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Rob Swift, a DJ par excellence, stands out for his unique contributions to the art and more incredible hip-hop culture. His first crowning achievement was winning the DMC East Coast title in 1992. As a founding member of the X-Ecutioners DJ crew, he played a pivotal role in shaping the DJ culture. Beyond his solo success, he is a global educator, sharing his passion for hip-hop history and the art of DJing. Rasul A. Mowatt is a critical urban geographer and House Music DJ who focuses on the production and articulation of power through a city. He is the author of The Geographies of Threat and the Production of Violences and Laundering Black Rage. He is also a professor and educator on race, gender, class struggles, cities, colonialism, and violence.
""When I decided to become a DJ/Artist/Producer, as a fan, I was already studying the elements of graffiti because my mother taught Art when I was in high school. She played vinyl while painting at home. Breaking and Emceeing added to sneaking into house parties that my older sister went to. I knew this was the profession I wanted to be in. Becoming GREAT requires every bit of your heart and soul mentally, physically, and spiritually. In particular, DJ Rob Swift embodies all of it. The culture is safely guarded on his and Rasul's watch. Now, turn the page."" DJ Premier, Gang Starr and Phryme ""In The City of Hip-Hop, DJ Rob Swift and Rasul Mowatt detail the complicated history of Hip-Hop—a culture that is not only in the zeitgeist but drives it. Using key historical points, they paint a panoramic portrait that leaves readers thinking long after the book is finished. Their passion for the subject matter is felt with every word and is a necessary addition to any conversations surrounding Hip-Hop, from library to lecture hall."" kathy iandoli, Author of God Save The Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop ""Hip-Hop has been the most important cultural phenomenon in the world for many years, and yet, somehow, the story is never given the intellectual deep dive that it deserves. Rob Swift and Rasul Mowatt take that dive in The City of Hip-Hop as they recount the history and origin story of this amazing culture that has changed the world."" Peter Rosenberg, Hot 97 ""There is a current aura around Hip-Hop that it is only gangsta fueled, sex-obsessed and money hungry, yet Rob Swift and Rasul Mowatt's The City of Hip-Hop counter this notion and detail the glorious origins of the transformative culture of the music lead by the elements that created the multi-billion dollar genre. Knowing that the inner city of New York's core ghettos birthed the diamonds that changed the landscape of international relations and inspirations, Swift and Mowatt conduct the work of passion defending and explaining the complexities of our beloved culture."" Datwon Thomas, Hip-Hop Journalist and Producer ""In the face of those who seek to overwrite the true history of the origins and evolution of Hip-Hop culture, The City of Hip-Hop offers a detailed breakdown of the numerous factors that resulted in its creation. It also details the ways the immigrant communities of New York, who hail from all across the African Diaspora, contributed to what is now the most prominent youth culture globally as well as a billion-dollar industry."" Dart Adams, Journalist, Historian and Author
