Table Of ContentCHRONICLING
STANKONIA
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Chronicling
Stankonia
The Rise of the hip-hop SouTh
Regina n. BRadley
The UniversiTy of norTh Carolina Press Chapel Hill
This book was published with the assistance of the Fred W. Morrison Fund of the University of
North Carolina Press.
© 2021 The University of North Carolina Press
All rights reserved
Set in Chaparral and Chronic by Westchester Publishing Ser vices
Manufactured in the United States of Amer i ca
The University of North Carolina Press has been a
member of the Green Press Initiative since 2003.
Library of Congress Cataloging-i n- Publication Data
Names: Bradley, Regina N., 1984– author.
Title: Chronicling Stankonia : the rise of the hip- hop South /
Regina N. Bradley.
Description: Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, 2021. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: lccn 2020022370 | isbn 9781469661957 (cloth : alk. paper) |
isbn 9781469661964 (paperback : alk. paper) | isbn 9781469661971 (ebook)
Subjects: lcsh: Rap ( Music)— Social aspects— Southern States. | Rap
( Music)— Southern States— History and criticism. | Hip- hop— Southern
States. | African Americans— Race identity— Southern States. | OutKast
(Musical group)
Classification: lcc ml3918.r37 b715 2021 | ddc 782.4216490975— dc23
lc rec ord available at https:// lccn . loc . gov / 2020022370
Cover illustration: Chronicling Stankonia by Stacey A. Robinson. Used by permission of the
artist.
Chapter 3 was previously published in a dif er ent form as “Re- Imagining Slavery in the
Hip- Hop Imagination,” south: a scholarly journal 49, no. 1 (Fall 2016): 3–24.
For Eugene and Sara Barnett, who made it cool to be southern
For Roy, the truly OutKasted one
And, as always, for Ayana Siera
In Loving Memory:
Reginald K. Barnett, my Daddy,
who taught me music and friendship is essential to the soul
Terrell Anthony Warrior, the original playa with game
Marco Mason, who showed me why they don’t dance no mo’
Larry “DJ Shock” Sanders, who was truly cooler
than a polar bear’s toenails
Bend corners like I was a curve, I struck a nerve
And now you bout to see this southern playa serve
. . .
— Big Boi, “ATLiens”
CONTENTS
Acknowl edgments ix
introduction
The Mountaintop Ain’t Flat 1
1 The Demo Tape Ain’t Nobody Wanna Hear 19
2 Spelling Out the Work 39
3 Reimagining Slavery in the Hip- Hop
Imagination 61
4 Still Ain’t Forgave Myself 81
a final note
The South Still Got Something to Say 99
Notes 103
Bibliography 111
Index 115
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ACKNOWL EDGMENTS
Acknowl edgments are always the hardest thing for me to write
because I’m southern, community is every thing, and I wanna thank
er’body who has ever gave me a smile, a nod, a hug, or small word of
support! I’ma try though. I want to thank Albany, GA, the ’Bany, the
city fighting to prove why it’s still got good life and lives, for their
support and love throughout my entire life. Shout- out to my ’Bany
family: Doris Cross, Henretta Benson, Aileen Harris, Stephanie
Harris- Jolly, Woody and Jeanette Givens, Susie Beach, Gloria
Anderson, Charity Anderson, Suzy Seay, GQ Wallace, Shirley Vaughn,
my Hines Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church family,
Farris and Obzeine Shorter, Dee Luke, Warren Luke Sr., my Albany
State University family (I love you Stephanie Hankerson! Ram Fam we
run this show!!), Velsenna King, Andrea Towns, Curnesia Bogans,
my cuzzo Elizabeth Mitchell, the dean Ontario Wooden, and them
Dunlap guhs Cheremie, Chelcie, Chenae, and Charlene and Patricia
Dunlap. I love you Leslie Givens, Charles King Jr., Angelica Fowler-
King, Tara Bell, Corbin King, Archie Fowler, Melanie Shorter- Jones,
Kanese Rachel, Rashaunda Flemming, Dwan Ashe, Kameelah Martin,
Greg Mitchell, Arkesia Jenkins, Booker Jones, Toussaint Hill, Ron
Simmons, Andrea Avery, André Mitchell, Bradford Gamble, Jasmyne
Walker, Erin Menefee, Arrica King, Ashley Scott, Yoshi Dunn, and Arin
Harper. A heartfelt “Aaaaaaaaaye” to my Georgia OTP (Outside the
Perimeter) squad ’cause we outchea!: them Valdosta boys Trent James
and Selwyn James; Geniquiya Meredith, Sandra Meredith, Melody
Keeton, Sarah Hall, Rosa and Larry Burrus, Erika Estrada, Jabari Ben,
Robert “Blue” Williams, Chris Jones, Nikk Nelson, Cullen Carson,
Foster Carson, Albert Whitehead, Seymore Harrison, Charles Davis,
and Randy Williams. I wouldn’t be here without my personal Dungeon
Family, my ATL kinfolk Birgitta Johnson, Brandon Manning, Leroy
Thompson IV, Justin Hosbey, Sam Arnold, Charlotte Arnold, Derek
Arnold, Gabrielle Fulton- Ponder, Danielle Deadwyler, Charlotte
Conner, Robert Miller, Aurielle Lucier, Terence Turner, Joan Collier,
Kym Wallace, Carl Manson, the Bottom of the Map podcast squad
“Super Producer” Floyd Hall, Stephen “Major” Key, Christina “Young
Savage” Lee, Je- Anne Berry, Ayanna “Shortcake” Taylor, Christine
Dempsey, John Haas, Fahamu Pecou, Charles Nichols, Craig Bogle,
ix
