Synopses & Reviews
At the age of nineteen, Nasir Nas” Jones began recording tracks for his debut albumand changed the music world forever. Released in 1994,
Illmatic was hailed as an instant masterpiece and has proven one of the most influential albums in hip-hop history. With its close attention to beats and lyricism, and riveting first-person explorations of the isolation and desolation of urban poverty,
Illmatic was pivotal in the evolution of the genre.
In Born to Use Mics, Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai have brought together renowned writers and critics including Mark Anthony Neal, Marc Lamont Hill, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., and many others to confront Illmatic song by song, with each scholar assessing an individual track from the album. The result is a brilliant engagement with and commentary upon one of the most incisive sets of songs ever laid down on wax.
Review
Booklist “A vital book for readers eager to understand the history of the genre.”
Synopsis
From the moment then nineteen-year-old Nasir “Nas” Jones began recording tracks for his debut album the hip-hop world was forever changed. Released in 1994, Illmatic, was hailed as a masterpiece and is one of the most influentialalbums in hip-hop history. In Born to Use Mics, Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai have brought together the brightest minds to reflect upon and engage one of the most incisive sets of songs ever laid down on wax. Contributors include: Adilifu Nama * Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. * James Peterson * Marc Lamont Hill * Michael Eric Dyson * Mark Anthony Neal * Kyra Gaunt * Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. * Imani Perry * and more
Synopsis
The best and brightest writers of the hip-hop generation reflect upon the eras landmark album: Nass Illmatic
Synopsis
At the age of nineteen, Nasir Nas Jones began recording tracks for his debut album--and changed the music world forever. Released in 1994, Illmatic was hailed as an instant masterpiece and has proven one of the most influential albums in hip-hop history. With its close attention to beats and lyricism, and riveting first-person explorations of the isolation and desolation of urban poverty, Illmatic was pivotal in the evolution of the genre.
In Born to Use Mics, Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai have brought together renowned writers and critics including Mark Anthony Neal, Marc Lamont Hill, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., and many others to confront Illmatic song by song, with each scholar assessing an individual track from the album. The result is a brilliant engagement with and commentary upon one of the most incisive sets of songs ever laid down on wax.
About the Author
Michael Eric Dyson is the author of seventeen books, including
Is Bill Cosby Right?,
April 4, 1968, and
Holler If You Hear Me. Currently University Professor of Sociology at Georgetown University, he lives in Washington, D.C.
Sohail Daulatzai is an assistant professor in African American Studies and Film and Media Studies at the University of California, Irvine. He lives in Los Angeles, California.