Queer Voices In Hip Hop

Notions of hip hop authenticity, as expressed both within hip hop communities and in the larger American culture, rely on the construction of the rapper as a Black, masculine, heterosexual, cisgender man who enacts a narrative of struggle and success. In Queer Voices in Hip Hop, Lauron J. Kehrer turns our attention to openly queer and trans rappers and positions them within a longer Black queer musical lineage. Combining musical, textual, and visual analysis with reception history, this book reclaims queer involvement in hip hop by tracing the genre’s beginnings within Black and Latinx queer music-making practices and spaces, demonstrating that queer and trans rappers draw on Ballroom and other cultural expressions particular to queer and trans communities of color in their work in order to articulate their subject positions. By centering the performances of openly queer and trans artists of color, Queer Voices in Hip Hop reclaims their work as essential to the development and persistence of hip hop in the United States as it tells the story of hip hop’s queer roots.

From the trailblazing mind of Young Penny, the sensational hip-hop artist who defied norms with hits like 'White Boy Money', 'Fair Casket', and 'Love International', comes a sonic tapestry unlike any other. "Queer Beats: Stories from LGBTQ+ Artists in the Music Industry" is a riveting, no-holds-barred exploration, and a "melodiously penned odyssey through the rhythms of queer representation in the world of music" (East Bay Express). Young Penny, who shattered ceilings by claiming the title of NYC's first openly gay gangsta rapper, orchestrates an intimate concert of voices, giving readers front-row seats to the symphony of struggles, triumphs, beats, and ballads of the LGBTQ+ community in the music scene. As the maestro of this tale, Penny draws from his own journey, juxtaposing it against the broader crescendo of the queer music movement—each note resonating with tales of love, resilience, activism, and liberation. Punctuated with vibrant anecdotes and deep reflections, this tome unveils the untold narratives of artists who've danced on the fringes, serenaded from the shadows, and are now stepping into the limelight. It's not just a chronicle of queer music, but a manifesto of self-expression, challenging every reader to find their own rhythm in the cacophony of life. For fans of Young Penny, music aficionados, and anyone curious about the harmonies of the heart, this book is a ticket to the most evocative concert you'll ever attend. So, turn the pages, feel the pulse, and let the music of 'Queer Beats' transport you.

Filipino Americans are one of the three largest Asian American groups in the United States and the second largest immigrant population in the country. Yet within the field of Asian American Studies, Filipino American history and culture have received comparatively less attention than have other ethnic groups. Over the past twenty years, however, Filipino American scholars across various disciplines have published numerous books and research articles, as a way of addressing their unique concerns and experiences as an ethnic group. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Filipina/x/o American Studies, the first on the topic of Filipino American Studies, offers a comprehensive survey of an emerging field, focusing on the Filipino diaspora in the United States as well as highlighting issues facing immigrant groups in general. It covers a broad range of topics and disciplines including activism and education, arts and humanities, health, history and historical figures, immigration, psychology, regional trends, and sociology and social issues.

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. How Hip Hop Became Hit Pop examines the programming practices at commercial radio stations in the 1980s and early 1990s to uncover how the radio industry facilitated hip hop's introduction into the musical mainstream. Constructed primarily by the Top 40 radio format, the musical mainstream featured mostly white artists for mostly white audiences. With the introduction of hip hop to these programs, the radio industry was fundamentally altered, as stations struggled to incorporate the genre's diverse audience. At the same time, as artists negotiated expanding audiences and industry pressure to make songs fit within the confines of radio formats, the sound of hip hop changed. Drawing from archival research, Amy Coddington shows how the racial structuring of the radio industry influenced the way hip hop was sold to the American public, and how the genre's growing popularity transformed ideas about who constitutes the mainstream. The author gratefully acknowledges the AMS 75 PAYS Fund of the American Musicological Society, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Over the past four decades, rap and hip hop culture have taken a central place in popular music both in the United States and around the world. Listening to Rap: An Introduction enables students to understand the historical context, cultural impact, and unique musical characteristics of this essential genre. Each chapter explores a key topic in the study of rap music from the 1970s to today, covering themes such as race, gender, commercialization, politics, and authenticity. Synthesizing the approaches of scholars from a variety of disciplines—including music, cultural studies, African-American studies, gender studies, literary criticism, and philosophy—Listening to Rap tracks the evolution of rap and hip hop while illustrating its vast cultural significance. The text features more than 60 detailed listening guides that analyze the musical elements of songs by a wide array of artists, from Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash to Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and more. A companion website showcases playlists of the music discussed in each chapter. Rooted in the understanding that cultural context, music, and lyrics combine to shape rap’s meaning, the text assumes no prior knowledge. For students of all backgrounds, Listening to Rap offers a clear and accessible introduction to this vital and influential music.

Khalil Amani has put homophobia on blast! 50 Cent, Eminem, DMX, Ja Rule, Busta Rhymes, Elephant Man, Buju Banton, Tim Hardaway, TD Jakes, Creflo Dollar, Bishop Eddie Long the jig's up! Your homophobia has been officially dismantled! Do you even know why you're homophobic? Homophobia is rooted in our Judeo-Christian upbringing. It doesn't matter how gangsta you are! We have been religiously/culturally brainwashed to believe that homosexuality is a sin against God-the greatest story never told-in the church! Now it is time to unlearn the ignorance of ages gone by. These preachers are damnable liars-purveyors of religious ignorance! Hip-hop heads, gay and straight, peep game. The truth is here! Nas has declared, "Hip-hop is dead." Introducing some new voices into the game-meet HOMO-HOP world! No more speculation about gay rappers! Yes, there are many gay & lesbian rappers with great stories. Hip-hop used to be about giving voice to the voiceless or as lesbian rapper FELONi so aptly raps, "If hip-hop is here to represent the black collective, then what the f*#! is it about my black perspective?" It is time for homo-hop to get off the back seat of the mainstream hip-hop bus and jump in the driver's seat! "Homophobia, like racism, seems quite silly after reading this book!"

Centering the electric bass in popular music history

This book offers a series of essays that show the integrated role that musical structure (including harmony, melody, rhythm, meter, form, and musical association) plays in making sense of what transpires onstage in musicals. Written by a group of music analysts who care deeply about musical theater, this collection provides new understanding of how musicals are put together, how composers and lyricists structure words and music to complement one another, and how music helps us understand the human relationships and historical and social contexts. Using a wide range of musical examples, representing the history of musical theater from the 1920s to the present day, the book explores how music interacts with dramatic elements within individual shows and other pieces within and outside of the genre. These essays invite readers to consider issues that are fundamental both to our understanding of musical theater and to the multiple ways we engage with music.