Beatboxing: How Hip-Hop Changed the Fight Game

"The masterful art of chess, Kung-fu sword play, and the sweet science of boxing are all hip-hop expressions that connect us universally.Beatboxingtells the story. It's razor sharp."—Masta Killa, Wu-Tang ClanStep into a world of rap moguls turned fight promoters, boxers turned rappers, and rappers turned boxers. From Mike Tyson to Tupac, from Roy Jones Jr. to J. Prince, explore how a cultural collision forever altered the relationship between music, race, sports, and politics.Daryl McDonald of Run-DMC once said that the rhymeFloat like a butterfly, sting like a bee! The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see!was hip-hop’s most famous lyric. Muhammad Ali’s poetic brilliance and swagger—ignited by hype man Bundini Brown—gave hip-hop artists the template from which they forged their identities and performed their art. Hip-hop’s impact on boxing, on the other hand, has not been explored. Until now.InBeatboxing, Todd Snyder uncovers the unique connection between hip-hop and the sweet science, tracing a grassroots cultural movement from its origins in the South Bronx to its explosion across the globe and ultimately into the charged environment of the prize ring. Featuring interviews with champion fighters and music legends, this is the definitive book about an enduring phenomenon and is a must-read for boxing and hip-hop fans alike.TABLE OF CONTENTSPRELUDETale of the (Cassette) TapeINTRODUCTIONCheck the RhimeCHAPTER 1Streets Is WatchingCHAPTER 2Brooklyn Go HardCHAPTER 3Let the Rhythm Hit ’EmCHAPTER 4Walk This WayCHAPTER 5Welcome to the TerrordomeCHAPTER 6Me Against the WorldCHAPTER 7Ambitionz Az a RidahCHAPTER 8Dirty SouthCHAPTER 9Y’all Must’ve ForgotCHAPTER 10Lean BackCHAPTER 11Get MoneyCHAPTER 12Get Rich or Die Tryin’CHAPTER 13What’s Beef?CHAPTER 14Hate It or Love ItCHAPTER 15Watch the ThroneCHAPTER 16Mo’ Money, Mo’ ProblemsAFTERWORDDon’t Call It a ComebackACKNOWLEDGMENTSAPPENDIXES : A COMPILATION OF HIP-HOP & BOXING SONGSAPPENDIX ASongs that Reference Boxing PersonalitiesAPPENDIX BNoteworthy Hip-Hop Collaborations