"The lyrical exuberance of poet and playwright Hodge has been showcased on stage and on screen ... The double meaning of her first collection allude to the speaker in Hodge's poems having relationships with figureheads of hip-hop, from well-known rappers to broke-down hustlers, and having grown up during the genre's golden age. But Hodge backs away from nostalgia and instead confronts the frustrating difficulty of coming-of-age as a black woman in America. She leverages the severe weight of misfortune through innovative, unforgettable language ('we had a fire in the house / everything curled into damage'), and unexpected imagery ('His thoughts are ivory that protrude from the center / of his head'). In 'Drake questions the deceased, Vegas, ' Hodge transports twenty-first century R&B icon Drake to the site of Tupac's murder in Sin City, delivering a devastating homage: 'if you had been taught fame / was a hate crime against black men, / would you have still stepped in the booth?'"–Booklist
"Cleverly shifting hip-hop's traditionally masculine focus, Hodge underscores the overlooked stories of women via persona poems ripe with color and sharp imagery. The strength of her speakers' voices are particularly noteworthy in the first-person poems, the women loving the voices of the men who surround them, but standing powerfully on their own. She also makes reference to anonymous working mothers and notable women and girls such as Erykah Badu, Kelis, and Blue Ivy Carter. Hodge's impressive sense of line control and allusions to the genre may remind readers of Ntozake Shange. Despite the dated of the title, this is a timely collection."–Publishers Weekly
"Ultimately, this is a book that begs to be read over and over, like a favorite album that you play morning 'til night, until you know the lyrics, secret messages, and hard-won insights as intimately as you know your own beating heart. Dated Emcees is another gem from one of Oakland's best."–KQED, San Francisco
"In her new collection Dated Emcees, Hodge plays tour guide while leading the reader through scenes of treachery, regret, and short-lived enchantment. These poems contain the voices of violent and desperate communities where rapping or playing ball are the only means of escape. &helilp; In many of the poems we're being told about emcees by an emcee. Hodge is not just a potential character in these poems, but a master of ceremonies and harbinger of music."–Derrick Harriell, Los Angeles Review of Books
"Dated Emcees, the debut book of poetry by Chinaka Hodge, is a rich and mouthwatering treat for those of us brought up and still in love with the sweetness of hip-hop. These tight and playful poems about breakups and breakbeats (written with superb line breaks) have the lyrical swagger of a young Wanda Coleman. Even the book's title has a double meaning: Dated emcees who are no longer relevant and literal emcees she once dated. In 'life is good' Hodge writes, 'before i peeled off the vow / left not a gotdamned thing / in that house of yours / save your chiffon dear john / i did put it on once more / stared down the door / told myself if you beat sun up / maybe we can talk / i watched a pale green sky clap dawn into queens / put on my boyfriend jeans / and / left.' The collection also features many layered metaphors, incorporating lyrics from various rap songs over the years–a treat for those familiar with such legends as Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. Hodge is developing a style all her own, both solemn and celebratory. To paraphrase Digable Planets, she's cool like that."–Amber Tamblyn, BUST Magazine
"Dated Emcees moves beyond the fun of its title's dual conceit and into a fierce exploration of racial and
