Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Signifying Monkey (1988)
This breakthrough piece of Black literary theory lays out a complex but very interesting framework for analyzing African-American literature through history. Gates promotes the idea of signifyin' as a way to understand Black humor and Black identity in literature.
Richard L. Schur, Parodies of Ownership: Hip-Hop Aesthetics and Intellectual Property Law (2009)
Schur's deep dive into cultural appropriation, Black ownership of music, and contemporary racial problems offers a great analysis of "Can I Kick It?"
Shawn Taylor, A Tribe Called Quest's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (2007)
Part of the fantastic 33 1/3 series, this little book provides background detail on the creation and significance of A Tribe Called Quest's classic debut album, as well as some very personal anecdotes from the author.