DVS Mindz

In DVS Mindz, Harkness tells the birth, life, and afterlife of a musical group in a way that is uncommon in hip hop studies, touching on some of the same narrative arcs that animate the biographies of successful musicians, but from the perspective of a group who was poised for a kind of success that never came. It's a remarkable project. -- Justin D. Burton, author of <i>Posthuman Rap</i> Weaving together compelling and absorbing stories, Harkness presents a vastly understudied aspect of aspirational culture in the United States—the idea that hard work, in and of itself, does not guarantee or lead to success. And failure isn't always a step towards success, as it is often pitched. -- Joseph Ewoodzie Jr., author of <i>Getting Something to Eat in Jackson: Race, Class, and Food in the American South</i>, winner of the 2021 C. Wright Mills Award Readers interested in Midwest hip-hop should enjoy this book. * Library Journal * The moments that happen pre- and post-band — stories of family, heartache, substance abuse and redemption — prove just as compelling as the backstage antics. * Kansas City Star * Harkness chronicles the rise, fall, and reemergence of this Topeka group. * Topeka Magazine * DVS Mindz is a book that we need a lot more of, in hip hop and other genres. Yes, we need to document and discuss the huge musical acts in big cities who reach millions of people and become part of the pop lexicon that we all share, but we also need to document the overlooked stories in pop music in smaller cities. * Scratched Vinyl *