Bronx Biannual is the most important literary journal in the hiphop nation. Founded in 2006, the journal was initially created as a space for fiction, essays and poetry from writers of the hiphop media who were feeling confined by the limited legroom of the rap press for certain types of work.

In its two volumes to date, Bronx Biannual has already published fiction from many great voices of hiphop cultural criticism, including authors Greg Tate, Michael A. Gonzales, Donnell Alexander, Adam Mansbach and Kenji Jasper. With an empathetic ear for a particular generational aesthetic, Bronx Biannual also supports the work of talented, previously unpublished voices such as kelly a. abel, Reginald Lewis and Natasha Labaze. There will be ten volumes in all.

NY Press raves that Bronx Biannual “includes fine hiphop generation writers who capture more of the Bronx-born culture’s true essence than a year’s subscription to The Source,” while Library Journal claims it’s “one of the most original and lively short fiction publications of the last several years.”

The journal is published just about biannually by Akashic Books, an acclaimed independent publishing house based (ironically) in Brooklyn, New York.

Bronx Biannual Issue 3 will be available in late 2008, featuring writers Darius James, Marcia Jones, Ernest Hardy and many more, interspersed by a captivating Harlem photo series from Melinda James-Lewis.

Bronx Biannual Issue 2 Inspired by monocle-rocking New Yorker magazine mascot Eustace Tilley, the cover of Issue 2 sports a blunt-smoking B-boy illustrated by artist Chesiel John. Author Sheree Renée Thomas takes us to the depths of Hell, D. Scot Miller sucks us into a graffiti mural (spoiler alert), Michael A. Gonzales returns with a tale of tolerance in the jazz age, and Liza Jessie Peterson guards the legacy of Zora Neale Hurston. You won’t want to miss the in-depth interview with blackface minstrel rapper Ace Boon Coon and fiction by Carol Taylor, Bahiyyih Davis, Miles Marshall Lewis, Sun Singleton, t’ai freedom ford, SékouWrites, kelly a. abel, Kenji Jasper and Jerry A. Rodriguez. Poetic reflections on New Orleans and Haiti are offered up by Staceyann Chin and Natasha Labaze, respectively. Full table of contents Read an excerpt — “The Story of My Hair” by Bahiyyih Davis Buy this issue from Amazon.com Buy an autographed copy of this issue

Bronx Biannual Issue 1 The collector’s item debut of Bronx Biannual showcases prose-stylist journalism from author Caille Millner assaying Korean entrepreneurialism in the black hair-care market, a Jewish DJ spinning Eric B. & Rakim at a Bar Mitzvah, a grown man browsing for green plastic army men and an essay by KRS-One (yes) on the nature of Christ consciousness. Furthermuckin’ speculative fiction by Greg Tate is also featured alongside writers Dana Crum, Michael A. Gonzales, Ferentz Lafargue, Adam Mansbach, muMs, Donnell Alexander, Reginald Lewis, Federico Anderson and Michael C. Ladd. Full table of contents Read an excerpt — “Risk, Taking” by Adam Mansbach Buy this issue from Amazon.com Buy an autographed copy of this issue