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beverleefernandez's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love Prophets of the Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop. While I can't say that I dislike it, this book isn't quite a classic for me. It's weird to read a book on hip-hop that is presented in an academic framework, not because it's not worthy of discussion more so because it seems antithetical to what hip-hop represents. This work really digs deep into evaluating different aspects of hip-hop beginning with its origins and identity, and as an art form. The first four chapters were a challenge for me to get through because I honestly don’t think I was prepared to really think about what hip-hop is beyond being a fan. This is the music of my childhood that grew up and apart from me as I got older. Yet I still listen to the music of my youth, remembering not only songs but clothing, hair styles, and language. Perry is successful in tying hip-hop to American culture as it’s now popular for better or worse. 3 stars because I think it’s valuable and important, yet I’m not sure if the information presented is one that is easily accessible to all readers. There were quite a few misquotes with lyrics, something that can easily be verified by either the liner notes of the CD (published in 2004 when CDs were a thing) or online.
What made me think-
“To listen to hip hop is to enter a world of complexity and contradiction. In the midst of a consumer culture that glorifies violence and eschews intellectualism, hip hop has spewed American vices on the airwaves and aggressively introduced progressive politics, compelling artistic expression, emotion, and beauty into popular culture” (2).
“Hip hop nourishes by offering community membership that entails a body of cultural knowledge, yet it also nourishes by offering a counterhegemonic authority and subjectivity to the force of white supremacy in American culture in the form of the MC” (44).
“Hip hop embraces the outlaw. Outlaw status is conferred only metaphorically through lawbreaking, but on a deeper, more symbolic level, it is achieved through a position of resistance to the confines of status quo existence” (102).
“We support the status quo in order to succeed within it, despite our better judgment” (186).
Plan moving forward-continue reading books on hip hop to increase my understanding. It’s a good starting point.
What made me think-
“To listen to hip hop is to enter a world of complexity and contradiction. In the midst of a consumer culture that glorifies violence and eschews intellectualism, hip hop has spewed American vices on the airwaves and aggressively introduced progressive politics, compelling artistic expression, emotion, and beauty into popular culture” (2).
“Hip hop nourishes by offering community membership that entails a body of cultural knowledge, yet it also nourishes by offering a counterhegemonic authority and subjectivity to the force of white supremacy in American culture in the form of the MC” (44).
“Hip hop embraces the outlaw. Outlaw status is conferred only metaphorically through lawbreaking, but on a deeper, more symbolic level, it is achieved through a position of resistance to the confines of status quo existence” (102).
“We support the status quo in order to succeed within it, despite our better judgment” (186).
Plan moving forward-continue reading books on hip hop to increase my understanding. It’s a good starting point.
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