The Values of Independent Hip-Hop in the Post-Golden Era, 1st ed. 2019
Hip-Hop's Rebels

Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this book uncovers the historical trajectory of U.S. independent hip-hop in the post-golden era, seeking to understand its complex relationship to mainstream hip-hop culture and U.S. culture more generally.  Christopher Vito analyzes the lyrics of indie hip-hop albums from 2000-2013 to uncover the dominant ideologies of independent artists regarding race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and social change. These analyses inform interviews with members of the indie hip-hop community to explore the meanings that they associate with the culture today, how technological and media changes impact the boundaries between independent and major, and whether and how this shapes their engagement with oppositional consciousness. Ultimately, this book aims to understand the complex and contradictory cultural politics of independent hip-hop in the contemporary age.

Chapter1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Just Say No to The Majors: Independent Hip-Hop Culture

Chapter 3: Just Say No to 360s: Hip-Hop’s Claim of Economic Exploitation

Chapter 4: The Death of Indie Hip-Hop?: The Blurry Lines between the Majors and Independent Hip-Hop Music

Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications

Christopher S. Vito, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Sociology at Southwestern College, USA. He has previously published in the International Journal of Cultural Studies, NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies, and Korea Journal.

Explains the interactions between culture and subculture in the context of mainstream, independent and underground hip-hop

Articulates the relationship between independent hip-hop culture and race, class, gender, and oppositional consciousness

Methodological framework employing content analysis of artist lyrics and interviews with hip-hop fans