[SteveRB]

This past summer I committed to expanding my hip hop knowledge. I spent four months reading about and listening to primarily hip hop. I figured, I have the rest of my life to continue listening to the same music genres as always. ...but now I have an amazing curiosity for hip hop. Well worth it.

But for people getting into it -- there is a ton of garage out there to avoid. A great place to start is with another book:

http://www.amazon.com/Ego-Trips-Book-Rap-Lists/dp/0312242980

This book has chapters listing the best hip hop albums and singles from the first 20 years of the genre. Great place to just pick an album and listen.

[RDavidson]

This past summer I committed to expanding my hip hop knowledge. I spent four months reading about and listening to primarily hip hop. I figured, I have the rest of my life to continue listening to the same music genres as always. ...but now I have an amazing curiosity for hip hop. Well worth it.

But for people getting into it -- there is a ton of garage out there to avoid. A great place to start is with another book:

http://www.amazon.com/Ego-Trips-Book-Rap-Lists/dp/0312242980

This book has chapters listing the best hip hop albums and singles from the first 20 years of the genre. Great place to just pick an album and listen.

That's really cool. Keep an open kind and you just might learn something.
I've been into hip hop since the days of RUN DMC and The Fat Boys, but I may just pick up this book too. Thanks for pointing it out.