Hamilton: An American Musical, simply known as Hamilton, is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Inspired by the 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, the show's music draws heavily from hip hop, as well as R&B, pop, soul, and traditional-style show tunes; the show also casts non-white actors as the Founding Fathers and other historical figures.