Raquel Z. Rivera, New York Ricans from the Hip-Hop Zone

Abstract

In an interview with Raquel Z. Rivera by David Muhammad entitled “Rican-structing History,” Rivera expresses her frustration with the way rap music was received in Puerto Rico. She states: “even though rap music was very popular in the island, it wasn’t being taken seriously” (http://www.allhiphop.com/features/?ID=558). This overall frustration led her to document the youth cultural scene in Puerto Rico and the prejudices that surrounded rap music on the island. According to Rivera, one significant prejudice was connected to the notion that rap music is foreign to the island, which, in turn, led to its unpopularity there. In any case, Rivera sought to quiet the critics by looking at Hip-Hop’s history and realized that New York Ricans were an integral part in the formation of Hip-Hop.