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Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation
This awesome book won the American Book Award so it’s got street cred.
Hip-hop is one of the most complex and vibrant music scenes. It’s come a long way since its birth in the 1960s and undergone a process of constant reinvention to remain relevant today.
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop is the most essential history of the movement told in the words of many of hip-hops most influential artists.
Why We Love Can’t Stop Won’t Stop
Jeff Chang’s attention to detail in this book is incredible and his understanding of how hip-hop and the post civil rights era American became entwined is breathtaking.
The interviews with Ice Cube, Afrika Bambaataa, Chuck D and more, offer real illumination to the insights provided too through the lens of the scene’s progenitors.
And the writing is entertaining and interesting, you won’t ever be bored by what Jeff has to say.
This book is a huge achievement and the incredible scope of the work might have defeated a lesser author, instead, what you have in Can’t Stop Won’t Stop is the definitive guide to hip hop and it’s incredible.
You can grab a copy online here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is *Can’t Stop Won’t Stop* about?
*Can’t Stop Won’t Stop* is Jeff Chang’s sweeping cultural history that traces hip‑hop’s rise from 1970s Bronx block parties to a global movement rooted in social, political, and economic transformation.
*Can’t Stop Won’t Stop* is Jeff Chang’s sweeping cultural history that traces hip‑hop’s rise from 1970s Bronx block parties to a global movement rooted in social, political, and economic transformation.
Who are the central figures in the narrative?
Close portraits of DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Chuck D, Ice Cube, graffiti writers, activists, and gang members give voice to hip‑hop’s founding generation.
Close portraits of DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Chuck D, Ice Cube, graffiti writers, activists, and gang members give voice to hip‑hop’s founding generation.
What makes this book different from other hip‑hop histories?
Chang uniquely blends social history—gang truces, deindustrialization, racial politics—with music culture, using archival interviews and ethnography to explore why hip‑hop emerged when it did.
Chang uniquely blends social history—gang truces, deindustrialization, racial politics—with music culture, using archival interviews and ethnography to explore why hip‑hop emerged when it did.
How does Jeff Chang structure the book?
The book is organized into four “generational loops,” each covering key periods that weave together cultural events, personal stories, and evolving hip‑hop performance.
The book is organized into four “generational loops,” each covering key periods that weave together cultural events, personal stories, and evolving hip‑hop performance.
Has the book received notable recognition?
Published in 2005, *Can’t Stop Won’t Stop* won the American Book Award and is regularly cited as one of the most urgent, passionate histories of popular music ever written.
Published in 2005, *Can’t Stop Won’t Stop* won the American Book Award and is regularly cited as one of the most urgent, passionate histories of popular music ever written.
What are some critiques of the book?
Some critics note Chang gives less attention to artists like Biggie, Dr. Dre, or Southern rap, and at times prioritizes political context over musical detail.
Some critics note Chang gives less attention to artists like Biggie, Dr. Dre, or Southern rap, and at times prioritizes political context over musical detail.
