A Beautiful Mind: Black Male Intellectual Identity and Hip-Hop Culture

In a field like hip-hop, where written and verbal communication are the two primary forms of work production, the mind or intellect of the artist should be viewed as the very thing responsible for success. However, unlike other writing-intense fields, the mind of hip-hop artists is often the least valued and least lauded trait. Hip-hop artists, whether they realize it or not, have more to offer. They are more than the things that they possess. They are writers. They are thinkers. This article examines intellectualism in hip-hop music-its presence, shortcomings, and ultimate value.