Empire of Funk

<i>Empire of Funk: Hip Hop and Representation in Filipina/o America</i> gives long overdue attention to the most popular cultural art form practiced by recent generations of Filipina/o American youth. A pioneering work the anthology features the voices of artists scholars and activists to begin a dialogue on Filipina/o American youth culture and its relationship to race ethnicity gender sexuality and class. The text also offers the opportunity to question the future of Hip Hop itself. Chapters in <i>Empire of Funk</i> explore Filipina/o American Hip Hop aesthetics community-building the geography of Hip Hop in Filipina/o America sexuality and power activism and praxis visual culture and navigating the Hip Hop industry. This text gives readers a thoughtful introduction to an often-overlooked aspect of American society and culture. It can be used in courses dealing with race and ethnicity American youth culture popular culture in America and immigrant communities.<br><br><b>Mark R. Villegas</b> is a poet filmmaker blogger and Ph.D. candidate in Culture and Theory at the University of California Irvine. He is a navy brat who grew up in Yokosuka Japan; Pascagoula Mississippi; Long Beach California; and Jacksonville Florida.<br><br><b>DJ Kuttin’ Kandi</b> was born and raised in Queens NY and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished female DJs in the world. She is also a writer spoken word poet theater performer educator Hip Hop Feminist and community organizer. She is a member of DJ team champions the 5th Platoon co-founder and DJ for the all female Hip-Hop group Anomolies co-founder of the famed NY monthly open mic nights Guerrilla Words and co-founder of the coalition R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop (Representing Education Activism & Community through Hip Hop). She currently resides in Chula Vista CA where she works at UC San Diego’s Women’s Center.<br><br><b>Dr. Roderick N. Labrador</b> is an assistant professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at M?noa. His research and community work focuses on race ethnicity class culture language migration education hip hop and cultural production in Hawai‘i the US and the Philippines.