Did you know Missy Elliott was originally in a girl group called Sista? Or that E-40 published his own dictionary of Bay slang? Like me, you might think you're up on your hip hop knowledge, but The Rough Guide to Hip-Hop has factoids that will be news to all but the most jaded of heads. Covering everyone from Man Parrish to David Banner to Rammellzee, Coolio to Cash Money, this chunky reference is a sureshot for permanent residence on your bookshelf (or bathroom reading rack). Features partial and suggested discographies for hundreds of artists, plus additional info boxes with titles like "Roots of the Daisy Age" and "Beefs." As is the case with these Rough Guides, the writing can feel a little stodgy sometimes (and the photo captions are among the worst things we've ever seen) but there's no doubt the authors know their history. Loads of pictures and cover art, too. 400+ pages.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red