The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music: A Fresh Look at the Art of Hip-Hop, from Old-School Beats to Freestyle Rap

In 1973, the music scene was forever changed by the emergence of hip-hop. Masterfully blending the rhythmic grooves of funk and soul with layered beats and chanted rhymes, artists such as DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash paved the way for an entire new genre and generation of musicians. In this comprehensive, accessible guide, Paul Edwards breaks down the difference between old school and new school, recaps the biggest influencers of the genre, and sets straight the myths and misconceptions of the artists and their music. Fans old and new alike will all learn something new about the history and development of hip-hop, from its inception up through the current day.

"Filled with real tools and overflowing with inspiration... a good read even for nonartists interested in learning more about hip-hop creativity, personalities, and history, this offers insights into music and poetry... highly recommended" —  Library Journal on How To Rap  "How to Rap is classic in an art that is just coming into a definition of itself. Everyone who wants to go to the next level needs this book, it's the inside and outside of the trade." —Nikki Giovanni, poet and one of Oprah Winfrey's 25 Living Legends on How To Rap "How to Rap marks a cultural coming-of-age for hip-hop—the first comprehensive poetics of this new literary form" —Dana Gioia, poet and former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts on How To Rap

  "Don't mistake concise for basic. I've studied hip-hop for decades and I learned things from this book! Paul Edwards goes straight to rappers to expose the myths and seek out the truth. The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music is an entertaining and insightful read for everyone from seasoned hip-hop listeners to the casual fan."—Mickey Hess, author of The Dirty Version, Is Hip Hop Dead? and editor of Icons of Hip Hop and Hip Hop in America　"Paul Edwards has done it again. Having long toiled in the mines of hip-hop knowledge, he has collected the wisdom of the greatest representatives of the art to present us with another fact-filled, eye-opening, myth-busting resource. Everyone from fans and artists to students and scholars will have much to learn from The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music."—Mark Katz, author of Groove Music: The Art and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ　"Combining Edwardss critical insight with stories from the people who lived it, The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music not only informs, it challenges a number of popular notions about this thing called rap, including some of my own. As KRS-One said, ‘You must learn."—Jordan Ferguson, author of J Dilla's Donuts (Bloomsbury Academic's 33 1/3 Series)　"Part oral history, part investigative nitty-gritty, Paul Edwards' The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music answers the questions left obscured by the large and growing literature on the genre. From the very origins of the word to its worldwide word-up, this is the essential guide for both the hip-hop buff and the hopelessly baffled."—Roy Christopher, author of The Medium Picture

Paul Edwards is a writer and researcher of hip-hop who has interviewed more than 100 rappers and has done extensive research on rappers' creative processes, musical theories, and lyrics. He is regarded as a leading expert on hip-hop and rap, and has been referred to as 'the Aristotle of Hip-Hop poetics' by internationally acclaimed and award-winning poet Dana Gioia. He holds a master's degree in postmodernism, literature, and contemporary culture from University of London.