No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

I was blown away by this collection of thought and music combined.вЂќ -Tef Poe, rapper, musician, activist, and 2017вЂ“18 Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellow at Harvard UniversityДЇirst published 2018 by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the TaylorВ & Francis Group, an informa business В© 2018 TaylorВ & Francis The right of Michael Berry to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sectionsВ 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Cole and Killer Mike, Berry has modernized this conversation. He highlights the new classics alongside the true skool originals weвЂ™ve grown to respect. Michael Berry covers it all from top to bottom.

Listening to Rap is an important contribution to the critical study of rap music.вЂќ -Akil Houston, Associate Professor of Cultural and Media Studies, Ohio University вЂњThis book gives the reader an outstanding framework from which to maneuver the universe of rap. An eloquent guide to both classic and emerging voices, this indispensable volume is a welcome addition to any hip-hop loverвЂ™s library.вЂќ -Ellie Hisama, Professor of Music, Columbia University вЂњMichael Berry has provided an accessible way to study and understand rap with both the beginner and expert in mind.

Addressing important themes of commercialism, gender, race, intertextuality, geography and much more, Berry has synthesized the ideas from hip-hop studiesвЂ™ three-decade history into an accessible format that will appeal to both novice and hip-hop head.вЂќ -Justin Williams, Senior Lecturer, Music, University of Bristol вЂњListening to Rap digs deep into the music, unpacking rapвЂ™s rich sonic and lyrical material. вЂњThanks to Michael Berry, we now have a common, cross-disciplinary language with which to discuss hip hopвЂ™s finer details and wider meanings. Michael Berry is Lecturer in Music Theory at the University of Washington. For students of all backgrounds, Listening to Rap offers a clear and accessible introduction to this vital and influential music. Rooted in the understanding that cultural context, music, and lyrics combine to shape rapвЂ™s meaning, the text assumes no prior knowledge. AВ companion website showcases playlists of the music discussed in each chapter. The text features more than 60 detailed listening guides that analyze the musical eВ lements of songs by a wide array of artists, from Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash to Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and more. Synthesizing the approaches of scholars from a variety of Вdisciplines-Вincluding music, cultural studies, African-American studies, gender studies, Вliterary criticism, and philosophy-Listening to Rap tracks the evolution of rap and hip hop while illustrating its vast cultural significance. Each chapter explores a key topic in the study of rap music from the 1970s to today, covering themes such as race, gender, Вcommercialization, Вpolitics, and authenticity. Listening to Rap: An Introduction enables Вstudents to understand the historical context, cultural impact, and unique Вmusical Вcharacteristics of this essential genre. Over the past four decades, rap and hip hop have taken a central place in popular music both in the United States and around the world. Chapter 7 Listening to Gender and SexualityД¬hapter 9 Listening to Race and Ethnicity

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