Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole blazed paths that salvaged socially conscious rap at a pivotal time in history.

Conscious rap, a subgenre of hip-hop music that engages in dialogue about social and political issues and often challenges systems of oppression, ascended with pioneers like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest, and other acts at the helm. But in recent decades, it lost much of its favor in pop culture and mainstream hip-hop.

Jeremy C. McCool and Earl Hopkins explore the evolution of the subgenre and chronicle the rise of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. The two rappers are synonymous with chart-topping hits and platinum-selling albums, but their confessional poetry and soul-stirring lyrics establish them as the two biggest names in conscious rap within the new millennia.

While many new artists have abandoned the subgenre in exchange for music trends linked to instantaneous success and acclaim, Cole and Lamar have preserved the lyrical prowess and revolutionary spirit of their hip-hop forefathers. They tackle issues such as drug addiction, poverty, systemic racism, and domestic violence while still appealing to mainstream audiences. McCool and Hopkins provide a fascinating look into Lamar and Cole’s ascension: their humble upbringings, their past personal and musical challenges, and their eventual rise to becoming the two most prolific rap artists of their time.