Notes

1979 "Rapper's Delight" / The Sugarhill Gang -- 1980 "The Breaks" / Kurtis Blow -- 1981 "Jazzy Sensation" / Afrika Bambaataa and the Jazzy Five -- 1982 "The Message" / Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- 1983 "Sucker M.C.'s" / Run-DMC -- 1984 "Friends" / Whodini -- 1985 "La Di Da Di" / Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick -- 1986 "6 in the Mornin'" / Ice-T -- 1987 "Paid In Full" / Eric B. and Rakim -- 1988 "Straight Outta Compton" / N.W.A -- 1989 "Fight the Power" / Public Enemy -- 1990 "Bonita Applebum" / A Tribe Called Quest -- 1991 "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" / Geto Boys -- 1992 "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" / Dr. Dre, featuring Snoop Dogg -- 1993 "C.R.E.A.M." / Wu-Tang Clan -- 1994 "Juicy" / The Notorious B.I.G. -- 1995 "Dear Mama" / Tupac -- 1996 "California Love" / Tupac, featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman -- 1997 "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" / Puff Daddy, featuring Mase -- 1998 "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" / DMX -- 1999 "My Name Is" / Eminem -- 2000 "Big Pimpin'" / Jay Z, featuring UGK -- 2001 "Takeover" vs. "Ether" / Jay Z vs. Nas -- 2002 "Grindin'" / The Clipse -- 2003 "In Da Club" / 50 Cent -- 2004 "Still Tippin'" / Mike Jones, featuring Slim Thug and Paul Wall -- 2005 "Gold Digger" / Kanye West, featuring Jamie Foxx -- 2006 "Hustlin'" / Rick Ross -- 2007 "International Players Anthem" / UGK, featuring Outkast -- 2008 "A Milli" / Lil Wayne -- 2009 "Best I Ever Had" / Drake -- 2010 "Monster" / Kanye West featuring Rick Ross, Jay Z, Bon Iver, and Nicki Minaj -- 2011 "Niggas in Paris" / Jay Z and Kanye West -- 2012 "Same Love" / Macklemore and Ryan Lewis -- 2013 "Control" / Big Sean, featuring Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica -- 2014 "Lifestyle" / Rich Gang, featuring Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan.
Summary: The Rap Year Book takes readers on a journey that begins in 1979, widely regarded as the moment rap as a genre became recognised as part of music's landscape and comes right up to the present. Shea Serrano deftly pays homage to the most important song of each year. Serrano also examines the most important moments that surround the history and culture of rap music-from artists' backgrounds, to issues of race and safety, to the rise of hip-hop and the struggles among its major players-both personal and professional. Covering East Coast and West Coast, famous rapper feuds, chart toppers and show stoppers, The Rap Year Book takes an in-depth look at the last thirty-five years of the most influential genre of music to come out of the last generation. Complete with quizzes, infographics, lyric maps, hilarious and informative footnotes, portraits of the artists, and the occasional rebuttal essay by other prominent music writers, The Rap Year Book is both a narrative and illustrated guide to some of the most iconic and influential songs ever created under the umbrella of rap music. Serrano cites a variety of sources to form his arguments including biographies, magazines and documentaries, as well as his own experiences growing up at a time when hip-hop was becoming a prevalent force in the music industry. With its all-encompassing look at the ups and downs of rap music, and the landmark songs that are its tent-poles, this book will be perfect for anyone who is a fan of the genre.