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Raps of Resistance: How Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole Reignited a Hip-Hop Tradition
232 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 14, 2026
I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I requested this book purely for the fact it had Kendrick Lamar in the title. In no way would I consider myself a rap fan or to be knowledgable about rap in any sense. That being said, this was very enjoyable and very well researched. Anyone who has a prior interest or knowledge about rap would probably find it more enjoyable as all the names of the different rappers and songs did go over my head a bit.
This book gives a full rundown of the history of rap, the emergence of conscious rap (which I was not aware existed before this), the lives of both J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, and then some more recent history. An entire chapter is given to the drama between Drake and Kendrick and, as someone who experienced it in real time, that was very fun.
I really appreciate the honesty and respect the authors had when discussing the casual violence against women which is so often featured in rap music. I have often felt I was the only person that disliked this sort of music due to the misogynistic and harmful language present in so many of the songs, but this book has brought that issue to the forefront and addressed it well.
Would definitely recommend to fans of rap but even if you aren’t it is a nice introduction to the history of the genre. The writing was slightly repetitive at times but otherwise insightful and entertaining.
I requested this book purely for the fact it had Kendrick Lamar in the title. In no way would I consider myself a rap fan or to be knowledgable about rap in any sense. That being said, this was very enjoyable and very well researched. Anyone who has a prior interest or knowledge about rap would probably find it more enjoyable as all the names of the different rappers and songs did go over my head a bit.
This book gives a full rundown of the history of rap, the emergence of conscious rap (which I was not aware existed before this), the lives of both J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, and then some more recent history. An entire chapter is given to the drama between Drake and Kendrick and, as someone who experienced it in real time, that was very fun.
I really appreciate the honesty and respect the authors had when discussing the casual violence against women which is so often featured in rap music. I have often felt I was the only person that disliked this sort of music due to the misogynistic and harmful language present in so many of the songs, but this book has brought that issue to the forefront and addressed it well.
Would definitely recommend to fans of rap but even if you aren’t it is a nice introduction to the history of the genre. The writing was slightly repetitive at times but otherwise insightful and entertaining.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this book because I am a big fan of Kendrick Lamar. The authors show his story and his music in an interesting way. They explain how he and J. Cole helped bring conscious rap back to popularity.
One thing I liked a lot is the bibliography. It is clear and well prepared, and it shows that the book is based on good research. It also gives the reader a chance to learn more about the topic.
The book is easy to understand, but sometimes it feels a bit too general. I would prefer more detailed analysis of Kendrick’s songs and albums, because his music has many deep meanings.
Overall, I think it is a good and interesting book, especially for fans of hip hop.
I really enjoyed this book because I am a big fan of Kendrick Lamar. The authors show his story and his music in an interesting way. They explain how he and J. Cole helped bring conscious rap back to popularity.
One thing I liked a lot is the bibliography. It is clear and well prepared, and it shows that the book is based on good research. It also gives the reader a chance to learn more about the topic.
The book is easy to understand, but sometimes it feels a bit too general. I would prefer more detailed analysis of Kendrick’s songs and albums, because his music has many deep meanings.
Overall, I think it is a good and interesting book, especially for fans of hip hop.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews