Beatboxing: How Hip-Hop Changed The Fight Game

by Todd D. Snyder

"The masterful art of chess, Kung-fu sword play, and the sweet science of boxing are all hip-hop expressions that connect us universally. Beatboxing tells the story. It's razor sharp."—Masta Killa, Wu-Tang ClanStep into a world of rap moguls turned fight promoters, boxers turned rappers, and rappers turned boxers. From Mike Tyson to Tupac, from Roy Jones Jr. to J. Prince, explore how a cultural collision forever altered the relationship between music, race, sports, and politics.Daryl McDonald of Run-DMC once said that the rhyme Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see! was hip-hop’s most famous lyric. Muhammad Ali’s poetic brilliance and swagger—ignited by hype man Bundini Brown—gave hip-hop artists the template from which they forged their identities and performed their art. Hip-hop’s impact on boxing, on the other hand, has not been explored. Until now.In Beatboxing , Todd Snyder uncovers the unique connection between hip-hop and the sweet science, tracing a grassroots cultural movement from its origins in the South Bronx to its explosion across the globe and ultimately into the charged environment of the prize ring. Featuring interviews with champion fighters and music legends, this is the definitive book about an enduring phenomenon and is a must-read for boxing and hip-hop fans alike. TABLE OF CONTENTSPRELUDE Tale of the (Cassette) TapeINTRODUCTION Check the RhimeCHAPTER 1 Streets Is WatchingCHAPTER 2 Brooklyn Go HardCHAPTER 3 Let the Rhythm Hit ’EmCHAPTER 4 Walk This WayCHAPTER 5 Welcome to the TerrordomeCHAPTER 6 Me Against the WorldCHAPTER 7 Ambitionz Az a RidahCHAPTER 8 Dirty SouthCHAPTER 9 Y’all Must’ve ForgotCHAPTER 10 Lean BackCHAPTER 11 Get MoneyCHAPTER 12 Get Rich or Die Tryin’CHAPTER 13 What’s Beef?CHAPTER 14 Hate It or Love ItCHAPTER 15 Watch the ThroneCHAPTER 16 Mo’ Money, Mo’ ProblemsAFTERWORD Don’t Call It a ComebackACKNOWLEDGMENTSAPPENDIXES : A COMPILATION OF HIP-HOP & BOXING SONGSAPPENDIX A Songs that Reference Boxing PersonalitiesAPPENDIX B Noteworthy Hip-Hop Collaborations with BoxersAPPENDIX C Noteworthy Hip-Hop Songs Specifically Crafted for BoxingAPPENDIX D Noteworthy Hip-Hop Songs by BoxersNOTESWORKS REFERENCED

Hardcover

Published November 3, 2021