The History of Miami Hip Hop: The Story of DJ Khaled, Pitbull, DJ Craze, and Other Contributors to South Florida's Scene

by John Cordero

"In the late 90s, the music scene in Miami was at the infancy of becoming the multi-million dollar cultural and artistic force that it is today. Musicians like Pitbull, DJ Khaled, and countless others staked Miami's claim as the newest Mecca for Hip Hop heads and graffiti artists. During this time, The Cipher was created. An independent newspaper that followed the scene and included reviews, interviews, essays, photos, and more, The Cipher was the choice source for discovering Miami's underground. The History of Miami Hip Hop chronicles the ups and downs of this legendary rag during its short tenure. Author John Cordero presents both a memoir of his time as one of the newspaper's creators, and an anthology of some of The Cipher's greatest hits. Both a love letter to The Cipher as well as 1990s Miami, this narrative is an essential chapter in the history of Hip Hop's third coast"--

160 pages, Paperback

Published February 14, 2023

Reviews

[Kat Bein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like John's conversational approach and I related to the journalism journey, but it did feel fast and I'd love a deeper dive into the time and artists.

[Petty Lisbon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay but it was more about his magazine than the genre. I wish he just focused on the magazine part because that was very interesting to me, especially for being independent and trying to navigate everything before and during the Internet. When he would say "I had to politic to get into XYZ party" I wish he would actually get into what he had to do. I liked when he talked about his interest in rave music as well.

[Nuno Acosta · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of a part of Miami hip hop history. From 1995 to 1999.