Wax Poetics Anthology, Vol. 1 [$39.95]

The earliest issues of beat diggers’ bible Wax Poetics are nearly as coveted as the vinyl records the magazine’s writers obsess over. The magazine isn’t just about samples used in hip-hop, though. It pays reverent homage to the musicians behind the sounds, whether legends or humble session musicians. The shiny new hardcover tome Wax Poetics Anthology, Vol. 1 collects articles from the first five issues of the magazine. It gives subscribers and newcomers another chance to read smart interviews and features that look through the lens of hip-hop at the diverse world of music that stands as its foundation.