Desi Rap
Hip Hop and South Asian America
Contributions by Utkarsh Ambudkar, DJ Rekha, Deepti Hajela, D'Lo, Sunaina Maira, Chee Malabar, Raeshem Chopra Nijhon, Vijay Prashad, Swapnil Shah, Nitasha Sharma Northwestern University, the1shanti. Edited by Ajay Nair DevOps Architect, Murali Balaji Temple University
Publication date:
17 October 2008Length of book:
202 pagesPublisher
Lexington BooksDimensions:
240x160mm6x9"
ISBN-13: 9780739127216
Desi Rap is a collection of essays from South Asian American activists, academics, and hip-hop artists that explores four main ideas: hip-hop as a means of expression of racial identity, class status, gender, sexuality, racism, and culture; the appropriation of Black racial identity by South Asian American consumers of hip-hop; the furthering of the discourse on race and ethnic identity in the United States through hip-hop; and the exploration of South Asian Americans' use of hip-hop as a form of social protest. Ultimately, this volume is about broadening our horizons through hip-hop and embracing the South Asian American community's polycultural legacy and future.
Finally, a book that speaks to the full complexity of immigrant and Asian American lives through the Desi youth who are taking on the 'isms' and creating American culture through hip-hop solidarity. A must-read story about the future of America that is here today.