Dr. Todd Boyd pens book honoring the enduring legacy of hip-hop culture

Last year, the world paused to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop music and culture. From its humble beginnings, the genre has evolved from a rose that grew from concrete to a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to expand in its impact and influence. Few understand the scope of hip-hop’s reach like Dr. Todd Boyd. Known as The Notorious Ph.D, Dr. Boyd is the Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race and Popular Culture and Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is also a Detroit native and one of the most recognizable faces in any documentary about hip-hop music and culture — aided in part by his affinity for unique eyewear. “Hey, I’m from Detroit where people rock Buffs — so I have to keep it fresh,” he says. With his new coffee table book, Rapper’s Deluxe: How Hip-Hop Made the World, Dr. Boyd celebrates the evolution of the culture with a book made especially for grown and sexy hip-hop heads. With a price point of about $60, Rapper’s Deluxe is as much a status symbol as it is a stroll down memory lane. It is also a...