Rap has arrived in the 21st Century. This book looks into what it is that distinguishes current rap culture from earlier years – but also, it analyzes which tendencies promote a return to classical rap-cultural values. The articles investigate the potential of the subculture to diagnose the problems of its time, and show how things like the internet are increasingly becoming the arena of communication, how political conflicts are dealt with artistically, or how language is redeveloped creatively. The bringing together of perspectives from Cultural and Media Studies, as well as from journalism, makes the collection essential reading not just for interested academics, but also for journalists and fans of music and pop culture.
