About the Book
For many African Americans of a certain demographic the sixties and seventies were the golden age of political movements. The Civil Rights movement segued into the Black Power movement which begat the Black Arts movement. Fast forward to 1979 and the release of Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight. With the onset of the Reagan years, we begin to see the unraveling of many of the advances fought for in the previous decades. Much of this occurred in the absence of credible, long-term leadership in the black community. Young blacks disillusioned with politics and feeling society no longer cared or looked out for their concerns started rapping with each other about their plight, becoming their own leaders on the battlefield of culture and birthing Hip-Hop in the process. In Somebody Scream, Marcus Reeves explores hip-hop music and its politics. Looking at ten artists that have impacted rap--from Run-DMC (Black Pop in a B-Boy Stance) to Eminem (Vanilla Nice)--and puts their music and celebrity in a larger socio-political context. In doing so, he tells the story of hip hop's rise from New York-based musical form to commercial music revolution to unifying expression for a post-black power generation.
Review :
"Marcus Reeves's "Somebody Scream!" is a strong and timely book for the new day in Hip Hop. Don't miss it!" --Cornel West "Marcus Reeves is one of the gifted thinkers and literary spokespersons of the hip hop era. Every cultural movement, every generation, needs those voices who are not only willing to represent that movement and that generation, but also able to stand back and, like the rapper Bonecrusher, proclaim, loudly, with his chest poked out, 'I ain't never scared.' And never scared is what Marcus Reeves is with "Somebody Scream": he manifests the truth from back in the day to our day straight up and down, with no chaser, and no apologies."--Kevin Powell, author of "Some Day We'll All Be Free"
"Marcus Reeves is one of the gifted thinkers and literary spokespersons of the hip hop era. Every cultural movement, every generation, needs those voices who are not only willing to represent that movement and that generation, but also able to stand back and, like the rapper Bonecrusher, proclaim, loudly, with his chest poked out, 'I ain't never scared.' And never scared is what Marcus Reeves is with "Somebody Scream": he manifests the truth from back in the day to our day straight up and down, with no chaser, and no apologies."--Kevin Powell, author of "Some Day We'll All Be Free"
“Marcus Reeves gives voice to the world that hip-hop created and still hopes to create.”—Mark Anthony Neal, author of "New Black Man"
“It's inspiring when a writer can bring insight, conviction and perspective to a subject too often lost in myth and controversy. Marcus Reeves does that and more. He knows the music and the history, and brings both vividly to life here.” —Anthony DeCurtis, Contributing Editor, "Rolling Stone"
"Pay attention: one of the most compelling writers of our generation has arrived. "Somebody Scream!" is a deeply imagined, finely balanced, and richly detailed narrative of our nation's complicated, contradictory, often explosive post-Black Power journey. " —Jeff Chang, author of "Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation "
“Reeves honors hip hop culture by illuminating it. He tells the story with great insight and deep compassion.” —David Ritz author of "Divided Soul:
"Marcus Reeves gives voice to the world that hip-hop created and still hopes to create."--Mark Anthony Neal, author of "New Black Man""It's inspiring when a writer can bring insight, conviction and perspective to a subject too often lost in myth and controversy. Marcus Reeves does that and more. He knows the music and the history, and brings both vividly to life here." --Anthony DeCurtis, Contributing Editor, "Rolling Stone"
"Pay attention: one of the most compelling writers of our generation has arrived. "Somebody Scream!" is a deeply imagined, finely balanced, and richly detailed narrative of our nation's complicated, contradictory, often explosive post-Black Power journey." --Jeff Chang, author of "Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation "
"Reeves honors hip hop culture by illuminating it. He tells the story with great insight and deep compassion." --David Ritz author of "Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye"
"If in "Somebody Scream!" Marcus Reeves only provided his exegesis of Public Enemy and Chuck D, it would be an indispensable book. The rest of the chapters, for me, are added value--and extremely valuable. What a remarkable new writer and scholar!" --Herb Boyd, author of "Baldwin's Harlem"
""Somebody Scream!" is a panoramic, icon-by-icon rendering of hip hop. In the crowded field of hip hop lit, this book is a stand-out. Marcus Reeves has composed a portrait of the culture that possesses all the verve, intellect and swagger of a classic Rakim line." --William Jelani Cobb, author of "To The Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic""Marcus Reeves's "Somebody Scream!" is a strong and timely book for the new day in Hip Hop. Don't missit!" --Cornel West "Marcus Reeves is one of the gifted thinkers and literary spokespersons of the hip hop era. Every cultural movement, every generation, needs those voices who are not only willing to represent that movement and that generation, but also able to stand back and, like the rapper Bonecrusher, proclaim, loudly, with his chest poked out, 'I ain't never scared.' And never scared is what Marcus Reeves is with "Somebody Scream": he manifests the truth from back in the day to our day straight up and down, with no chaser, and no apologies."--Kevin Powell, author of "Some Day We'll All Be Free"
"It's inspiring when a writer can bring insight, conviction and perspective to a subject too often lost in myth and controversy. Marcus Reeves does that and more. He knows the music and the history, and brings both vividly to life here." --Anthony DeCurtis, Contributing Editor, "Rolling Stone"
"Pay attention: one of the most compelling writers of our generation has arrived. "Somebody Scream!" is a deeply imagined, finely balanced, and richly detailed narrative of our nation's complicated, contradictory, often explosive post-Black Power journey." --Jeff Chang, author of "Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation"
"Reeves honors hip hop culture by illuminating it. He tells the story with great insight and deep compassion." --David Ritz author of "Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye"
"If in "Somebody Scream!" Marcus Reeves only provided his exegesis of Public Enemy and Chuck D, it would be an indispensable book. The rest of the chapters, for me, are added value--and extremely valuable. What a remarkable new writer and scholar!" --Herb Boyd, author of "Baldwin's Harlem"
""Somebody Scream!" is a panoramic, icon-by-icon rendering of hip hop. In the crowded field of hip hop lit, this book is a stand-out. Marcus Reeves has composed a portrait of the culture that possesses all the verve, intellect and swagger of a classic Rakim line." --William Jelani Cobb, author of "To The Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic"
"Marcus Reeves's "Somebody Scream!" is a strong and timely book for the new day in Hip Hop. Don't miss it!" --Cornel West "Marcus Reeves is one of the gifted thinkers and literary spokespersons of the hip hop era.Every cultural movement, every generation, needs those voices who are not only willing to represent that movement and that generation, but also able to stand back and, like the rapper Bonecrusher, proclaim, loudly, with his chest poked out, 'I ain't never scared.' And never scared is what Marcus Reeves is with "Somebody Scream": he manifests the truth from back in the day to our day straight up and down, with no chaser, and no apologies."--Kevin Powell, author of "Some Day We'll All Be Free"
"Reeves honors hip hop culture by illuminating it. He tells the story with great insight and deep compassion."
--David Ritz author of "Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye"
"If in "Somebody Scream!" Marcus Reeves only provided his exegesis of Public Enemy and Chuck D, it would be an indispensable book. The rest of the chapters, for me, are added value--and extremely valuable. What a remarkable new writer and scholar!" --Herb Boyd, author of "Baldwin's Harlem"
""Somebody Scream!" is a panoramic, icon-by-icon rendering of hip hop. In the crowded field of hip hop lit, this book is a stand-out. Marcus Reeves has composed a portrait of the culture that possesses all the verve, intellect and swagger of a classic Rakim line." --William Jelani Cobb, author of "To The Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic"
"Marcus Reeves's "Somebody Scream!" is a strong and timely book for the new day in Hip Hop. Don't miss it!" --Cornel West "Marcus Reeves is one of the gifted thinkers and literary spokespersons of the hip hop era. Every cultural movement, every generation, needs those voices who are not only willing to represent that movement and that generation, but also able to stand back and, like the rapper Bonecrusher, proclaim, loudly, with his chest poked out, 'I ain't never scared.' And never scared is what Marcus Reeves is with "Somebody Scream": he manifests the truth from back in the day to our day straight up and down, with no chaser, and no apologies."--Kevin Powell, author of "Some Day We'll All Be Free"
""Somebody Scream!" is a panoramic, icon-by-icon rendering of hip hop. In the crowded field of hip hop lit, this book is a stand-out. Marcus Reeves has composed a portrait of the culture that possesses all the verve, intellect and swagger of a classic Rakim line." --William Jelani Cobb, Ph.D., author of "To The Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic"
"Marcus Reeves's "Somebody Scream!" is a strong and timely book for the new day in Hip Hop. Don't miss it!" --Cornel West "Marcus Reeves is one of the gifted thinkers and literary spokespersons of the hip hop era. Every cultural movement, every generation, needs those voices who are not only willing to represent that movement and that generation, but also able to stand back and, like the rapper Bonecrusher, proclaim, loudly, with his chest poked out, 'I ain't never scared.' And never scared is what Marcus Reeves is with "Somebody Scream": he manifests the truth from back in the day to our day straight up and down, with no chaser, and no apologies."--Kevin Powell, author of "Some Day We'll All Be Free"
