Hip Hop Family Tree 1975-1983 Gift Box Set

To celebrate the resounding critical and commercial success of the first two volumes of Ed Piskor's unprecedented history of Hip Hop, we are offering the two books, volumes 1 and 2 of the series, in a mind-blowingly colorful slipcase, drawn and designed by the artist. As if that's not enough, in addition to the two books and the slipcase itself, Piskor has drawn a 24-page comic book - Hip Hop Family Tree #300 - specifically for this boxed set that elegantly reflects the confluence of hip hop and comics, which was never more apparent in the early 1990s than with the famous Spike Lee-directed Levi Jeans commercial starring Rob Liefeld, who went on to create Youngblood and co-found Image Comics, not to mention ending up on the radar of gangster rapper Eazy E. Piskor tells this story as a perfect parody/pastiche/homage to '90s Image comics.

“"Whether you were there when it was happening or not, this is a book which will unfold a rich universe of music history and all the knock-on effects of it too. With the warmth and immediacy only a true fan could impart, Piskor tells the ongoing history of Hip Hop in these lovingly crafted volumes."”

Action-packed, fun and funny.-- "Seattle Times"
Ed Piskor is the sh#t!!
--De La Soul
Gripping.-- "NPR"
An avid lover of hip-hop music and superhero comic books from a young age, Ed Piskor has combined his two passions to create a remarkable reading experience... Hip Hop Family Tree imagines real-world events through the filter of 1980s Marvel Comics, bringing hip-hop visionaries to the page in a style that exaggerates their energy and style to capture the intensity of the music without having the beats.-- "The A.V. Club"
Being in an Ed Piskor comic is cool enough to freeze hot water.--Fab Five Freddy
Ed Piskor's Hip Hop Family Tree is nothing short of rigorous. The cartoonist streamlines a tangle of facts and figures into a cohesive history of America's most subversive art form. The project showcases the power and versatility of the medium...--Sean Edgar "Paste"
If you love hip-hop and comic books, you're likely already following Ed Piskor's series Hip Hop Family Tree over at Boing Boing. Still, even if you are a loyal reader with an intimate familiarity with classic rap culture, the new box set from Fantagraphics Books is well worth the price of admission. Gathering together Ed's first two collected volumes, covering the events of 1975 through 1983, along with a bonus 24-page comic created exclusively for this set, it's the perfect marriage of retro art, old school hip-hop and good, ol' fashioned research.--Z. "GeekDad"
The amount of research and history Piskor packs into this book is mind boggling.-- "The Huffington Post"
The closest thing to time travel that you'll be able to give this year is this boxed set featuring the first two volumes of cartoonist Ed Piskor's Hip Hop Family Tree tomes from Fantagraphics. Packaged with an exclusive 24-page book that explores the connection between hip hop and comics culture, these volumes chronicle how rap music rose from the underground to the mainstream between 1975 and 1983.--Chris Cummins "Den of Geek"
These stories are carefully researched and detailed along with great comic book style art...-- "The Source"
This is the comic of all time.--Biz Markie
When cartoonist Ed Piskor decided to unspool the labyrinth history of one of America's greatest artistic accomplishments, he spared no effort to immerse his readers in the era of jump suits and scarred vinyl. Everything in Hip Hop Family Tree screams nostalgia: the Ben-Day dots, the sepia discoloration...even the print feels course and pulpy, like a priceless cultural artifact unearthed in a garage sale or your dad's basement. Flipping through the oversized pages, you can almost hear the slap bass, horn swells, and ricocheting rhymes of hip-hop's inaugural years.--Sean Edgar "Paste"

Ed Piskor (1982-2024) was the New York Times bestselling creator of Hip Hop Family Tree and X-Men: Grand Design as well as the co-conspirator behind the YouTube channel sensation, Cartoonist Kayfabe.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.