Recommended Reads

Simple text and photographs present hip-hop dancing, including simple steps.

ONE OF AMAZON'S BEST ART & PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS 0F 2018
AN NPR AND PITCHFORK BEST MUSIC BOOK OF 2018 PICK
ONE OF TIME'S 25 BEST PHOTOBOOKS OF 2018
NEW YORK TIMES, ASSOCIATED PRESS, WALLSTREET JOURNAL, ROLLING STONE, AND CHICAGO SUN HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE PICK


The perfect gift for music and photography fans, an inside look at the work of hip-hop photographers told through their most intimate diaries—their contact sheets. 

Featuring rare outtakes from over 100 photoshoots alongside interviews and essays from industry legends, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop takes readers on a chronological journey from old-school to alternative hip-hop and from analog to digital photography. The ultimate companion for music and photography enthusiasts, Contact High is the definitive history of hip-hop’s early days, celebrating the artists that shaped the iconic album covers, t-shirts and posters beloved by hip-hop fans today. 

With essays from BILL ADLER, RHEA L. COMBS, FAB 5 FREDDY, MICHAEL GONZALES, YOUNG GURU, DJ PREMIER, and RZA 
 

A John Steptoe New Talent Award Winner

Before there was hip hop, there was DJ Kool Herc. 

On a hot day at the end of summer in 1973 Cindy Campbell threw a back-to-school party at a park in the South Bronx. Her brother, Clive Campbell, spun the records. He had a new way of playing the music to make the breaks—the musical interludes between verses—longer for dancing. He called himself DJ Kool Herc and this is When the Beat Was Born. From his childhood in Jamaica to his youth in the Bronx, Laban Carrick Hill's book tells how Kool Herc came to be a DJ, how kids in gangs stopped fighting in order to breakdance, and how the music he invented went on to define a culture and transform the world.

In 1973, the music scene was forever changed by the emergence of hip-hop. Masterfully blending the rhythmic grooves of funk and soul with layered beats and chanted rhymes, artists such as DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash paved the way for an entire new genre and generation of musicians. 
In this comprehensive, accessible guide, Paul Edwards breaks down the difference between old school and new school, recaps the biggest influencers of the genre, and sets straight the myths and misconceptions of the artists and their music. Fans old and new alike will all learn something new about the history and development of hip-hop, from its inception up through the current day, in The Concise Guide to Hip-Hop Music.

A boogie-down picture book about a shy boy named Manolo who overcomes his fears and insecurities to become part of a new innovative dance style called breaking.

Step back, step back!

Kid Flex 'bout to bust a move.

In the 1970s, many said the Bronx was just a pile of rubble, but for a shy kid like Manolo, it was alive with rhythm and music. He grew up with salsa dance parties at home and DJs battling on turntables on the street. Inspired by these new beats and the moves of James Brown, neighborhood boys and girls started dancing with a mix of twists, slides, and shuffles. The rhythm of the Toprock. Drop of the Six-step. Wiggle of the Worm. A new dance style called breaking was on the rise, and Manolo wanted to be a part of it.

Debut author Linda J. Acevedo was inspired to write this story from the many b-boys and b-girls whose love of dance propelled them to create an innovative and groundbreaking new form of dance. Coupled with award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison's sinuous and pulsating art, Breaking to the Beat! is an energizing ode to the Boogie Down Bronx and to Hip Hop--a movement that would forever change the course of music, art, and culture.

In this lyrical read-aloud filled with rhythm and rhyme and illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkney, follow a little girl as she dances her way to bedtime. 

Mama says, "Lollipop, stop! Stop!
Jumping snapping nonstop."
Arms and shoulders pop 'n' lock.
Lollie's dancing hip-hop.

Watch as Lollipop grooves her way through her bedtime routine, brushing her teeth to the beat and shimmying into pjs. She sways along with her sister, her parents, and even some enthusiastic pets until, finally, Lollie closes her eyes and dances through her dreams. Susan Montanari and Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkney offer a playful bedtime read-aloud that perfectly captures the joy of music, movement, and family.

(Book). Since the publication of the first edition in 2005, The Plain and Simple Guide to Music Publishing has emerged as the premier guide to the subject. With sufficient depth to be used as a text at major college music industry programs including UCLA, NYU and Northeastern, the book also remains simple and clear enough for the lay songwriter to gain a crucial understanding of musical copyrights and licensing basics. To wit, the second edition garnered 33 customer reviews on Amazon.com, with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 possible stars. In this expanded and updated third edition, with a foreword by Tom Petty, the author adds greater depth to such increasingly important topics as the rapidly shifting industry paradigms, the growing importance of streaming and subscription models, a discussion of new compulsory license media, the impact of copyright terminations and reversions, updated advice on current license prices, as well as all the basics of copyright and rights management.

"Discover the roots of breaking and other street dance styles and the art form's evolution to modern times. Get to know the B-boys and B-girls who added their signature style to the street dance movement, from the Rock Steady Crew to Janet Jackson to Jabbawockeez. Get to know the basic steps and what it takes to become a master of this freestyle art form"--Publisher marketing.

DJing is probably the coolest way to make music, right? Now you can learn how with How to Be a DJ in 10 Easy Lessons!

Do you think you have what it takes to be a superstar DJ? Do you daydream about making the hottest mixes behind the turn tables? Well, now is your chance to learn how to be a shredder on the tables with How to Be a DJ in 10 Easy Lessons, a simple guide to DJing! 

Learn the ins and outs of mixing, scratching, and blending and prepare to play in front of a live audience!  With easy-to-follow instructions, colorful graphics, and helpful tips from an experienced professional DJ, this handy book breaks down everything you need to know into 10 simple lessons.

How to Be a DJ in 10 Easy Lessons covers everything from equipment and software, to basic music theory and tips on performance, this is the perfect introduction to music mixing for aspiring DJs.

Every great song has a fascinating backstory. In Anatomy of a Song, based on the ongoing Wall Street Journal column, writer and music historian Marc Myers brings to life five decades of music through oral histories of forty-five transformative songs woven from interviews with the artists who created them.

Bringing readers inside the making of a hit, Anatomy of a Song includes the Isley Brothers' memorable song "Shout," Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz," and R.E.M's "Losing My Religion." After receiving his discharge from the army in 1968, John Fogerty does a handstand and reworks Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to come up with "Proud Mary." Joni Mitchell remembers living in a cave on Crete with the "mean old daddy" who inspired her 1971 hit "Carey." Elvis Costello talks about writing "(The Angels Wanna War My) Red Shoes" in ten minutes on the train to Liverpool. And Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart, the Clash, Jimmy Cliff, Roger Waters, Stevie Wonder, Keith Richards, Cyndi Lauper, and many other leading artists reveal the emotions, inspirations, and techniques behind their influential works. Anatomy of a Song is a love letter to the songs that have defined generations of listeners.