About the book
David Foster Wallace and Mark Costello's exuberant exploration of rap music and culture.
Living together in Cambridge in 1989, David Foster Wallace and longtime friend Mark Costello discovered that they shared \"an uncomfortable, somewhat furtive, and distinctively white enthusiasm for a certain music called rap/hip-hop.\"
The book they wrote together, set against the legendary Boston music scene, mapped the bipolarities of rap and pop, rebellion and acceptance, glitz and gangsterdom. Signifying Rappers issued a fan's challenge to the giants of rock writing, Greil Marcus, Robert Palmer, and Lester Bangs: Could the new street beats of 1989 set us free, as rock had always promised?
Back in print at last, Signifying Rappers is a rare record of a city and a summer by two great thinkers, writers, and friends. With a new foreword by Mark Costello on his experience writing with David Foster Wallace, this rerelease cannot be missed.
Editions of Signifying Rappers
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780316225830
- EBook
- ISBN 9780316401111
Read an Excerpt
David Foster Wallace and Mark Costello's exuberant exploration of rap music and culture.
Living together in Cambridge in 1989, David Foster Wallace and longtime friend Mark Costello discovered that they shared \"an uncomfortable, somewhat furtive, and distinctively white enthusiasm for a certain music called rap/hip-hop.\"
The book they wrote together, set against the legendary Boston music scene, mapped the bipolarities of rap and pop, rebellion and acceptance, glitz and gangsterdom. Signifying Rappers issued a fan's challenge to the giants of rock writing, Greil Marcus, Robert Palmer, and Lester Bangs: Could the new street beats of 1989 set us free, as rock had always promised?
Back in print at last, Signifying Rappers is a rare record of a city and a summer by two great thinkers, writers, and friends. With a new foreword by Mark Costello on his experience writing with David Foster Wallace, this rerelease cannot be missed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Signifying Rappers about?
David Foster Wallace and Mark Costello's exuberant exploration of rap music and culture.
Living together in Cambridge in 1989, David Foster Wallace and longtime friend Mark Costello discovered that they shared \"an uncomfortable, somewhat furtive, and distinctively white enthusiasm for a certain music called rap/hip-hop.\"
The book they wrote together, set against the legendary Boston music scene, mapped the bipolarities of rap and pop, rebellion and acceptance, glitz and gangsterdom. Signifying Rappers issued a fan's challenge to the giants of rock writing, Greil Marcus, Robert Palmer, and Lester Bangs: Could the new street beats of 1989 set us free, as rock had always promised?
Back in print at last, Signifying Rappers is a rare record of a city and a summer by two great thinkers, writers, and friends. With a new foreword by Mark Costello on his experience writing with David Foster Wallace, this rerelease cannot be missed.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Signifying Rappers?
The Arts > Music > Music: styles and genres > Popular music
Where can I read a sample of Signifying Rappers?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780316225830
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Signifying Rappers?
David Foster Wallace
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Signifying Rappers is available as paperback(ISBN 9780316225830) and ebook(ISBN 9780316401111)
Where can I buy Signifying Rappers online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Signifying Rappers from below
Where can I buy Signifying Rappers?