Booklist Series Review (Voices in Hip-Hop)

The visually arresting Voices in Hip-Hop series profiles the genre’s superstars. Bold, attention-getting covers, neon blocks of color highlighting song lyrics and quotes from industry insiders, and numerous full-color photos effectively capture dynamic performances while conveying each artist’s individual style and stage presence. The books have different authors, and while all cover basic biographical details (childhood, adolescence, adult relationships, children) and career milestones (breakthroughs, number-one hits and best-selling albums, awards, activism), each subject’s story is told through a different lens. Cardi B, hailed for being notoriously honest, direct, and opinionated during her couple of seasons as a cast member on the TV show Love & Hip Hop, is introduced by gracious comments from an admirer, Megan Thee Stallion. Kendrick Lamar’s story tells how he grew up in Compton, a notoriously violent neighborhood, but emphasizes how his parents created a supportive home and nurtured his interests in reading, writing, and rhyming. The title on Eminem also describes a traumatic childhood and occasional struggles with substance abuse, but it tracks how he’s poured his energies and emotions into his songs and various personas, including Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady. Nicki Minaj is presented as a multi-talented pop star crossover diva who sings, raps, acts, supports multiple charities, and is a wife and mother. These lightweight and entertaining high/low titles are sure to be kid magnets.