Abstract
In this book review the author starts with a look at the background behind the writing of the book "Karaoke Nights" by Rob Drew. He highlights how Drew was originally drawn to the topic of his book as a research subject only but as he learned more, he elaborated on the karaoke phenomenon. The paper looks at how "Karaoke Nights" is an observation on the external behavior of deejays, performers, and audiences and an intimate portrait of the emotional roller coaster that is the internal life of a karaoke singer. The author also examines how Drew provides an analysis of the varied roles karaoke plays in popular culture and how karaoke can guide to an understanding of local music and culture. The book review concludes with a summary of how karaoke has had a great impact on the American culture at weekends giving people a motive to act out a part and have fun at the same time, as described in "Karaoke Nights".

Table of Contents
Introduction
History of Karaoke
Karaoke Nights
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Another point that Drew make in his book that American culture relies on a good time Saturday nights so that they relax after a hard week's work. And, ten years ago, karaoke caught on in America after being in Japan for many years before. Drew describes this craze from Japan a great way for people get together and live out some of their fears by singing songs in a public place where others could easily make fun of them. However, everyone in that local karaoke bar is feeling the same fears so they respect the person's feelings and not torment them while they are on stage singing out of tune. Most people do sing out of tune as Drew points out but karaoke is all about having fun and doing something some people would not normally do in front of others."

Tags:japan, songs, box, modern, sing, bars, stage

Abstract
This paper explains that the post-civil rights and black power groups, who witnessed so many radical social changes, provided the attitude and style that gave birth to Hip-Hop. The author points out that MCs (emcees), DJs (deejays), break dancing and graffiti art are considered to be the roots of the movement that empowered urban youths to use music, dance and other forms of artistic expression to describe life as they saw it. The paper stresses that, when listening to today's Hip-Hop and R&B, it is important to remember that many artists from the 1990s, who are still around, do not consider today's Hip-Hip as "tru Hip-Hop".

Table of Contents:
What is Hip-Hop?
Roots of Hip-Hop Culture
Creativity
Bling-Bling?
Wrapping It Up

From the Paper
"Depending on who was the first to be commercialized, one thing that will always be argued is that once Hip-Hop was made into a commodity it needed to be mass-produced. From the top, Hip-Hop artists would sign onto independent labels only because the owners were willing to take a risk. No major record label wanted to sign an artist who could only reach a certain group or community and when signing an artist, companies want to make sure that the artist would be able to sell records to all of America and not just the inner city suburbs."

Tags:shakur, commercialize, urban, style, voice

Abstract
This paper discusses the hip-hop culture that originated in the United States in response to the oppression of African-Americans. This paper explains that this art form is therefore deeply integrated with the social consciousness from which it arose. The paper examines how other cultures adopted this art form and then illustrates the subsequent implications.

From the Paper
"On the surface, there are four physical aspects that can be attributed to hip-hop as a culture. These include deejaying, breakdancing, graffiti and rhyming. These, according to, Richardson, are not the heart of the culture. Instead, the central message is the platform from which the technical, teachable aspects arise. The message relates directly to the struggle, the poverty, the oppression and the hardship suffered by the African Americans who were refused the rights of other Americans as a result of their skin color. This is a very specific group of people who created a specific culture. The technical aspects merely exist as an outlet for a specific kind of creativity."

Tags:graffiti, deejaying, breakdancing