The 10 Most Influential Hip Hop Artists

Oversized books written in the popular top-ten countdown format.

"From Run-D.M.C.'s iconic styles to Lauryn Hill's confident rhymes, these influential artists have shaped hip hop into what it is today. Discover how these artists have influenced every aspect of hip-hop culture" (publisher).

When Kendrick Lamar won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for his album "DAMN," critics announced that the award represented a belated acknowledgement of the cultural importance of hip-hop as a genre. The articles in this volume, ranging from music reviews to profiles, show the lives and careers of prominent hip-hop artists, including the controversies of Kanye West and the successes of Drake. The impact of these artists can be felt in the spheres of fashion, art, literature, and politics as well as in every sphere of music.

When Kendrick Lamar won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for his album "DAMN," critics announced that the award represented a belated acknowledgement of the cultural importance of hip-hop as a genre. The articles in this volume, ranging from music reviews to profiles, show the lives and careers of prominent hip-hop artists, including the controversies of Kanye West and the successes of Drake. The impact of these artists can be felt in the spheres of fashion, art, literature, and politics as well as in every sphere of music.

When Kendrick Lamar won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for his album "DAMN," critics announced that the award represented a belated acknowledgement of the cultural importance of hip-hop as a genre. The articles in this volume, ranging from music reviews to profiles, show the lives and careers of prominent hip-hop artists, including the controversies of Kanye West and the successes of Drake. The impact of these artists can be felt in the spheres of fashion, art, literature, and politics as well as in every sphere of music.

Whether along race, class or generational lines, hip-hop music has been a source of controversy since the beats got too big and the voices too loud for the block parties that spawned them. America has condemned and commended this music and the culture that inspires it. Dubbed ''the Hip-Hop Intellectual' by critics and fans for his pioneering explorations of rap music in the academy and beyond, Michael Eric Dyson is uniquely situated to probe the most compelling and controversial dimensions of hip-hop culture. Know What I Mean? addresses salient issues within hip hop: the creative expression of degraded youth that has garnered them global exposure; the vexed gender relations that have made rap music a lightning rod for pundits; the commercial explosion that has made an art form a victim of its success; the political elements that have been submerged in the most popular form of hip hop; and the intellectual engagement with some of hip hops most influential figures. In spite of changing trends, both in the music industry and among the intelligentsia, Dyson has always supported and interpreted this art that bloomed un watered, and in many cases, unwanted from our inner cities. For those who wondered what all the fuss is about in hip hop, Dysons bracing and brilliant book breaks it all down.

Unlike other motherhood books that focus on the experiences of a small group of affluent, married white women, Who's Your Mama? centers on the largely untold perspectives of the majority of American women, whose unique and sometimes unconventional family structures impact our country. Their contributions speak practically of their personal beliefs, intimate relationships, and socioeconomic realities. The book explores the intersection between motherhood and other facets of the contributors lives, including race, class, sexuality, politics, and personal tragedy. Personal stories include a feminist juggling the roles of activist and mother, a college graduate who applies for welfare so she can remain home with her child, a gay couples navigation of the adoption process, and a mothers celebration of her own vibrant sexuality. This collection of personal narratives will illuminate various female experiences of parenting and humanize a variety of social and economic issues that affect millions of American women and their families.