The Wake

In the late 1970s, the Bronx was on fire –- literally. Gangs ruled the projects in this incendiary time, and the world feared these neighborhoods might tear themselves apart. Out of this violent and seemingly chaotic epilogue to the Black Power movement, a new and revolutionary culture was born –- hip-hop. Jeff Chang uses this tumultuous era as the catalyst for his new book, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.” A point of contention among hip-hop historians, the beginning of this movement is tackled masterfully by writer, Jeff Chang. From there, he moves through the 80sand90s, covering all differentiations and sub-genres you can think of in great detail. With a style as flavorful as the rap greats themselves, Chang keeps his reader interested throughout his lengthy chronology. “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” superbly simplifies the complexity of the music, breaking it down into the rhythm, the motion, the voice, and the name. More than a commercial phenomenon, he argues that hip-hop is a cultural force, and one that has not been ignored. The book pays homage to the great and forgotten trailblazers, not to the presumptuous, shallow superstars of today’s record business. If you think you know what there is to know about hip-hop, pick up Jeff Chang’s “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation,” and it’ll show you that you’ve only hit the tip of the cultural iceberg.