Signifying Rappers

Signifying Rappers looks at rap’s place in African American history. It contrasts that past with white, corporate America. This nonfiction book is for readers drawn to music and history. It also speaks to those with an interest in urban life.

David Foster Wallace and Mark Costello meet rap’s scene firsthand. They go to a Slick Rick show in Roxbury. They also visit RJam studio. They seek to grasp rap on its own terms. They aim to look past the bias of those outside it. They study its themes, drive, and wit. They also look at the new forms it takes. They argue that these give outsiders a way into rap. They treat rap as a way to tell stories. They do not judge it by its public image.