Synopses & Reviews
Over the last quarter-century hip-hop has grown from an esoteric form of African-American expression to become the dominant form of American popular culture. Today, Snoop Dogg shills for Chrysler and white kids wear Fubu, the black-owned label whose name stands for "For Us, By Us." This is not the first time that black music has been appreciated, adopted, and adapted by white audiences think jazz, blues, and rock but Jason Tanz, a white boy who grew up in the suburban Northwest, says that hip-hop's journey through white America provides a unique window to examine the racial dissonance that has become a fact of our national life. In such culture-sharing Tanz sees white Americans struggling with their identity, and wrestling (often unsuccessfully) with the legacy of race.
To support his anecdotally driven history of hip-hop's cross-over to white America, Tanz conducts dozens of interviews with fans, artists, producers, and promoters, including some of hip-hop's most legendary figures such as Public Enemy's Chuck D; white rapper MC Serch; and former Yo! MTV Raps host Fab 5 Freddy. He travels across the country, visiting "nerdcore" rappers in Seattle, who rhyme about Star Wars conventions; a group of would-be gangstas in a suburb so insulated it's called "the bubble"; a break-dancing class at the upper-crusty New Canaan Tap Academy; and many more. Drawing on the author's personal experience as a white fan as well as his in-depth knowledge of hip-hop's history, Other People's Property provides a hard-edged, thought-provoking, and humorous snapshot of the particularly American intersection of race, commerce, culture, and identity.
Review
"Readers looking for an inclusive study of the ways white fans have incorporated the art form into their lives will be disappointed and unenlightened. Honest and self-effacing, but too thin to make a lasting impression." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Tanz makes what sense can be made of such aspirations and affords an ironic, insightful look at how rap and hip-hop have permeated the media landscape even while large segments of society maintain a baffled disconnection from the music." Booklist
Review
"Personal without being self-indulgent and well-researched but never stiff, Other People's Property is a thoughtful, clear-eyed look at a hot-button topic it's a real contribution to the study of hip-hop." Alan Light, former editor in chief, Vibe magazine, and author of Vibe: History of Hip Hop and The Skills to Pay the Bills: The Story of the Beastie Boys
Synopsis
A history of hip-hop music in America draws on dozens of interviews with fans, artists, promoters, and producers to trace the evolution of the music from an esoteric form of African-American expression to a dominant force in American popular culture, offering a thought-provoking look at race and identity in contemporary society. 30,000 first printing.
About the Author
Jason Tanz is a senior editor at Fortune Small Business. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Fortune, Spin, and Time Out New York, among other publications. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.