Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Struggle for the Soul of a Movement

by S. Craig Watkins

Avoiding the easy definitions and caricatures that tend to celebrate or condemn the "hip hop generation," Hip Hop Matters focuses on fierce and far-reaching battles being waged in politics, pop culture, and academe to assert control over the movement. At stake, Watkins argues, is the impact hip hop has on the lives of the young people who live and breathe the culture. He presents incisive analysis of the corporate takeover of hip hop and the rampant misogyny that undermines the movement's progressive claims. Ultimately, we see how hip hop struggles reverberate in the larger global media consolidation; racial and demographic flux; generational cleavages; the reinvention of the pop music industry; and the ongoing struggle to enrich the lives of ordinary youth.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Hip Hop, Politics, Race, Sociology, African American

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watkins explores several rich topics in recent hip-hop history to make an argument for its importance to contemporary culture. He focuses especially on issues of race, gender, and political action. His energy and enthusiasm is evident in every line. Readers familiar with hip-hop will appreciate this love but skeptics might be turned off by some overly "fan-ish" passages.

People still hungry after reading Chang's essential "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" will find "Hip Hop Matters" an excellent follow-up. Where Chang focuses his attention on constructing a history of the culture, Watkins puts the microscope on a few well-selected moments from the last decade.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my Sociology professors from UT wrote this amazing piece on maintaining the authenticity of Hip Hop in a very commercialized music industry. His diverse background in both sociology and radio, TV and Film brings a unique insight in placing the evolution of Hip Hop music in a social/political context. He doesn't go so much in the history of hip hop music, but focuses his discussion on the mainstreaming of Hip Hop today.

It's nonfiction, written by an academic, but i found it to be a very entertaining and engaging book. He uses a lot of hip hop prose to illustrate his points.

[m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather than give an intense historical recap of the hip-hop movement over the past 30 years, Watkins chooses a few important moments, and discusses their significance on the movement. For a reader who is looking to have a general understanding of hip-hop history, and the moments that changed its course. My only issues were the discussion on hip-hop as a agent of political change, as he presented no solid evidence, and the brevity of the chapter in regards to women in relation to hip-hop culture.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I've read a fair number of hip hop memorials or history of hip hop in the US, but I've never actually seen it framed in this way. Really interested, both for historical content and the analysis of where hip hop is now.

[Skyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the first books I've read that touches specifically on my area of study, though being published in 2005, it's quite dated. Despite this, Watkins argument that hip hop matters is passionately on display in every piece of this book.

[Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review: http://studiowmuyumba.blogspot.com/20...

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is easy to read and interesting.

[MaryGrace · Rating 2 out of 5]

took me forever to read. i think it was just written too long ago to feel relevant but not long enough ago to feel like reading about a historical point in time. also needs way more commas

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

My NOTES on this book are available at: my notes.

Summary:
The book had some value to the political side of its focus in its use of case studies....The Bay Area story in particular. It also seemed to have some useful commentary on the creation of a hip hop intelligentsia, their views, and how they are viewed by the rest of the movement...This section had a very Gramsci 'n tint to it....organic intellectuals.....

The book also was a good resource if attempting to pinpoint what "hip hop" as an art form means politically and culturally...similar to how groups like the surrealists of France have been analyzed.

The best that this book had to offer however, was its very descriptive narrative of how and why hip hop has gone from being labeled as a fad to an all pervasive cultural experience, Highlight on Jay-Z/Eminem for this segment.....race highly factored.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takes on the rise of hip-hop as a global force: how it came to happen, who controls the money, and the effects—good or bad. When Soundscan began tracking point-of-purchase sales, record companies were shocked to discover that country and rap were leading sales. The big companies backed rap stars, socially conscious hip-hop faded, even as it hip-hop spread around the world. Watkins also discusses sexism in rap and rappers entering the porn business. Also, how black people, in general, are portrayed in the media. Well worth picking up.

[jalylah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was recommended to be by Deb Willis for my thesis. I just skimmed it and picked out some quotes to add to my thesis for her benefit. I don't recall too many aha moments in my brisk flip through. Hip hop books don't much do it for me.

[Rushay Booysen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does hip hop still matter! This book explores the early rise and influence of hip hop.It paves a timeline that seeks to point the influence of one of the most influential youth movements.Was a interesting read and refresher in making me aware of where this movement once was.

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written and dry. My eyes would pop open whenever I'd stumble upon some information of which I was previously unaware - this book's only saving grace.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someday I'd like to reread this in order; I've taught so many chapters and read this so out of order that whatever narrative thread or order was interrupted by my cherry-picking what to read. I've taught many chapters from this book, and the two that get the best response are the intro, "Back in the Day," and "Fear of a White Planet," which examines Eminem's rise and place in hip hop. This is a good book for non-hip hop experts, too--Watkins gives good context and background to each chapter. I'd like to see a second edition of this, updated for the post-Obama era!