Hip Hop as Performance and Ritual

Hip hop has had a fertile and exciting life in its many underground scenes. Local clubs have nurtured the music and many individuals have upheld the art form in the shadow of the mainstream popular hip hop music. Priest da Nomad is one of these formidable MCs who has kept the torch lit. This is his story in historical, musicological and anthropological context. By looking at hip hop historically and culturally, the text investigates the apparent links between the Africanisms that exist in all other forms of Afro-Diasporic expressions such as jazz, blues, reggae, calypso, Latin music and compares and contrasts them with hip hop. Most intriguingly, however, the text takes a musicological approach to understanding hip hop through rhythmic transcription and syllabic analysis. This text is full of information and fresh perspectives and is sure to be a sought after reference for hip hop scholars and lay-readers alike.