Emerald Street: A History of Hip Hop in Seattle

by Daudi Abe, Sir Mix-A-Lot (Foreword)

From the first rap battles in Seattle’s Central District to the Grammy stage, hip hop has shaped urban life and the music scene of the Pacific Northwest for more than four decades. In the early 1980s, Seattle’s hip-hop artists developed a community-based culture of stylistic experimentation and multiethnic collaboration. Emerging at a distance from the hip-hop centers of New York City and Los Angeles, Seattle’s most famous hip-hop figures, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Macklemore, found mainstream success twenty years apart by going directly against the grain of their respective eras. In addition, Seattle has produced a two-time world-champion breaking crew, globally renowned urban clothing designers, an international hip-hop magazine, and influential record producers. In Emerald Street, Daudi Abe chronicles the development of Seattle hip hop from its earliest days, drawing on interviews with artists and journalists to trace how the elements of hip hop—rapping, DJing, breaking, and graffiti—flourished in the Seattle scene. He shows how Seattle hip-hop culture goes beyond art and music, influencing politics, the relationships between communities of color and law enforcement, the changing media scene, and youth outreach and educational programs. The result is a rich narrative of a dynamic and influential force in Seattle music history and beyond.Emerald Street was made possible in part by a grant from 4Culture’s Heritage Program.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Music

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2020

Reviews

[Pat Dwyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is probably the definitive resource on the subject, for which I am nowhere near the target audience. I can appreciate the artistry and dedication of hip-hop artists, even if I never listen to it myself. The closest I get is when my favorite band Umphreys McGee covers Regulate by Warren G & Nate Dogg.

Here, Abe goes through an *extremely* comprehensive history of Hip-Hop in Seattle, all the way from its origins in the late 70’s and early 80’s, all the way to present day. The text flowed nicely, and I never get lost among anything other than the thousand names of artists mentioned.

This was selected to be our book for February book club, and was definitely an oddball choice. No regrets though. I learned a ton, and will get to use some of the facts I learned to impress my Seattle friends when I go visit next month.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daudi Abe’s Emerald Street: A History of Hip Hop in Seattle is a lively, community-rooted chronicle of four decades of Seattle’s hip-hop scene. The book is well-written and quite engaging. Abe digs deep—with interviews, social context, and grassroots passion—to spotlight not just the big names like Sir Mix-A-Lot or Macklemore, but the vibrant DJ, B-boy, graffiti, and youth spaces that shaped the city’s unique sound and culture. Growing up in Seattle during the 80s and early 90s, I was well aware of Sir Mix-A-Lot (I still listen to his Swass album), but learned a ton about how surprisingly influential the Seattle hip hop scene was to the global genre.

[Zev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars but I three-star nonfiction a lot. Upon seeing this at my library, I eagerly checked it out. I'd known Seattle had some artists originate here, but not that Seattle had a whole scene. This book is packed with odes to tons of artists and their timelines. It celebrates their triumphs, and I was elated with so many rises to success. Lots of history, too, is in here. I appreciated how the author worked to make the audience understand how it was connected. This is a dense read in some regards, but worth it.

[Mark Pepitone · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a transplant to Seattle, this was an interesting read to find out more about the city I’ve lived in for 8 years. I don’t really have too much of a sense of the history (musically, socially, or ethnologically) of this place other than Nirvana/grunge, sports, Amazon, Microsoft, and Jay Inslee.

Much of it is about the Central District, and it’s been interesting to hear about the history of diversity in my city.

It’s also been a great intro to local artists beyond the obvious Sir Mix a Lot and Macklemore.

A fun read.

[Andrew Moberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of feel like there is not enough focus on the scene from the early 2000s. I am impressed with the amount of history, but at times, it seems the message contradicts itself. Mecca and Enyce started in NYC and was known as being traditional East Coast style gear, which goes against some of the messages about Seattle being its own unique scene.

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

📘 Paperback
4 ⭐️

This was a fun history of not just Seattle Hip-Hop but also all the areas that it has influenced, such as graffiti, legislation, communities, radio, stage shows, and more. The national influence of Seattle Hip-hop stretches beyond the likes of Sir Mix-A-Lot and Macklemore.

[Chris]

Simultaneously brand new and nostalgic for me. (Suburban teen years. I missed a lot.)

This discovery is thanks to a story by Professor Daudi Abe in The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper.

[Chi Chi · Rating 5 out of 5]

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