Bomb the Suburbs: Graffiti, Race, Freight-Hopping and the Search for Hip Hop’s Moral Center by William Upski Wimsatt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fascinating walk through the history of Chicago’s hip-hop scene by the simultaneous outsider and insider, Billy Wimsatt. Billy is the White kid who was “down” with all the Black hip-hop pioneers in Chicago and developed into an accomplished Graffiti writer and later organizer. His book is a collection of his published essays on hip-hop, alongside sociological and historical snapshots in the form of personal tours and intimate interviews. It’s a unique book in its construction and fascinating in its subtly growing political agenda. The provocative title is meant to draw you in but also call you to action; Billy wants to start a revolution built on the principles that he sees hip-hop stand for, principles that are about social change and social justice. Fun and inspiring.