Beatboxing

Book excerpt: From Mike Tyson to Tupac, from Roy Jones Jr. to J. Prince... Step into a world of rap moguls turned fight promoters, boxers turned rappers, and rappers turned boxers. Daryl McDonald of the iconic rap group Run-D.M.C once argued that Muhammad Ali's "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" was hip-hop's most famous lyric. Ali's poetic brilliance, ignited by cornerman and hype man Drew "Bundini" Brown, supplied the template for how hip-hop artists forged their identities and performed their art. Ali's influence on hip-hop culture is undeniable. Hip-hop's impact on boxing, on the other hand, has yet to be explored. Until Now. In Beatboxing: How Hip-Hop Changed the Fight Game, Todd Snyder uncovers the unique connection between hip-hop and the Sweet Science, tracing a grassroots cultural movement from its origins in the South Bronx to its explosion across the globe and ultimately into the charged environment of the prize ring. Presented thematically, the stories in this collection focus on the fighters and rappers who forever transformed both worlds. From Mike Tyson to Tupac, from Roy Jones Jr. to J. Prince, Snyder digs deep into the lyrics, personalities, and fights that drove these subcultures together. Step into a world of rap moguls turned fight promoters, boxers turned rappers, and rappers turned boxers. Explore how a cultural collision altered the relationship between popular music, race, sports, and politics. In Beatboxing, Snyder shows both how boxing has been shaped by hip-hop and how boxing continues to inspire hip-hop artists in the United States and abroad. Featuring interviews with champion fighters and music legends, Beatboxing serves as the definitive book about an unheralded yet enduring cultural bond. It's a must-read for boxing and hip-hop fans alike.