Yes Yes Y'all: The Experience Music Project Oral History Of Hip-hop's First Decade

by Jim Fricke, Charlie Ahearn, Nelson George (Introduction)

The first and only account of hip-hop's birth, told in the never-before-published words of its founders and stars, highlighted by hundreds of vintage photos and flyers.

Hip-hop today is ubiquitous, not only ruling the music industry but also influencing popular culture worldwide. Like rock and roll before it, it has permanently transformed music, art, dance, and fashion while capturing millions of listeners. The true story of hip-hop's birth -- a cultural innovation that rose from the creativity and vision of street kids surviving in the bombed-out Bronx of the 1970s -- has never been told. Until now.

Yes Yes Y'all tells its stories in voices that bristle with vitality, humor, authenticity, and menace. Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn weave an electric narrative from never-before-heard primary source accounts of over fifty of hip-hop's stars and trail-blazers, including Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Kool Herc, Melle Mel, Busy Bee, Grand Wizard Theodore, Grandmaster Caz, Rahiem, Fab 5 Freddy, Tony Tone, and DMC.

An extraordinary chorous of voice and visions, Yes Yes Y'all is the most authoritative documentation of the genesis of b-boys, graffiti, rap, and all aspects of hip-hop culture -- the ultimate history of an urban American revolution.

Jim Fricke is Senior Curator at the Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle. He was curator of the Hip-Hop Nation exhibit.

Charlie Ahearn is a filmmaker whose 1982 landmark film Wild Style has become a hip-hop classic. He lives in New York City.

Genres: Music, Hip Hop, Nonfiction, History, Art

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 2002

Reviews

[John Gentry]

Have you seen a hip hop documentary? If you have chances are you've heard nearly all of this information. At least that's how I felt while reading through the book. While filled with tons of first person anecdotes, great stories, and oral history I became hella bored after a while and found myself skipping forward quite a bit. Why is it always the "beginning" of hip hop that is covered? It's always the same 5 or 6 guys talking about each other, pontificating about who started what and where.

So I guess I came into this with a chip on my shoulder. I wanted/expected more and instead saw the same information only in text form rather than film.

So here's my final recommendation: Have you seen a hip hop documentary? If you said yes skip the book unless you are a HUGE hip hop head. But that's just me.

[Reggie]

This is the straight dope about the early days of hip-hop from the people that were there. Reminiscent of jazz oral histories, though with considerably more street crime.

[Brad]

Among oral histories, this one is pretty bare bones. The people they managed to interview are far more interesting than the content. There's not much story.

[Sheehan]

On the whole enjoyable history of the first ten years of hip-hop. Hearing directly from all of the principals was great, it is easy to forget how young everyone was when this was popping off in the 70's. The focus on the soundsystem culture as the foundation and it's ultimate demise at the hands of it's own success in records and disco clubs in Manhattan was very interesting.

I think Piskor's Hip Hop Family Tree graphic novels are actually a more accessible and fun way to read these same histories, but the written word gives more depth and breadth than you can squeeze in a graphic novel format.

Last thing, I would have bumped it up to four stars, except for the really distracting formatting of the book. It has too many pages with hella small typography and too similar coloration of the prose and background page color; it makes for frustrating reading in less than perfect daylight. The pictures are wonderful, the captioning is illegible. The publisher f'd this up for everyone; authors get a pass.

[Kate]

So I'm getting going and adding a few books that I've read recently--in an effort to make them not all children's books I'll start with this one. This is a truly fascinating and well put together book and I wouldn't say it is for hiphop fans only (although if you are a fan, run don't walk to your local independent bookseller and buy a copy). This is told firsthand by the dj's, dancers, mc's, graffiti artists and other's who lived through the beginning, giving some great insight to the bronx in the late 70's and chock full of awesome photos and my favorite part--original show flyers.

[Anton]

Puts you right there in the early to late seventies and into the eighties as the burgeoning hip hop movement gets it's feet off the ground. From underground movement to commercial superstars, this book is utterly fascinating. There are so many parallels between underground and counter-cultural movements that sprung up around this time period. This is a great read for anyone who loves music, the city, and youth movements; all with a slight undertone of seediness.

[robert]

I read this for a book club. Nobody else could make it all the way through. Perhaps my tolerance is higher than most because I love burgeoning revolutions, and this was certainly one. Plus, great early visual artifacts.

[Jay]

A tie with "Please Kill Me" as one of the most important books written about 20th century music. Completely engaging, relevant, and well written, in the same oral tradition of "Please Kill Me". If you don't read this book and love it, you're a fucking moron.

[Renato]

Meh...good coffee table book.

[Maureen]

fun. makes you wish you were around at the time. and if you were, it makes you wish you had had better taste

[Brannon]

yes...yes.

[Philly D]

this book is so bad ass. awesome vintage pics and great oral history from the cats who were there.

[Chloe]

interesting read. Developed off of filmed interviews and it definitely showed, sort of like reading a transcript of a documentary, not that that's bad thing.

[Gabe]

A coffee-table book that is well worth the full read, a fascinating first-hand journey through hip-hop's birth.

[Jason]

Easily one of the most important history books available about hip hop culture.

[Cynthia]

Well researched. A great resource tool. Amazing pictures. Many, many readers will find this material interesting and useful.

[captain america]

always a fan of oral history. i'd give this book higher marks if i actually liked hip hop.

[Michael]

Second time I've read through this and delighted all over again by the liveliness of these first-person accounts of hip-hop's birth in the 1970s. So many exciting stories here.

[sun]

For any Hip Hop Heads out there this is a must read... Get your HIP HOP HISTORY!!!