This book looks at the rise of American hip hop as a series of distinct regional events, with essays covering the growth of hip hop culture in specific cities across the nation. In the three decades since its beginnings on the streets of the Bronx, hip hop has become a signature genre of American music, a genuine cultural phenomenon. Although hip hop was once defined by its legendary East Coast/West Coast rivalries, New York and LA are not the whole story. Around the nation, places as unlikely as Honolulu and Louisville have put their own distinctive spin on the music. In tune with the culture, this work profiles two dozen specific hip hop scenes across the United States, showing how each place shaped a singular identity. Through its geographic perspective, it captures the astonishing diversity of a genre that has captivated the nation and the world. In two volumes organized by broad regions (East Coast, West Coast and Midwest and the Dirty South), it spans the complete history of rap from its 1970s origins to the rap battles between Queens and the Bronx in the 1980s, from the well-publicized East Coast v. West Coast conflicts in the 1990s, to the rise of the Midwest and South over the past ten years. Each essay showcases the history of the local scene, including the MCs, DJs, b-boys and b-girls, label owners, hip hop clubs, and radio shows that have created distinct styles of hip hop culture.