The History of Gangster Rap, Soren Baker
The History of Gangster Rap, Soren Baker
List: $29.99 | Sale: $21.00
Club: $14.99

The History of Gangster Rap
From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form

Author: Soren Baker, Xzibit

Narrator: James Shippy, Soren Baker

Unabridged: 11 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/23/2019


Synopsis

The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into one of the most fascinating subgenres of any music category to date. Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture. Filled with interviews with key players such as Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, and dozens more, as well as breakout bios of notorious characters, lists, and more, The History of Gangster Rap is the be-all-end-all book that contextualizes the importance of gangster rap as a cultural phenomenon.

About Soren Baker

Soren Baker has written thousands of articles about music and culture for such outlets as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Rolling Stone, among others. He is currently producing a script he wrote for Snoop Dogg. He lives in Southern California.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Adam on May 11, 2022

As an admitted newcomer to rap, I found this book was very helpful not only in teaching me about the history of gangster rap, but also to help me appreciate it. I'm sure there are a number of key artists that aren't covered in depth, but as an introduction, this book works well. The only thing that w......more

Goodreads review by Aaron on January 21, 2023

This is a great book that serves as a time capsule and textbook on the rise of a unique rap niche. Both historical and introspective, this is a great resource and logging of some of raps most controversial and cool moments.......more

Goodreads review by Barb on December 07, 2021

Amazing and eye opening book. The one downside is the organization was a bit haphazard and it kind of falls off the year by year format after around 1995. But just thrilling to learn so much about gangster rap. I added all of the songs mentioned (and related) to a Spotify playlist and I’m appreciati......more

Goodreads review by Ryan on March 12, 2024

The History of Gangster Rap: From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form by Soren Baker, Xzibit (Foreword) was a great book. It delved deep into the origins of "Gangster Music" and pointed out some of the unfair stigmas such as East Coast rappers who were putting the sam......more

Goodreads review by Kira on December 06, 2018

I enjoyed the History of Gangster Rap. Baker gracefully weaves gangster rap history with what was going on in the world during that time. The structure of each chapter included interviews with gangster rap pioneers and insiders. He not only talks about the influential subgenre but also to the musici......more