Listen to Hip Hop!
Exploring a Musical Genre
Published on 24. July 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
979-8-216-27004-1 (ISBN)
Description
With a focus on 50 defining artists, songs, and albums, Listen to Hip Hop! Exploring a Musical Genre provides an overview of hip-hop music for scholars and fans of the genre.
This title explores non-rap hip hop music, and as such it serves as a compliment to Listen to Rap! Exploring a Musical Genre (Greenwood Press, Anthony J. Fonseca, 2019), which discussed at length 50 must-hear rap artists, albums, and songs. This book aims to provide a close listening/reading of a diverse set of songs and lyrics by a variety of artists who represent different styles outside of rap music.
Most entries focus on specific songs, carefully analyzing and deconstructing musical elements, discussing their sound, and paying close attention to instrumentation and production values - including sampling, a staple of rap and an element used in some hip hop dance songs. Though some of the artists included may be normally associated with other musical genres and use hip hop elements sparingly, those in this book have achieved iconic status. Finally, sections on the background and history of hip hop, hip hop's impact on popular culture, and the legacy of hip hop provide context through which readers can approach the entries.
This title explores non-rap hip hop music, and as such it serves as a compliment to Listen to Rap! Exploring a Musical Genre (Greenwood Press, Anthony J. Fonseca, 2019), which discussed at length 50 must-hear rap artists, albums, and songs. This book aims to provide a close listening/reading of a diverse set of songs and lyrics by a variety of artists who represent different styles outside of rap music.
Most entries focus on specific songs, carefully analyzing and deconstructing musical elements, discussing their sound, and paying close attention to instrumentation and production values - including sampling, a staple of rap and an element used in some hip hop dance songs. Though some of the artists included may be normally associated with other musical genres and use hip hop elements sparingly, those in this book have achieved iconic status. Finally, sections on the background and history of hip hop, hip hop's impact on popular culture, and the legacy of hip hop provide context through which readers can approach the entries.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
College/higher education
Primary & secondary/elementary & high school
Illustrations
10 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 154 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
420 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-216-27004-1 (9798216270041)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Anthony J. Fonseca is library director and adjunct associate professor of humanities at Elms College, USA, where he teaches rock-and-roll history, rap music, and rap lyrics as text.
Melissa Ursula Dawn Goldsmith is a visiting lecturer/associate professor in the music department and College of Graduate and Continuing Education at Westfield State University, USA.
Melissa Ursula Dawn Goldsmith is a visiting lecturer/associate professor in the music department and College of Graduate and Continuing Education at Westfield State University, USA.
Content
Series Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Background
2. Must-Hear Music
Aaliyah (featuring DMX) and Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Come Back in One Piece" and "Umbrella"
Paula Abdul and Tony! Toni! Tone!: "Straight Up" and "Feels Good"
Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force (Music by Planet Patrol): "Planet Rock"
Afroman: "Because I Got High"
Akon: "Beautiful"
Die Antwoord: "Ugly Boy"
A$AP Rocky: "Sundress" and "Kids Turned Out Fine"
Babyface: "It's No Crime" and "There She Goes"
Beyonce: "Run the World (Girls)"
Black Eyed Peas: "Boom Boom Pow"
Boyz II Men (featuring Michael Bivins): "Motownphilly"
Brett Domino (The Brett Domino Trio): "Pinocchio"
BTS: "Idol"
Cee-Lo Green (featuring Timbaland): "I'll Be Around"
Childish Gambino: "This Is America"
Chinese Man: "I've Got That Tune"
George Clinton: "Atomic Dog"
DJ APS: "Tabba"
Donatan/Cleo: "My Slowianie"
Fifth Harmony (featuring Kid Ink): "Worth It"
Dominic Fike: "3 Nights"
Fugees: "Nappy Heads" (remix)
Gorillaz: "Clint Eastwood"
Great Big Sea: "Beggar Dude"
Hamilton (Cast): "Ten Duel Commandments"
Herbie Hancock (featuring DXT): "Rockit"
Janet Jackson: "Rhythm Nation"
Jessie J (featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj): "Bang Bang"
Mateo Kingman: "Sendero Del Monte"
K'Naan: "Take a Minute" (album version)
Little Big: "Skibidi"
M.I.A.: "Paper Planes"
M.I.A.: "P.O.W.A."
Mix Master Mike (featuring DJ QBert): "Cosmic Assassins"
Nicki Minaj: "Roman Holiday"
NKOTBSB: "Don't Turn Out the Lights (D.T.O.T.L.)"
Frank Ocean: "Swim Good"
Plastician: "Windwalker" and "Tainted"
Psy: "Gangnam Style" (album and music video single)
Punjabi by Nature (featuring Offlicence and Charanjit Chani) and Yo Yo Honey Singh (featuring TDO, Singhsta, and Neha Kakkar): "Jaan Punjabi" and "Makhna"
Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars): "Uptown Funk!"
Shaggy (featuring Rikrok): "It Wasn't Me"
Sukshinder Shinda (featuring Cheshire Cat and Tenashus): "Balle"
Ana Tijoux: "1977"
Timbaland (featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake): "Give It to Me" and "Carry Out"
Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland) and La Materialista: "Sexyback" and "Los Pantaloncitos"
Time Zone (featuring John Lydon): "World Destruction"
Tricky: "Ghetto Stars"
Tumi and Chinese Man (featuring Taiwan MC): "Better That Way"
Pharrell Williams: "Freedom"
3. Impact on Popular Culture
4. Legacy
Further Reading
Index
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Background
2. Must-Hear Music
Aaliyah (featuring DMX) and Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z): "Come Back in One Piece" and "Umbrella"
Paula Abdul and Tony! Toni! Tone!: "Straight Up" and "Feels Good"
Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force (Music by Planet Patrol): "Planet Rock"
Afroman: "Because I Got High"
Akon: "Beautiful"
Die Antwoord: "Ugly Boy"
A$AP Rocky: "Sundress" and "Kids Turned Out Fine"
Babyface: "It's No Crime" and "There She Goes"
Beyonce: "Run the World (Girls)"
Black Eyed Peas: "Boom Boom Pow"
Boyz II Men (featuring Michael Bivins): "Motownphilly"
Brett Domino (The Brett Domino Trio): "Pinocchio"
BTS: "Idol"
Cee-Lo Green (featuring Timbaland): "I'll Be Around"
Childish Gambino: "This Is America"
Chinese Man: "I've Got That Tune"
George Clinton: "Atomic Dog"
DJ APS: "Tabba"
Donatan/Cleo: "My Slowianie"
Fifth Harmony (featuring Kid Ink): "Worth It"
Dominic Fike: "3 Nights"
Fugees: "Nappy Heads" (remix)
Gorillaz: "Clint Eastwood"
Great Big Sea: "Beggar Dude"
Hamilton (Cast): "Ten Duel Commandments"
Herbie Hancock (featuring DXT): "Rockit"
Janet Jackson: "Rhythm Nation"
Jessie J (featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj): "Bang Bang"
Mateo Kingman: "Sendero Del Monte"
K'Naan: "Take a Minute" (album version)
Little Big: "Skibidi"
M.I.A.: "Paper Planes"
M.I.A.: "P.O.W.A."
Mix Master Mike (featuring DJ QBert): "Cosmic Assassins"
Nicki Minaj: "Roman Holiday"
NKOTBSB: "Don't Turn Out the Lights (D.T.O.T.L.)"
Frank Ocean: "Swim Good"
Plastician: "Windwalker" and "Tainted"
Psy: "Gangnam Style" (album and music video single)
Punjabi by Nature (featuring Offlicence and Charanjit Chani) and Yo Yo Honey Singh (featuring TDO, Singhsta, and Neha Kakkar): "Jaan Punjabi" and "Makhna"
Mark Ronson (featuring Bruno Mars): "Uptown Funk!"
Shaggy (featuring Rikrok): "It Wasn't Me"
Sukshinder Shinda (featuring Cheshire Cat and Tenashus): "Balle"
Ana Tijoux: "1977"
Timbaland (featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake): "Give It to Me" and "Carry Out"
Justin Timberlake (featuring Timbaland) and La Materialista: "Sexyback" and "Los Pantaloncitos"
Time Zone (featuring John Lydon): "World Destruction"
Tricky: "Ghetto Stars"
Tumi and Chinese Man (featuring Taiwan MC): "Better That Way"
Pharrell Williams: "Freedom"
3. Impact on Popular Culture
4. Legacy
Further Reading
Index