112 pages Edited by Steven Hager 25.1 x 20.8 cm Language: English Paperback Publisher: St. Martin's Press 1984
Published in 1984, Hip Hop: The Illustrated History of Break Dancing, Rap Music and Graffiti by Steven Hager is one of the earliest and most influential attempts to document hip hop as a cultural movement—while it was still in its raw, street-level form.
Written by New York Times journalist, countercultural figure, and marijuana activist Steven Hager, the book weaves together interviews, reportage, and over 100 black-and-white photographs and illustrations. It traces the birth and spread of hip hop’s core elements—MCing, DJing, breaking, and graffiti—through the words and work of its early pioneers, including Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, the Rock Steady Crew, and Phase 2.
A rare and vivid document of a scene just before it exploded globally, this book is more than a chronicle—it’s a cultural time capsule. An essential addition for collectors, researchers, and anyone passionate about the foundations of hip hop culture.
