50 Rappers Who Changed the Wor

Arguably one of the most mainstream music styles today, rap was in fact born centuries ago in West Africa with historians or 'griots' who used to tell stories of the past over the beat of a drum. But it wasn't until the 1970s in New York that rapping as we know it was born and began to flourish.

50 Rappers Who Changed the World profiles some of the genre's biggest influencers, from the 1970s until the present day. From Bronx-based legends Afrikaa Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash in the 70s, to Run-DMC and Public Enemy in the 80s, Biggie, Tupac and Snoop in the 90s, and Eminem and Jay-Z in the 00s, this is a history of music for anyone who loves rap. Featuring MCs like Melle Mel, West Coast legends including N.W.A. and Ice-T, and countless women who changed the game, like Salt-n-Pepa, MC Lyte and Missy Elliot. And today, we have a new breed of artists who are dominating the charts, from J. Cole to Kendrick Lamar, Logic and Cardi B.

Filled with a stylish illustrations and short biography of each artist, this book is a celebration of the musicians who shaped the genre and changed the world.

Candace McDuffie is a respected cultural critic and music journalist who focuses on the intersection of race, gender and entertainment. Her written work has been featured on digital platforms such as: Rolling Stone, MTV, Forbes, Grammy.com, Paper Mag, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Vibe, Tidal, Marie Claire, The Christian Science Monitor and Boston Magazine. McDuffie has appeared as a commentator on BBC World Service: World Business Report and the Boston based Indie617 Radio Show. As a public speaker, she has given talks and moderated panels at an array of conferences, schools and cultural events including: Black Communities Conference, Boston Book Festival, Writer's Digest Annual Conference and The Muse and The Marketplace. She currently resides in Boston and works as a preschool teacher.