Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. CONTENTS vii
3. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
4. INTRODUCTION: State of the Hip-Hop Union 1
5. ONE. The Meaning of Hip-Hop 23
6. TWO. From a Cool Complex to Complex Cool 55
7. THREE. Thug Life and Social Death 77
8. THE BRIDGE. Summary of Chapters Two and Three 113
9. FOUR. Hip-Hop Authenticity in Black and White 117
10. FIVE. Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics 151
11. CONCLUSION. The Last Verse 189
12. EPILOGUE. Obama as Hip-Hop Icon 199
13. APPENDIX 207
14. NOTES 225
15. REFERENCES 235
16. DISCOGRAPHY 247
17. INDEX 249