Includes bibliographical references and index.

Hip hop's mama : originalism and identity in the music -- My mic sound nice : art, community, and consciousness -- Stinging like Tobasco : structure and format in hip hop compositions -- The glorious outlaw : hip hop narratives, American law and the court of public opinion -- B-boys, players and preachers : reading masculinity -- The venus hip hop and the pink ghetto : negotiating spaces for women -- Bling bling-- and going pop : consumerism and co-optation in hip hop.