Rap music has many detractors. Today, it is often associated with a culture of crass materialistm, sex, violence and irresponsibility. It wasn't always so. In her thorough and entertaining tour of the "golden age" of rap from 1987 to 1996, McQuillar takes us back to a time when the music voiced the social and political concerns of inner-city youth, reflected their hopes and dreams for the future, and strove to inspire positive social change. When Rap Music Had a Conscience gives us the A's - to - Z's of major groups and artists, from Arrested Development to YZ, of this creative and socially conscious age. Broadening its outlook on the culture, the book discusses the interactions of rap music with literature, film and fashion. Finally, it delves into the socio-political dimensions of Hip-Hop in the golden age, exploring the influence of events from the L. A. riots to the unearthing of the oldest human remains in Kenya, to paint a rich and fascinating picture of rap music and its diverse contexts and consequences.