Everything Must Go
- 100 pages
- 4 hours of reading
Award-winning poet Kevin Coval and graphic artist Langston Allston bare witness to the effects of gentrification in a Chicago neighborhood.
BreakBeat PoetsSeries
This series offers a vibrant and dynamic collection of poetry, deeply rooted in the aesthetic and spirit of hip-hop. It focuses on showcasing exciting contemporary voices, bringing fresh perspectives to the page. The books serve as a cipher for new trends, always looking toward the next wave of literary and cultural expression.
Recommended Reading Order
Too Much Midnight
- 120 pages
- 5 hours of reading
Krista Franklin's work emerges at the intersection of poetics, popular culture, and the dynamic histories of the African Diaspora. Krista lives in Chicago, IL.
The Breakbeat Poets Vol. 4
- 225 pages
- 8 hours of reading
A BreakBeat Poets anthology that opposes silence and re-mixes the soundtrack of the Latinx diaspora across diverse poetic traditions.
Build Yourself a Boat
- 72 pages
- 3 hours of reading
Build Yourself a Boat redefines the language of collective and individual trauma through lyric and memory.
Citizen Illegal
- 69 pages
- 3 hours of reading
Citizen Illegal is a revealing portrait of life as a first generation immigrant, a celebration of Chicano joy, a shout against erasure, and a vibrant re-imagining of Mexican American life.
The Breakbeat Poets
- 350 pages
- 13 hours of reading
A first-of-its-kind anthology of hip-hop poetica written for and by the people.
Black Queer Hoe
- 55 pages
- 2 hours of reading
A refreshing, unapologetic intervention into ongoing conversations about the line between sexual freedom and sexual exploitation.Black Queer Hoe is a refreshing, unapologetic intervention into ongoing conversations about the line between sexual freedom and sexual exploitation.Women’s sexuality is often used as a weapon against them. In this powerful debut, Britteney Black Rose Kapri lends her unmistakable voice to fraught questions of identity, sexuality, reclamation, and power, in a world that refuses Black Queer women permission to define their own lives and boundaries.
Continues and deepens the work of the first BreakBeat Poets anthology by focusing on some of the most exciting Black women writing today. This anthology breaks up the myth of hip-hop as a boys' club, and asserts the truth that the cypher is a feminine form. --From publisher description
On My Way to Liberation
- 28 pages
- 1 hour of reading
Exploring the journey of a gender nonconforming individual in Chicago, this book highlights the everyday experiences of trans people often overlooked in a cisnormative society. Through various settings—from sex shops to family gatherings—H. Melt crafts a vision of a future where trans individuals are embraced and valued. The narrative emphasizes the importance of visibility and respect, aiming to inspire a transformative dialogue around trans liberation and belonging.
A People's History of Chicago
- 152 pages
- 6 hours of reading
Celebrating the hidden history of Chicago, this work channels the spirit of Howard Zinn through the lens of poetry. Kevin Coval, recognized as the "Best Chicago Poet" by The Chicago Reader, explores the city's rich and often overlooked narratives, weaving together themes of social justice and cultural identity. His unique voice brings to life the stories of those who have shaped Chicago, offering readers a profound connection to the city's past and present.
Can I Kick It?
- 100 pages
- 4 hours of reading
Award-winning poet and playwright Idris Goodwin interrogates and remixes our cultural past in order to make sense of our present and potential futures.
