This photo-essay, coupled with oral histories, provides a map of the contemporary hip-hop nation in Los Angeles. Bracketed by introductory essays on the history and production of the music and a glossary, the book aims to engage with the city's rap scene on its own terms, with interviews and images, documenting its movements and influences, its leaders and up-and-comers. From its beginnings, Los Angeles has been a site of multiple voices, disputes and injustices. The history of rap in this city sets out to tell these stories, providing a voice first for African Americans then, through hip-hop, for many others. Artists interviewed include: Roy Porter; The Watts Prophets; Gill Scott Heron; Ice T.; Nefertiti; Ice Cube; DJ Quik; and Eazy E.