Hip-Hop Style and Identity in Toronto

Myrtle D. Millares delivers a thought-provoking treatise on the development of a uniquely Canadian artform through the amalgamation of shared African diasporic expressions resulting from African American, Caribbean, and Canadian experiences. Through insightful interviews, Millares provides colorful and first-hand details on the development of Hip-Hop in a major commercial and cultural center not named New York or Los Angeles. Her work adds a missing international (or local if you’re Canadian) perspective to the conversation surrounding the global significance of Hip-Hop. Additionally, Millares does well to respect diverse voices and experiences within the Toronto Hip-Hop cypher by including narratives from women and a discussion on LGBTQIA+ contributions to the field. * Marcus X. Thomas, Chair of Music and Performing Arts Management, The Hartt School, University of Hartford, USA * A nuanced and erudite examination of individual lives of those artists dedicated to hip-hop culture, Hip-hop, Style and Identity in Toronto insists we center the voices of hip-hop artists to unravel how one becomes hip-hop. Millares masterfully interweaves the connections between hip-hop studies and music education as articulated by hip-hop artists themselves; offering us multiple sightlines to grasp the varied and intricate ways in which hip-hop culture centers and celebrates difference and disjuncture as the starting point to the development of a musical identity. Hip-hop has always centered that idea of “no biting” which Millares beautifully captures in this essential music education and music pedagogy text. * Mark Campbell, Assistant Professor of Musicology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada * Hip-Hop Style and Identity in Toronto adds to the ever-growing canon of global Hip-Hop studies by taking a look at Hip-Hop identity construction from a Canadian perspective. Given the great success of artists like Kardinal Official, Drake and The Weekend, this books provides a timely, unique and comprehensive understanding of the Toronto context in Hip-Hop culture. * Jabari Evans, Assistant Professor of Race and Media, University of South Carolina, USA *