Bomb The Suburbs: Graffiti, Race, Freight-Hopping & The Search For Hip- Hop’s Moral Center
by William Upski Wimsatt

Blazing polemic from back in the day

Back in print to mark the 15th anniversary of its original publication, Bomb The Suburbs is a hugely literate hip-hop tome like few others. Lauded by Chuck D and tagged by Jeff Chang (author of Can’t Stop Won’t Stop) as the best hip-hop book ever, the cult status of the then-20-year-old Chicago-based graffiti writer and hip-hop activist William Upski Wimsatt’s self-published underground missive has grown over time.

Its fast-paced and hard-hitting blend of true life experiences, letters, interviews and articles are written with the all-guns-blazing conviction, insight and perspective of an author many years older. Upski offers a vivid snapshot of hip-hop culture in 1994 through deeply held opinions and his ability to express them. Subjects he tackles include tales from the Chicago graffiti and hip-hop scenes, race issues in hip-hop, the state of hip-hop journalism, “realness” in the culture, urban decay and hopping freight trains. Equally comfortable with sociological, political and cultural perspectives, Bomb The Suburbs still burns with its powerful mix of focused anger and sharp talk.

ISBN 9781933368559

Reviewed by Grahame Bent
<< Back to Issue 352