When Rap Music Had a Conscience: The Artists, Organizations and Historic Events That Inspired and Influenced the "Golden Age" of Hip-Hop from 1987 to

As a child of the 70's and coming of age in the 80's (born in 1970) I was pleased to be taken down memory lane by the Author as I was both reminded and informed of events that helped shaped my thinking as I grew up a member of the 'Hip Hop' generation. However, I do think the Author could have done a more thorough job by being more detailed as to how the events actually shaped the songs and videos of the conscious era. Examples of lyrics from certin songs would have gone a long way to prove the Author's point and substantiate her research. Nonetheless, it was still a good read and at least a starting point for the serious student of Hip Hop. Brother J's intro was a very nice touch and right on time.

When I started reading this book, I felt a little displaced, I was not completely aware of some of the names or events being introduced. But being a fan of music, I was anxious to find out how and where rap/hip-hop launched its presence. Rap music was initially to be a tool, which would give voice to inner-city youth. But as rap evolved, the original goals were sacrificed to embrace a form of expression with more of a street culture. It created space, if you will, for crass commercialism in the form of sex and violence with little sense of concern for the community. As a result, pimps, hos and four letter words have engulfed the lyrical content of mainstream rap music for over a decade. With the advent of a more visual society, videos with overtly-masculine young men, fast cars, pseudo naked girls, and 'bling-bling' have added fuel to the negative connotations by fans across the globe. WHEN RAP MUSIC HAD A CONSCIENCE is a look back at how a group of talented, educated, and idealistic youth viewed their surroundings and explored why things were the way they were. Ms. McQuillar takes a look at certain political events, movies, and literature that emancipated some of the original rap artists. With her extensive research, she hopes this abstract history will do several positive things: remind fans of a time when black communities were captivated by the original 'mic' rappers, when rappers had a message worth hearing, and when revolution, not impudence, was the cry. With a well-rounded list of artists, suggested things to read, listen to, and view, this is an engaging book. I hope this book will ignite interest in and create dialogue about this part of rap music history. --Tayannah Lee McQuillar Reviewed by aNN of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers