Collection Development "Hip-Hop": The Rap on Hip Hop

From its humble origins some 30 years ago in New York's bombed-out, poverty-ravaged South Bronx, hip-hop has risen to become a dominant cultural force both here and abroad. Strictly defined, the term refers to the entire cultural constellation that accompanies rap music, which in 2001 surpassed country music as the most popular musical genre in the United States. Originally, hip-hop consisted of break dancing, a freestyle dance largely performed on cardboard flats laid out on the street; graffiti, now an influential element of style in fashion, television commercials, and the visual arts; and rap, hip-hop's unquestionable core, widely conceded to be the invention of DJ Kool Herc.

These days, rap music can be made by anyone with home studio software and a computer, but in its purest form, it springs from a mic controller (MC), who rhymes verses over a beat most often supplied by a DJ, who manipulates records on turntables. Rap falls into six primary categories: 'gangsta,' which focuses on murder, money, and mayhem; apolitical pop, which features a danceable beat and easygoing lyrics; political, whose calling card is socially analytical lyrics; positive, which encourages listeners to become more aware of social and personal ills and to take steps to change them; experimental, which continually modifies its style; and, finally, feminist, which challenges the implicit definition of rap as music created by and for males.

Establishing and maintaining a hip-hop collection that pleases patrons and credibly covers a rapidly evolving field is tricky. Because of hip-hop's mass appeal, public libraries definitely need guidance. On the other hand, scholars are doing the best writing and thinking in the genre, so academic libraries should not be disregarded. This article will attempt to straddle both the popular and the learned ends of hip-hop's vast print and audiovisual oeuvre, with a keen awareness of ever-tightening library budgets.

Tune in to BET or MTV, and you'll see a barrage of rap videos pushing 'star' MCs who were local sensations barely months ago. A good rule of thumb is to avoid buying recordings by these flashes in the pan unless you receive heavy patron demand. You'll get more bang for your buck with classic recordings that have been roundly embraced by fans and critics over the years. My recommendations (see below), then, don't include 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin', a multiplatinum monster from 2003. Rather, you'll find only the tried and true, with the balance tipped toward younger artists. Local performers are not covered here, but leave a little room for them in your collections.

To separate the wheat from the whack, librarians can consult sterling references like All Music Guide to Hip-Hop and Rough Guide to Hip-Hop, as well as the timely and competent reviews in Rolling Stone. Admittedly, hip-hop magazines like Vibe, The Source, and XXL will better help you stay ahead of the curve—and are more likely to be read by younger patrons—but these hot-sheets aggressively market overpriced 'urban' gear to kids who can't afford it. When it comes to web resources, allmusic.com blows away the competition, with free, dead-on reviews of more than 200,000 albums, plus links to Billboard chart rankings.

Regarding print: university presses publish the most durable material. However, dense, polysyllabic discussions do not appeal to hip-hop fans. Although there is hope on the horizon à la hip-hop imprints like the newly minted Freestyle (which publishes both fiction and nonfiction within Riverhead Books), commercial houses mainly stick to slapdash autobiographies and biographies—e.g., DMX's E.A.R.L. and 50 Cent's forthcoming From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside, Queens. While these will certainly circulate, they will hardly stand the test of time. What's a librarian to do? The rule about purchasing CDs also rings true for pop books: hold off unless there's an outcry.

Among the commentators in this area, Nelson George, a National Book Critics Circle Award nominee for Hip Hop America; Michael Eric Dyson, a humanities professor famous for canonizing slain gangsta rapper 2Pac (a.k.a. Tupac Shakur); and noted but lesser-known writers like Touré, Selwyn Sefu Hinds, and Danyel Smith have a firm handle on hip-hop and its leading lights.

Rap, of course, has a reputation for being violent, misogynistic, and hypermaterialistic. In many cases, these elements are indeed gratuitous; in others, they are an exaggeration for humor's sake, and sometimes they are a genuine reflection of a particular subculture and generation. A best-selling rap CD may treat violence in all three ways, which makes the purchasing decision even more difficult. A librarian must balance a community's attitudes with demand. Your patrons, for instance, may not tolerate inflammatory Eminem's entire catalog, but maybe you can justify his now classic debut, The Slim Shady LP.

Rap materials have a tendency to disappear. Replace the stolen/lost item—especially a key title—with the same item. If your second copy is 'liberated,' please buy a third and limit it to in-house use. Stay the course! Weeding is mostly a nonissue, given hip-hop's relative youth. Starred items [*] are essential for core collections

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST. The Low-End Theory. Jive. 1991. $17.98.
One of the most seamless jazz-infused rap records of all time, this built on and deepened the De la Soul (see below) aesthetic.

*BEASTIE BOYS. License To Ill. Def Jam. 1986. $9.98.
With their debut, the white trio became the first hip-hop group to score a No. 1 record. 'Fight for Your Right' exemplifies their groundbreaking mix of rap, rock, punk, and metal.

*CYPRESS HILL. Cypress Hill. Sony. 1991. $11.98.
Though not the first Latino rap group, Cypress Hill was the first to score a commercial breakthrough. Their debut set forth a much-copied sound of 'stoned' beats with both Spanish and English lyrics.

*DE LA SOUL. 3 Feet High and Rising. Tommy Boy. 1989. $18.98.
Soul pioneered a kinder, gentler, jazz-inflected sound with their first outing—and managed to be heard above cynical contemporaries like N.W.A.

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND. Sex Packets. Tommy Boy. 1990. $13.98.
More than a mere novelty album, this is a masterful, kooky expansion of George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars' canon.

*DR. DRE. The Chronic. Death Row. 1992. $17.98.
Dre's first solo joint (he was a member of N.W.A.) introduced the world to his trademark 'G-funk' production—that is, slowed George Clinton samples backing gangsta lyrics—as well as the incomparably smooth Snoop Doggy Dogg.

*ELLIOTT, MISSY. Supa Dupa Fly. Elektra. 1997. $9.98.
Rapper/songwriter/producer Elliott holds the distinction of being the most successful female rap artist ever. In her debut, she and beat-master Timbaland unveiled the first of several revolutionary soundscapes.

*EMINEM. The Slim Shady LP. Interscope. 1999. $13.98.
The white Dre protégé's lacerating lyrics and delivery outraged activist groups and mesmerized legions of music fans. Order with caution.

THE FUGEES. The Score. Ruffhouse. 1996. $11.98.
A sophisticated cocktail of rap, pop, and soul, shot through with social consciousness; the launching pad for the now solo producer-rappers Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean.

*GRANDMASTER FLASH, MELLE MEL, AND THE FURIOUS FIVE. Message from Beat Street: The Best of Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, and the Furious Five. Rhino. 1994. $11.98.
The crème de la crème from a crucial old-school outfit, with 'The Message' and 'White Lines.'

ICE-T. O.G.: Original Gangster. Warner. 1991. $9.98.
A benchmark of gangsta rap, powered by hard, fast beats. This may be the clearest window into the ghetto of South Central Los Angeles.

*JAY-Z. The Blueprint. Def Jam. 2001. $13.98.
Even though he 'retired' in late 2003, Brooklyn-born Jay-Z still rules the airwaves—not to mention the catwalks with his fashion label, Roca Wear. This hit-laden juggernaut cemented his name in the rap annals.

LL COOL J. Mama Said Knock You Out. Def Jam. 1990. $13.98.
This wasn't a comeback so much as a return to the spare, jabbing style that first made LL famous in the mid-1980s. The self-titled track and 'Around the Way Girl' made him a rap superstar—and paved the way for a successful second career as an actor.

*NAS. Illmatic. 10th-anniversary platinum ed. Sony. 2004. $18.98.
Nas may be more famous for his feud with fellow New Yorker Jay-Z, which is unfortunate because the Queens native possesses a singular storytelling gift, showcased to searing effect on his debut.

*THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. Ready To Die. Bad Boy. 1994. $13.98.
With his marbles-in-cheek voice, the Notorious B.I.G. reigned over the mid-1990s New York City rap scene until his muder in 1997; Jay-Z and Nas vied for the throne thereafter.

*N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton. remastered w/additional tracks.Priority Records. 2002. $13.98.
This one may require considerable soul-searching before purchase. Although indisputably seminal, with nearly flawless production, instrumental backing, lyrics, and delivery, Compton is chock-full of questionable language and exaggerated violence.

OUTKAST. Stankonia. Arista. 2000. $18.98.
On the strength of two mind-blowing singles, 'Ms. Jackson' and 'B.O.B.,' Andre 3000 and Big Boi broke into the mainstream without sacrificing their inimitable Dirty South style and sense of humor.

*PUBLIC ENEMY. It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back. Def Jam. 1988. $9.98.
In their masterwork, lyricist Chuck D. and vocal foil Flavor Flav, considered to be 'the most influential and important group in the history of hip-hop,' blow the roof off the house with politically charged anthems like 'Don't Believe the Hype.'

QUEEN LATIFAH. She's a Queen: A Collection of Hits. Universal. 2002. $13.98.
Before she was an Academy Award^®–nominated actress, Latifah was a respected rapper with a feminist bent.

*RUN-D.M.C. Together Forever: Greatest Hits, 1983–1991. Arista. 1991. $13.98.
The original hardcore rap group, Run-D.M.C. was the first hip-hop act to issue full-fledged rap albums—and to experiment with metal samples à la the now-legendary Aerosmith collaboration 'Walk This Way.'

SNOOP DOGGY DOGG. Doggystyle. Death Row. 1993. $17.98.
Dr. Dre produced Snoop's solo debut, and it sounds like a sequel to his Chronic. The main difference: more Snoop and more unexpected turns of phrase.

*3RD BASS. The Cactus Album. Def Jam. 1989. $11.98.
Along with the Beastie Boys, 3rd Bass represented the first generation of white kids to adopt rap music without selling it out.

*2PAC. All Eyez on Me. Death Row. 1996. $25.98.
The thug rapper's definitive manifesto marked hip-hop's first double album of original material.

THE WU-TANG CLAN. Enter the Wu-Tang. RCA. 1993. $18.98.
Eastern mysticism meets gangsta rap in this manifesto by the nine-member Staten Island collective, notable for fostering producer RZA.

*All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap & Hip-Hop. Backbeat. 2003. 640p. illus. index. ISBN 0-87930-759-5. pap. $24.95.
This definitive reference profiles more than 1200 artists—ranging from pioneers to contemporary hitmakers—and assesses more than 3100 recordings. Illuminating 'Music Maps' chart the evolution of hip-hop and its styles and biggest performers, essential collections by various artists, and critics' choices for the best place to start exploring each artist.

SHAPIRO, PETER. The Rough Guide to Hip-Hop. Rough Guides, dist. by Penguin. 2001. 400p. illus. ISBN 1-85828-637-9. pap. $11.95.
This pocket-sized encyclopedia includes 150-plus entries, predominantly biographical. Black-and-white portraits are generous and well selected, and the choice of entries is comprehensive and commendable. [In December, Rough Guides will publish a full-sized second edition: ISBN 1-85828-263-9. $24.99.—Ed.]

DES PRÉS, JOSQUIN. Hip-Hop Bass: 101 Grooves, Riffs, Loops, & Beats. (Bass Builders). 2001. 32p. ISBN 0-634-02296-2. $14.95 with CD.
Hip-Hop Hits: Rap, Rhyme, & Flow Along with 8 Chart-Topping Tracks. (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook). 2003. 16p. ISBN 0-634-06476-2. $12.95 with CD.
SCHROEDL, SCOTT. Hip-Hop & Rap Drum Beats & Loops. (Sound Library). 2001. 32p. ISBN 0-634-01815-9. $24.95 with CD. ea. vol: Hal Leonard.
Great for amateur recording musicians, this trio include all the building blocks necessary for composing and recording a complete drum part in a variety of styles. Featured are 101 basic beats and 101 hip-hop bass lines, plus hundreds of variations, such as intros, fills, accents, endings, and a complete set of 'one-shots' on CD-ROM. Files are in standard .wav format for use with any looping program, including Sonic Foundry's ACID and Fruity Loops.

And It Don't Stop: The Best American Hip-Hop Journalism of the Last Twenty-Five Years. Faber & Faber. Sept. 2004. 368p. ed. by Raquel Cepeda. index. ISBN 0-571-21159-3. pap. $15.
This anthology is the first of its kind and a who's who of scribes to watch. (Forthcoming, LJ 8/04)

Droppin' Science: Critical Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture. Temple Univ. 1996. 288p. ed. by William Eric Perkins. illus. bibliog. ISBN 1-56639-362-0. pap. $24.95.
Intelligent, sophisticated, and provocative, this 11-essay collection analyzes aspects of hip-hop that are usually neglected in books of this kind. Notable are the cogent studies of Latino contributions to both rap and hip-hop culture. For large public and academic collections. (LJ 5/15/96)

*FRICKE, JIM & CHARLIE AHEARN. Yes Yes Y'all: The Experience Music Project Oral History of Hip-Hop's First Decade. Da Capo. 2002. 368p. photogs. discog. index. ISBN 0-306-81184-7. $35; pap. ISBN 0-306-81224-X. $25.
Fricke, senior curator of the Experience Music Project in Seattle, and Ahearn, creator of Wild Style (see under 'DVDs/ Videos'), combine recombinant interviews with more than 50 hip-hop patriarchs with hundreds of well-selected photos and promotional posters. The result is a sumptuous, substantive representation of both the spirit and the social matrix of early rap. (LJ 1/03)

*GEORGE, NELSON. Hip Hop America. Penguin. 1999. 240p. ISBN 0-14-028022-7. pap. $13.95.
If there's anyone qualified to write a solid and entertaining tome on the culture, politics, and business of hip-hop, it's George, who started covering rap in the early 1970s. He not only chronicles the scene's nascent years but also the story of rap as an art form and a cultural and economic force through today. (LJ 9/15/98)

Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA. Wesleyan Univ., dist. by Univ. Pr. of New England. 2002. ed. by Tony Mitchell. illus. ISBN 0-8195-6501-6. $60; pap. ISBN 0-8195-6502-4. $22.95.
This outstanding compilation surveys global hip-hop music and culture, from Islamic strains in the UK and France to the Basque interpretation of Negu Gorriak. An eye-opener for those who assume rap is an Anglo-American phenomenon; artists, activists, and academics will look to this benchmark collection for a long time. (LJ 1/02)

ROSE, TRICIA. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. Wesleyan Univ., dist. by Univ. Pr. of New England. 1994. 257p. illus. ISBN 0-8195-6275-0. pap. $14.95.
Although a decade of stylistic and technological evolution has transpired since 1994, this book remains undeniably influential. Drawing upon her own experience as a black American, Rose cogently relates the complex interrelationships among culture, history, politics, and economics in black America. Essential for all academic and most large public collections. (LJ 5/1/94)

EMINEM. Eminem: Angry Blonde. ReganBks: HarperCollins. 2000. 160p. illus. ISBN 0-06-620922-6. $26; pap. ISBN 0-06-093451-4. $14.95.
White Noise: The Eminem Collection. Thunder's Mouth: Avalon, dist. by Publishers Group West. 2003. 272p. ed. by Hilton Als & Darryl A. Turner. ISBN 1-56025-534-X. pap. $13.95. (LJ 12/03)
A successful addition to public and school libraries, Eminem consists of portraits, performance shots, and lyrics to dozens of the MC's songs—all proceeded by a paragraph of commentary. Meanwhile, Noise collects 23 substantial and engaging essays by the likes of Jon Parales, Richard Goldstein, and Robert Christgau; a balanced study for larger public libraries.

Tupac: Resurrection. S. & S. 2003. 256p. ed. by Jacob Hoye & Karolyn Ali. illus. ISBN 0-7434-7434-1. $29.95.
WHITE, ARMOND. Rebel for the Hell of It: The Life of Tupac Shakur. Thunder's Mouth: Avalon, dist. by Publishers Group West. 2003. 224p. photogs. ISBN 1-56025-461-0. pap. $14.95. (LJ 2/15/98)
A chronological scrapbook, Tupac captures the rapper as an infant, a struggling adolescent, an aspiring adult, and as the fiscal-and-musical giant he became. While the candid shots add humanity to the armored persona, the most moving depict the first drafts of his groundbreaking hits. Rebel is a coherent, cohesive, and easily accessible biography, punctuated by quotes from Shakur and his close business and musical associates.

*Hip Hop Immortals. Vol. 1: The Remix. Thunder's Mouth: Avalon, dist. by Publishers Group West. 2003. 272p. ed. by Nicole Beattie. photogs. ISBN 1-56025-518-8. pap. $39.95.
Hundreds of astonishing color and black-and-white photos capture the style of hip-hop greats from Eminem to 3rd Bass. [Coming this September is Hip-Hop Files: Photographs 1979–1984, published by From Here to Fame and distributed by powerHouse Books.—Ed.] (LJ 1/04)

*Scratch. color. 255 min. Doug Pray, Palm Pictures, www.palmpictures.com. 2002. VHS $18.98; 2 DVDs $26.95.
Arguably the definitive work on the world of the professional hip-hop DJ, this documentary ranges from the birth of rap, when pioneers began 'scratching' vinyl on primitive equipment, through the current introduction of sophisticated digital sampling techniques; features interviews with, and performances and lessons by, Qbert and Mix Master Mike (of the Beastie Boys). With the DVD version, viewers can toggle among four different camera angles, which comes in handy during the instructional sequences. (LJ 2/1/03)

*Style Wars. color & b/w. 4 hrs. Tony Silver, Plexifilm, 580 Broadway, Suite 1004, New York, NY 10012; 212-965-9220. 2003. DVD $27.95.
In early 1980s New York City, a battle raged between graffiti artists, who were 'bombing' the hell out of subway cars, and then mayor Ed Koch. This award-winning PBS documentary captures the artistic spirit and wrath of the respective parties.

*Wild Style. color. 82 min. Charlie Ahearn, Rhino Records, www.rhino.com. 1983. VHS $14.95; DVD $19.95.
This feature film plays like a documentary thanks to its all-star cast of old-school DJs, rappers, break dancers, and graffiti artists. The acting stinks, but it's about the performances.

The Original Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive www.ohhla.com
An astoundingly complete collection of lyrics, all solicited, credited, and scanned for accuracy.

Rap Search www.rapsearch.com
An impressive rap portal with well-organized, intelligently annotated, and regularly updated information. The 20 categories include 'Lyrics,' 'Rap Dictionary,' and 'Bands/Groups.'

Rap Sheet www.rapsheet.com
The web site companion of the only national rap music publication (with 100 percent black ownership), this covers the scene in a streetwise, intelligent manner.