Rap is generally acknowledged as originating from New York, when the Jamaican-born DJ Cool Herc started spinning discs for parties in the late seventies. People would originally talk and then "rap" over the top of this. From there it spread all across the United States and then around the world. But the key songs are from the United States, and are all featured in this unique book. Hip Hop: Bring the Noise expands the best-selling Stories Behind the Songs series to include musical genres. Rap is the most powerful and overtly political music ever. Rappers always had a lot of words, but what were they really talking about? This book features dozens of photographs and examines fifty of the greatest hip hop songs ever recorded, from the innocent, fun-loving classics of the founding fathers ("Rapper's Delight"--The Sugar Hill Gang) through Gangsta-rapping anti-authoritarianism ("F**k the Police"--N.W.A.) and bad-boy sexism ("Gangster of Love"--Geto Boys) to the multiplatinum sellers of the twenty-first century ("Stan"--Eminem). The subtlety and intelligence of many rappers lie hidden behind media hype and misinformation. Hip Hop: Bring the Noise helps to right this wrong and showcase rap for the groundbreaking musical movement that it is.