From Malcolm X to the Wu Tang Clan, the first in-depth account of this fascinating black power movement

With a cast of characters ranging from Malcolm X to 50 Cent, Knight’s compelling work is the first detailed account of the movement inextricably linked with black empowerment, Islam, New York, and hip-hop. Whether discussing the stars of Five Percenter rap or 1980s crack empires, this fast-paced investigation uncovers the community’s icons and heritage, and examines its growing influence in urban American youth culture.With a cast of characters ranging from Malcolm X to 50 Cent, Knight's compelling work is the first detailed account of the movement inextricably linked with black empowerment, Islam, New York, and hip-hop. Since their beginning as a cluster of outcasts from the Nation of Islam's Harlem mosque in the 1960s, the story of the Five Percenters has been charged with drama and controversy. Spanning prison revolts, Brooklyn turf gangs and 1980s crack empires, this fast-paced investigation uncovers the community's history, icons, and heritage, and examines its growing influence in urban American youth culture and hip hop.

"Knight does an excellent job of presenting the movement’s founders, belief system and its history as seen by the people who live it." - Monsters and Critics