The cover of Howie Abrams’ ‘Hip-Hop Alphabet; Photo: Lesser Gods
Coinciding with hip-hop’s 44th birthday, and following up Finding Joseph I: An Oral History of H.R. from Bad Brains and The Merciless Book of Metal Lists, former business executive turned author Howie Abrams will publish a book teaching hip-hop history using the alphabet.
Hip-Hop Alphabet will use 26 letters to school students on rap luminaries like LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys and Jay-Z, to name a few. It’ll also explore the various elements of hip-hop culture, including DJing, turntablism, graffitti and lyricism.
Set to include illustrations, as well, legendary graffiti artist and author of Skin Graf: Masters of Graffiti Tattoo, Michael “Kaves” McLeer, is lending his art to the project. His contributions will exemplify the type of stylized work that can be found all throughout hip-hop culture, and will educate kids on how graffitti was an essential part of cultivating hip-hop’s growth.
Adding a mighty dose of credibility to the project, Darryl McDaniels (b.k.a. D.M.C., co-founder of Run D.M.C.) will write the forward. In his statement he says Hip-Hop Alphabet is “solid proof that hip-hop, as well as all of the arts, are powerful tools for learning and educating our children!”
According to VIBE Magazine, proceeds from the the Hip-Hop Alphabet will go to the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music, a 501(c)(3) organization that provides equal access to arts programs regardless of socioeconomic status.
Though alphabets have been stylized by every genre over, hip-hop notwithstanding — there’s even some mighty competition with Berlin-based creative director, Andrew Morgan, and his project Rap ABC, set to drop in October, as well — this is one of the first of its kind to umbrella rap within the culture of hip-hop as a whole.
Hip-Hop Alphabet will be available in stores in October. Until then, here’s Blackalicious‘ classic, “Alphabet Aerobics.”