Rap Music and the Poetics of Identity

This is the first book to discuss in detail how rap music is put together musically. Whereas a great deal of popular music scholarship dismisses music analysis as irrelevant or of limited value the present book argues that it can be crucial to cultural theory. It is unique for bringing together perspectives from music theory musicology cultural studies critical theory and communications. It is also the first scholarly book to discuss rap music in Holland and the rap of Cree Natives in Canada in addition to such mainstream artists as Ice Cube.