This collection of essays is a confessional, stylistic account (in the Joan Didion tradition) of coming of age in the Bronx alongside the birth and evolution of hip-hop culture. This collection presents a mosaic of seminal figures in hip-hop, documentary essays exploring the social decay of hip-hop, and a substantial element of memoir, as well as observations on the generational issues of urban America. With a foreword by acclaimed poet Saul Williams, Scars exposes the motivations and aspirations of a culture whose spiritual centre was the Bronx.

Jamaica's literary lion Colin Channer presents new fiction from the freshest young Jamaican authors and the Calabash International Literary Festival's Extended Family.

Given than hip hop music alone has generated more than a billion dollars in sales, the absence of a major black record company is disturbing. Even Motown is now a subsidiary of the Universal Music Group. Nonetheless, little has been written about the economic relationship between African-Americans and the music industry. This anthology dissects contemporary trends in the music industry and explores how blacks have historically interacted with the business as artists, business-people and consumers.

The second compendium of extracts from Continuum's acclaimed and successful 33 1/3 series, Volume 2 features 20 sharp, savvy and very different writers' takes on albums by Neutral Milk Hotel, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, David Bowie, the Pixies, the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, R.E.M, the Band and many more. A perfect gift for the music lover in your life!

With 12 genres and influences, cities, and scenes, Music + Travel Worldwide guides music fans across an insightful, international stage of sounds to help plan where to go and what not to miss. Curated by experts in the industry, the book travels to Russia to experience the country's long and inglorious outlaw culture's sounds of chanson; heads to Buenos Aires to witness the development of cumbia, from the lavish '90s to its latest digital incarnation; goes "underground" to check out Beijing's ever-evolving, highly influential experimental music scene; and gets into Berlin's private clubs that are playing the offspring of techno. Loaded with sidebars and useful trivia about musicians, discography of artists' albums and 100 festival locations, a timeline of historical events for each of the 12 genres, and detailed maps of venue locations, this book is perfect for the travel lover or the musically obsessed.

A continuation of the groundbreaking series of original noir anthologies from Akashic Books. Set in the Bronx, this exciting new anthology is comprised of all-new stories from Jerome Charyn, Lawrence Block, Suzanne Chazin, Terrence Cheng, Pat Picciarelli, Abraham Rodriguez Jr, Kevin Baker, SJ Rozan and Steven Torres. The writers know the borough so well that readers will smell, feel, see and hear New York's toughest borough...

The debut of a new literary journal dubbed the African-American "McSweeney's," featuring Touré, Greg Tate, and others.

A stunning, in-depth look at the power and poetry of one of the most consequential rappers of our time. Kendrick Lamar is one of the most influential rappers, songwriters and record producers of his generation. Widely known for his incredible lyrics and powerful music, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. In Promise That You Will Sing About Me, pop culture critic and music journalist Miles Marshall Lewis explores Kendrick Lamar’s life, his roots, his music, his lyrics, and how he has shaped the musical landscape. With incredible graphic design, quotes, lyrics and commentary from Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alicia Garza and more, this book provides an in-depth look at how Kendrick came to be the powerhouse he is today and how he has revolutionized the industry from the inside.

Sly Stone began recording There's a Riot Goin' On in late 1970 as a follow-up to the commercially successful Stand!. In this brisk, inventive book, Miles Marshall Lewis chronicles Sly's descent into a haze of drug addiction and delirium as he rejects the successful formula - "'Dance to the Medley,' dance to the shmedly" - and creates one of the most powerful and haunting albums to inspire the hiphop movement. Book jacket.