Cue the awkward self-promotional shuffle. Last summer, in addition to politicking with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and the Gorton’s Fisherman, I was holed up in my lampless cavern working in secret(e) on eight essays for the recently released, Hip Hop: A Cultural Odyssey. My articles included pieces on Wu-Tang, 2Pac, Dre, Eminem, Kool Keith, Underground Hip-Hop (1997-2003), Hip Hop Moguls, and The White Rapper. Needless to say, I now know more about Milkbone than any sane person should.
I’ll spare the “it’s an honor spiel,” but it’s certainly a trip to see your by-line alongside the likes of Dave Tompkins, Chairman Mao, Oliver Wang, Christopher Weingarten, Dan Charnas, and essentially every hip-hop writer you grew up reading. Most importantly, my mom finally understands why I’m still irritated that she threw out every one of my old Sources. The book is leviathan — 16 lbs, 70-plus essays, massive color photos. It’s a coffee table book the size of a coffee table (word to Cosmo Kramer). If the price tag wasn’t $300, I’d urge you to buy it, but I imagine the target demo is more Rick Ross and the Bugatti Boyz than creative class blog readers. Press hype can be found here. At the very least, if you can find it at the three book stores still standing, it’s definitely worth flipping through/doing bicep curls with.
Download:
MP3: The Books-“The Story of Hip-Hop”
