The Bottom Line
Pros
- Compactibility and clarity
- Vivid illustrations and innovative examples
- A free 10-track beat CD produced by Stic.man
Cons
- A minor editorial glitch (a couple of pages are out of sync)
Description
- A step by step instructional guide on how to emcee
- Unique tips on voice healing and vocal health practices
- An explanation of many hip-hop terms and emceeing styles
Guide Review - Stic.man - The Art of Emcee-ing (Book)
Ever wonder why there are loads of books on hip-hop history, business and politics, but merely any instructional guide on how to work the mic? Look at it this way: it's almost impossible to teach anyone how to emcee. Many of the revered lyricists in the game (past or present) possessed - at the least - a tiny spark of talent that they ignited into a wildfire through practice and persistence. Fortunately for rookies and vets alike, Stic.man of dead prez has concocted an unconfined, easy to follow hip-hop manual, The Art of Emcee-ing.
The catchiest aspect of Emcee-ing is its compactibility. The 110-page guide (that page count includes photos, acknowledgements, etc) only took me two days to digest. My reading speed is a horrendous 480 wpm, so, it would probably take an average reader less than a day to finish. Brevity aside, the book also scores on clarity, as Stic details every advice with original examples. Simply put, if you've never written a rap song before, he holds your hand through the process of songwriting from finding a concept and picking a befitting beat to getting the best out of the recording process, and taking care of your publishing.
A freebie is always a good thing, so, there's a 10-track instrumental CD you can pop in and listen to while reading the manual. Besides a few content organization glitches here and there, (which is promptly acknowledged with a corrective card), The Art of Emcee-ing is a superb emceeing primer.
