Born To Use Mics

Real mc’s know how to write a song that will stand the test of time. They stack a verse with so many double meanings that you are bound to miss a jewel or two. But when you discover one, it’s like you get smacked across the head. Masters of the double meanings include Jay-Z, Rakim, BIG, Andre 3000, and Nas.

The best and brightest writers of the hip-hop generation reflect upon the era’s landmark album: Nas’s Illmatic.

From the moment then nineteen-year-old Nasir “Nas” Jones began recording tracks for his debut album the hip-hop world was forever changed. Released in 1994, Illmatic, was hailed as a masterpiece and is one of the most influentialalbums in hip-hop history. In Born to Use Mics, Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai have brought together the brightest minds to reflect upon and engage one of the most incisive sets of songs ever laid down on wax.

This should be a great book to help you decipher some of Esco’s finest bars!