Jay-Z and Nas Contribute to New Book from Michael Eric Dyson

A new book from professor Michael Eric Dyson, often referred to as the “Hip-Hop Intellectual” will feature a foreword written by Jay-Z and an afterward by Nas. The book, Know What I Mean: Reflections on Hip-Hop, touches on several issues relevant to young fans of hip-hop and participants in the culture. The two MC’s written pieces are referred to as an “intro” and “outro” in an apparent nod to the format of countless hip-hop LP’s. According to Dyson’s website, topics covered include: “the creative expression of degraded youth that has garnered them global exposure; the vexed gender relations that have made rap music a lightning rod for pundits; the commercial explosion that has made an art form a victim of its success; the political elements that have been submerged in the most popular form of hip hop; and the intellectual engagement with some of hip hop’s most influential figures.” Just this week, Professor Dyson announced that he was leaving his post at Penn University to take a position as University Professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. You can preview Jay-Z’s intro on the author’s website at http://www.michaelericdyson.com/knowwhatimean/intro.php. Know What I Mean: Reflections on Hip-Hop is in stores now.