Overview

Borrowing its name from the 1996 album by Nas, It Was Written: Poetry Inspired by Hip-Hop is the latest book from indie publishers Minor Arcana Press. Jason McCall and P.J. Williams have brought together over 50 poets for a cypher--and a conversation--with hip-hop and literature. The poems and poets in this book are influenced by hip-hop not only as a genre of music but also as a force of life. Contributing poet Michael Mlekoday says, Hip-hop isn't a just a genre I appreciate; it's a culture that has actively contributed to my sense of self--a way of seeing the world. It Was Written shows how modern poets have engaged with one of the most powerful cultural forces of our time. And it's not just a book of poetry; It Was Written is a conversation. The poets have also contributed over 30 writing prompts in the back of the book to encourage readers to pick up their own pen.

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9780991259632

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It Was Written models a central tennet of hip-hop culture: call and response. The call is the music and culture of hip-hop-the framework-and in this collection, the poets' responses are a spectrum of form and feel, from celebration to clap-back, nostalgic exaltation to piercing critique to hip-hop as backdrop, a departure point in order to arrive at some real shit. Each poem evokes a world, making it an ideal text for the classroom to inspire students analytically and as poets themselves; the writing prompts in the back are pure gold for those of us who teach. -Hollis Wong-Wear, Grammy-nominated vocalist, songwriter, and teaching artist

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