also like that the hip-hop culture is being introduced in books for children. It's a culture, for example, that I would love to learn more about. Didn't happen here.
February 8, 2019
This is a great introduction to the origins of rap and hip hop. I loved how Weatherford pays homage to the great poets of the past who are the forerunners of the rap. Of course you cant cover all the great artist who played a major role, but this book does a great job spotlighting a few of the greats.
I think it inspires to learn more about the culture. It also will bring back great memories for those , like myself who grew up when the art was emerging. As I read and looked at the pictures I found myself singing to myself thinking “That was the jam!”
The illustration are beautiful. They tell the story of how hiphop influenced fashion, art, and even other genres of music. Including TLC, who is considered an R & B group shows how hiphop transcending into a force that crossed genre lines. Can you tell I loved this book?🤣
It will be at the top of my readers advisory list for sure!!! Must read !!!
I think it inspires to learn more about the culture. It also will bring back great memories for those , like myself who grew up when the art was emerging. As I read and looked at the pictures I found myself singing to myself thinking “That was the jam!”
The illustration are beautiful. They tell the story of how hiphop influenced fashion, art, and even other genres of music. Including TLC, who is considered an R & B group shows how hiphop transcending into a force that crossed genre lines. Can you tell I loved this book?🤣
It will be at the top of my readers advisory list for sure!!! Must read !!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2019
As I read this book I pictured myself as the rapping granny in The Wedding Singer. Pretty sure I'll never be that cool.
https://media.giphy.com/media/xUOwFYT...
With large bold graffiti style illustrations and a poetic rhyme, this book condenses the history of rap from the poetry of Langston Hughes and the soul shouting of James Brown to street corner performances and Grammy winning albums. The book is simple enough for preschoolers but could be used with older students who want to delve deeper into the grassroots birth of rap that allowed African Americans to express their culture and experiences.
https://media.giphy.com/media/xUOwFYT...
With large bold graffiti style illustrations and a poetic rhyme, this book condenses the history of rap from the poetry of Langston Hughes and the soul shouting of James Brown to street corner performances and Grammy winning albums. The book is simple enough for preschoolers but could be used with older students who want to delve deeper into the grassroots birth of rap that allowed African Americans to express their culture and experiences.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews