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Title: The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture by Bakari Kitwana ISBN: 0-465-02979-5 Publisher: Basic Civitas Books Pub. Date: 29 April, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00

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Average Customer Rating: 3.5 (4 reviews)

Rating: 3
Summary: Bakari Kitwana's No-Nonsense Rap on Hip-Hop
Comment: I have enjoyed reading "The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture" very much; Kitwana possesses a no-nonsense yet accessible prose style reminiscent of Frantz Fanon, Chuck D, Kwame Nkrumah, and/or the James Baldwin of "The Fire Next Time"; his intellectual honesty, and thought-provoking passion for the challenges facing him/young Blacks and all Hip-Hop generationers should make him a central figure in Hip-Hop culture for the foreseeable future. In our age of multifaceted globalization, Kitwana talks simultaneously to Rap music enthusiasts, and all generations, races, and nations; he deserves to be mentioned alongside respected scholars of African-American culture. I would definitely recommend the use of "The Hip-Hop Generation" as a textbook in courses on African-American Studies (post-segregation Black culture).
Having said this, as far as depth of argument is concerned Bakari Kitwana's informative and overall brilliant "The Hip-Hop Generation " is an unfinished work; I believe that his take on the SOLUTIONS to the various CRISES facing young Blacks in African-American Culture remains wanting.
To start with Kitwana combines insider's knowledge, intellectual sophistication, and scholarship to surgically identify, discuss and evaluate what he calls the "new crises" confronting post-Civil Rights/Black Power African-American youths. Be it race & gender relations, politics, employment, and Black film/music aesthetics, to name a few, nothing escapes Kitwana's sharp critical gaze. I wish though that Kitwana could muster a similar strength in the second half of his book where he deals with "confronting" these crises in African-American Culture. What is more, Kitwana the author's (understandable?) bias against financially powerful Hip-Hop generationers and simultaneous (unhelpful!) implicit support of the politically and culturally radical-separatist elements of the same generation weakens his argument about building a viable UNITED political & cultural FRONT.
"The Hip-Hop Generation" is more original in scope, and the directions it takes, than in the information given the reader about Hip-Hop per se; it still is a work in progress that cannot yet be classed as a manifesto or testament of the Hip-Hop generation: future revised/expanded editions might make this happen.

Rating: 3
Summary: Review by a Hip Hop Generationer
Comment: This is a very good book that clearly illustrates the evolution of the current African American movement- the Hip Hop Generation. The Author, Bakari Kitwana does a good job of comparing and contrasting this movement with the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements of our parents time. Kitwana clearly illustrates the good, bad, and ugly of our current movement and the things we most do to NOT repeat the shortcomings of the previous movements. Kitwana also explains the steps we must take to leave our positive mark in History.

While the book explains that our generation must be more politically aware and activist-minded, more emphasis should have been placed on the vital role economic development plays in this movement in order for us to make a profound impact in our communities.

Rating: 3
Summary: Old Fat White Guy review
Comment: Fascinating look into the minds of a very influential segment of our population. This book is a must read for boomers who would like to understand the young people that are coming along behind us.

Mr. Kitwana does an excellent job of clearly describing the current state of his generation. He describes their culture, their worldview and their challenges. He also clearly shows that much of this segment of the population has not yet moved beyond the blame game. There is a cultural tendency to avoid personal responsibility, to require fair outcomes and to expect that some more powerful entity (the state?) should "make it all better". All of which will probably lead to his generation growing into a very bitter middle age.

If you are not a member of the Hip Hop Generation, read this book for a fascinating view into Mr Kitwana's world.

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