Cobb

I give up, Cobb. Every time I try to post something I get: "Your comment was denied for questionable content. "

That happens sometimes when your IP address doesn't translate well through Movable Type. Rest assured that it's not interpreting your words. Email them to me and I'll insure that they get through.

I like Paul Beatty , Latasha Diggs, Terrance Hayes, Willie Perdomo, Holly Bass ,Victor Lavalle , Saul Williams, Thomas Sayers Ellis , Major Jackson , Kyle Dargan , Tyehimba Jess, Sharan Strange just to name a few. These are the writers i look to as holders of the torch when it comes to what is being called "Hip hop literature". They are writers who take their craft seriously and demonstrate such by careful study of the tradition of african american letters.
What the publishing industry has packaged as hip hop literature, neither capture the "true" aesthetic and craft eleemnts of hip hop , nor is it worthy to be called literature.

I've got you linked, man. As a matter of fact, you're Bloglined and have been for quite a while. You know how it is, I'm a reader, but I'm always in the background. As for the best Hip Hop author, that's a good question. As I don't read a lot of books (I'm more online and reading from the computer than anything) but I do have to say that this year, Jeff Chang's Can't Stop, Won't Stop is my book of the moment. Other ones that I continuously vibe to online are Lynne D. Johnson, and Oliver Wang who has published works that I would recommend, just on the strength of his blog and I'm hoping to delve in a little more.