According to my research, since the 1990s hip hop and rap have become the most prevalent topics for African American popular music research, surpassing the number of studies on blues and jazz. The majority of studies are autobiographical and biographical profiles, histories and surveys, and works focusing on regional and global perspectives, and the intersection of hip hop and rap. However, many interesting studies also have developed from a variety of disciplines and issues, including literature, music, history, sociology and politics, with significant emphasis on issues of gender, identity and representation. Because few scholarly works were published on the pioneers of hip hop culture or rap music before the 1990s, selected articles on these topics from more popular print media are included throughout the bibliography. Most articles are concise and focus on the life, career and controversies surrounding an artist or group. Their inclusion enables scholars to ascertain the research methods and topics most important to early observers of hip hop culture and rap music.