Publishers Weekly
★ 07/04/2022
In this pulsating work, Coscarelli, a culture reporter for the New York Times, traces the growth of the legendary Atlanta rap scene, crafting an epic of music history. Delving into Atlanta’s thriving music scene in the 1990s—a melding of “influences from the North, South and West, befitting Atlanta’s geography and its status as a transportation hub”—Coscarelli tackles a hefty subject manner as he painstakingly pieces together the countless moments that would later define the sound of the city, from the energy and excitement of the Freaknik festival to the rise of LaFace records and the birth of “crunk.” Yet just as important, Coscarelli conveys, were the rap scene’s trailblazing artists (OutKast, Quavo, Marlo, Lil Yachty), whose accomplishments and struggles didn’t simply paint a picture of career innovation but also reflected the adversity and triumph of Atlanta’s Black residents, who “have proven time and again to be resolute, resourceful and experimental, continually pushing boundaries in politics and culture.” Unparalleled success and crashing downfalls would be hallmarks to many artists, but, as Coscarelli makes stunningly apparent, their contributions put Atlanta on the map, turning “the chip on the city’s shoulder... to a stage.” This impassioned tribute to an overlooked pillar of music is spectacular. Agent: William LoTurco, LoTurco Agency. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"You either go hard or go home. Joe Coscarelli, a seasoned music journalist at The New York Times, has opted for the former. And the world of music criticism is better for it."—The New York Times
"Rap Capital offers a look at a music world in a time of uncertainty, taking vivid note of new avenues for old forms of exploitation."—The Atlantic
"This impassioned tribute to an overlooked pillar of music is spectacular."--Publishers Weekly, *starred review*
"Coscarelli’s study on trap music contributes an important volume to the cannon of musical journalism."—AJC
"Coscarelli’s book is the ideal vehicle to acknowledge Atlanta’s influence on modern-day storytelling through trap and rap music."—Library Journal, *starred review*
“You’ll be dining out on the book for a week. Telling all the incredible stories to your friends. Atlanta is hiding in plain sight, still most people don’t see it. But if you read Rap Capital, you will.” —Bob Lefsetz, Lefsetz Letter
"Coscarelli was embedded in the Atlanta scene for several years, making his "storytelling feel both historic and immediate as it places the reader right there with him. Fans of behind-the-music stories will be glued to the page."—Booklist
“Rap Capital is not only a vivid snapshot of the current seat of cultural power, but about capital itself: how wealth, or the lack of it, starves a community; how the lure of it shapes a culture; and who gets all that money in the end. Joe Coscarelli reports from rooms and spaces few journalists have entered, telling Atlanta’s stories deeply." —DAN CHARNAS, author of Dilla Time: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla and The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop
“A great American underdog story, full of memorable characters and extraordinary plot twists. Coscarelli is a tireless reporter and a thoughtful guide—this book is required reading for anyone who has ever wondered how, exactly, Atlanta hip-hop took over the world.” —KELEFA SANNEH, author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres
Library Journal
★ 07/01/2022
In his first book, Coscarelli (culture and music reporter for the New York Times) beautifully describes the push-and-pull magnetic triangle that engulfs rap (specifically trap music, a rap subgenre from the southern U.S.), Atlanta, and generational trauma. Coscarelli's compelling and insightful book resulted from four years of research, during which he conducted more than 100 interviews and was totally immersed into Atlanta's rap scene. Atlanta is as central a character as the artists in this narrative, but it's also the glue that holds it all together—the backdrop against which stories of success, demise, historical wounds, pride, and legal proceedings play out. Coscarelli captures the streets of Atlanta, charts the trajectory of the city's rappers (including established stars like Migos and Lil Baby, and lesser-known artists like Lil Reek and Marlo), and delves into the quest for a way out of the pain-feeding-pain cycle encompassing some of its neighborhoods. Some of these stories have uplifting endings, while others culminate in untimely loss (incarceration; death), restarting the traumatic loop. VERDICT Coscarelli's book is the ideal vehicle to acknowledge Atlanta's influence on modern-day storytelling through trap and rap music.—Alessandro Cimino
Kirkus Reviews
2022-08-31
A culture reporter examines the rap landscape of Atlanta, which has birthed “some of the most impactful, commercially successful and influential music of the last thirty-plus years.”
Hip-hop fame can be fleeting and inexplicable, and this oddly structured tale reflects that reality, following sensations that didn’t pan out and skipping over stars that made it big. “In human terms and in musical ones,” writes New York Times reporter Coscarelli, “Atlanta rap represents the most consequential musical ecosystem of this century so far.” However, he quickly switches from such broad declarations, bouncing quickly past Atlanta hip-hop legends like Outkast, T.I., and TLC as well as music executives like L.A. Reid and Jermaine Dupri. The author focuses on the beginnings of the influential Quality Control label, which launched the careers of current stars Migos, Lil Yachty, and, most importantly, Lil Baby. It’s a fascinating story about the struggles of hip-hop authenticity, and Coscarelli is a decent storyteller—though he leans more on interviews with Lil Baby’s mother than with the rapper himself, and his tumultuous life and artistic decisions could bear deeper consideration. Though Baby’s hit “The Bigger Picture,” inspired by the police murder of George Floyd, became incredibly influential, especially after its stunning performance at the 2021 Grammy Awards, Coscarelli only spends a short section discussing it. “I wanted to use a specific situation that would give people an understanding of where I come from,” he quotes the rapper, with little more explanation. That focus problem continues throughout much of the text, and the author offers overlong discussions of Baby’s less successful friend Lil Marlo, who was shot and killed in 2020, and the stalled career of one-time teenage phenom Lil Reek. It’s also odd that Coscarelli gives short shrift to the massively successful Lil Nas X, who also hails from the city. Lil Baby’s gripping story could’ve carried the narrative, but the author’s intellectual bait and switch drags it down.
An occasionally enlightening but uneven history of Atlanta’s hip-hop scene and influence.
