The Birth of Seattle Rap - Paperback

by Novocaine 132 (Author), Dj Nasty-Nes (Foreword by)

From the Seattle streets to studio beats.

In the early 1980s, a subterranean shift in Seattle's music scene began. Disco's reign over parties and dance clubs faded, and hip-hop became the new attraction. A generation of young musicians emerged, and local rappers catapulted the genre into the spotlight. From Sir Mix-A-Lot, who won a Grammy in 1993, to Silver Chain Gang and Jam Delight, the Emerald City produced some incredible talent. These formative years of hip-hop set the tone for the decades that followed, and this once-fledgling music still resonates in pop culture today.

Author and producer Novocaine132 explores Seattle's early rap artists and their groundbreaking sound.

Author Biography

Novocaine132 was born in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington. He's been a music journalist since the mid-1990s at magazines including The Flavor, The Rocket and The Stranger. He has directed three short documentary films, and from 2020 to 2022, he executive produced four albums for Ever Rap Records in Seattle. His interest in rap music goes back to his first rap cassette by KTEL in 1984, containing memorable hip hop classics like "Electric Kingdom" and "Tour De France."