A Tribe Called Quest âĸ Beastie Boys âĸ De La Soul âĸ Eric B. & Rakim âĸ The Fugees âĸ KRS-One âĸ Pete Rock & CL Smooth âĸ Public Enemy âĸ The Roots âĸ Run-DMC âĸ Wu-Tang Clan âĸ and twenty-five more hip-hop immortals
Itâs a sad fact: hip-hop album liners have always been reduced to a list of producer and sample credits, a publicity photo or two, and some hastily composed shout-outs. Thatâs a damn shame, because few outside the game know about the true creative forces behind influential masterpieces like PEâs It Takes a Nation of Millions. . ., De Laâs 3 Feet High and Rising, and Wu-Tangâs Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). A longtime scribe for the hip-hop nation, Brian Coleman fills this void, and delivers a thrilling, knockout oral history of the albums that define this dynamic and iconoclastic art form.
The format: One chapter, one artist, one album, blow-by-blow and track-by-track, delivered straight from the original sources. Performers, producers, DJs, and b-boysâincluding Big Daddy Kane, Muggs and B-Real, Biz Markie, RZA, Ice-T, and Wyclefâstep to the mic to talk about the influences, environment, equipment, samples, beats, beefs, and surprises that went into making each classic record. Studio craft and street smarts, sonic inspiration and skate ramps, triumph, tragedy, and take-out foodâall played their part in creating these essential albums of the hip-hop canon.
Insightful, raucous, and addictive, Check the Technique transports you back to hip-hopâs golden age with the greatest artists of the â80s and â90s. This is the book that belongs on the stacks next to your wax.
âBrian Colemanâs writing is a lot like the albums he covers: direct, uproarious, and more than six-fifths genius.â
âJeff Chang, author of Canât Stop Wonât Stop
âAll producers and hip-hop fans must read this book. It really shows how these albums were made and touches the music fiend in everyone.â
âDJ Evil Dee of Black Moon and Da Beatminerz
âA rarity in mainstream publishing: a truly essential rap history.â
âRonin Ro, author of Have Gun Will Travel