5 comments about Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: Wangstas, Wiggers, Wannabes, and the New Reality of Race in America.

1. *sigh*... I'm always on the lookout for books about hip-hop (as a music form, culture, and generation) as it relates to American culture. More specifically, I'm interested in the social ramifications of the culture as a whole. Thus, when I was given this book by a friend, I was hoping for a good social science read. Unfortunately, I was highly dismayed, finding this particular selection to be a sloppily written manuscript with virtually no empirical evidence anywhere.
   
   For much of this book, the author makes vague statements which are supposed to be evidence (I.E. - "First and foremost among the reasons white kids love hip-hop is the growing sense of alienation from mainstream American life they experienced in the 1980s") but then makes little or no effort to show proof of such theories. This is discouraging.
   
   What makes matters worse is that the author later goes on to dismiss the limited evidence that does exist showing whites are the dominant purchasers of hip-hop albums, and instead of inserting evidence which shows otherwise, he launches into page upon page of bizarre hypothesis' for potential ways blacks might still be the majority purchasers (ironically mentioning bootleg CDs). Ultimately I grew tired of reading his writing which became increasingly less academic.
   
   His "expert" sources are also questionable - while at times he does move towards legitmate figures in the hip-hop community - I felt he vastly stretched for some of the opinions gathered for this book. For instance, I seriously wonder whether it was wise to include a very long section on a 19 year-old white female for who "hip-hop has been mainstream culture" for her entire life. Her priciple credits for being mentioned appear to be that she once dated a black guy, doesn't mind the b-word, and got hooked on hip-hop when she heard "Hypnotize" while developing film. I was not impressed.
   
   If you are looking for an actual intelligent and informed book on hip-hop, please look elsewhere. Reading this, you'll mainly come away with disjointed personal theories of the author, as well as numerous plugs for THE SOURCE magazine.
   
   1/5 Stars



2. I think that the issue Kitwana attempts to explore in Why White Kids Love Hip-Hop is interesting. But his approach to taking on this topic was both sloppy and simplistic. It starts in the preface, where he says that the hip-hop generation (which in reality covers two generations) is the first one to grow up without experiencing de facto segregation. I'm sure that White suburbanites in Scarsdale and Orange County would be interested in knowing that there are phantom people of color floating around their communities.
   
   Kitwana also overemphasizes the impact of hip-hop on the emergence of African Americans in popular culture and their impact on young Whites during the 1980s and 1990s. He concentrates so much on Michael Jordan and his first Nike ads with Spike Lee that he forgets about Dr. J, Mean Joe Green, and a host of others that paved the road for Jordan in the first place.
   
   But Kitwana's biggest error is in glossing over the distance between Whites embracing hip-hop culture and Whites living anti-racist, social justice oriented lives. Like John Tuturro's character in Do the Right Thing, there are at least as many Whites who are hip-hop lovers but have as stereotypical an opinion of Blacks and other people of color as Whites who listen to honky-tonk. I don't that everything Kitwana says in Why White Kids Love Hip Hop is incorrect -- his book is just selectively incomplete.



3. Why White Kids Love Hip Hop by Bakari Kitwana is a very well-written book which discusses why white kids, even upper-middle class and upper-class ones, love hip hop, specifically its musical component. I believe Bakari Kitwana puts a completely new spin on this question due to his clear enjoyment and understanding of hip-hop. He is able to look at hip-hop with less prejudice than many authors who have attempted to tackle this question. Kitwana uses convincing reasoning, such as whites' decreasing sense of racial privilege, and strong opinions to advance his arguments on why white kids love hip-hop.
   I recommend this eloquent book to any hip-hop enthusiasts especially those interested in the question "why do white kids love hip-hop?" Not to say that this book is by any means perfect, Kitwana has his own unique set of prejudices like anyone and he has a tendency to belittle the work of some less hardcore hip-hop fans. Overall it is a wonderful book, a true must-read in my opinion. This is an adult book but it is not terribly long or difficult to read and while it does feature some necessary racial epithets it doesn't uselessly throw around foul language. A great book for the avid hip-hop listener or anyone who has ever wondered just why white kids love hip-hop.



4. Why do some white kids like hip hop? probably the same reasons why children have tried to shock their parents for ages. Hip hop (what a name)is the product of cultural nihilism, a direct result of the black underclass which seeks to return to the "good old days" of blaming whitey. After all it's whitey who told us are BAD-so Bad we will act.
   So there you have it, instead of Black Americans working hard to become successful, many prefer to follow a congo beat while fondling their fake bling-bling while watching underclothed women gyrate their rotund bodies.
   Those writers who claim that hip-hop is another culture whites want to steal are delusional at best. When I'm stopped at a stoplight and the car next to me is shaking with a loud bass, all I can think of is: "thank God I lack their culture"!
   But let's think about this! Remember the days when the world "culture" actually meant something. If one studies the culture of the Greeks or Romans we see a the long history of a particular society. A history built on art, language, law, philosophy, religion,music, architecture and myth. Hilarious enough, the so-called hiphop culture began with a myth:"the myth that poor latinos and blacks created hiphop out of nothing: (this was a direct quote from a misguided latina at an education conference at UNC.
   And the myth continues, according to another site, the author claims that hiphop is instrumental in making social/cultural changes in the larger society.
   A recent hiphop conference (pretending to be a political entity) presented the (world),or at least their "hood" with a list of demands, including full reparations for blacks, free education, free health care, all in a beligerant and hostile "gimme" tone.
   The angry person who referred to me as an idiot may need to remember the words of the rapper Tony Yayo who raps:" I'm in that brand new range:when I pull up, kid, I turn your brains into red concrete stains." I ask you-and others-is this a culture-or is it verbal poison?



5. You're an idiot. It would literally take me 3 days to write about how wrong you are. So instead I'll paraphrase for your simple, narrow mind.
   
   To say that hip hop is all about blaming whitey over a congo beat might be the most ignorant thing I have ever heard. HIP HOP is a culture, RAP is a genre of music. You are referring to RAP, not hip hop. But even then, not all RAP is what you are describing. Also, if it was, what is wrong with blaming Whitey? You mean to tell me that artists shouldn't use music as a medium to spread a message? Was N.W.A wrong for telling the world about the aubsive LAPD in the late 80's/early 90's? Any way, I doubt you actually read the book, and if you did, your mind obviously is incapable of accepting black people outside of some bubble you have put them in. Grow up, wise up and get a clue.
   
   You're an idiot.

5 comments about Led Zeppelin: Dazed and Confused: The Stories Behind Every Song.

1. Led Zeppelin Dazed And Confused is a great guide to Led Zeppelin's songs. Its has all the stories behind the songs!
   It also has great pictures of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Boham, and John Paul Jones on mainly every page! I think this book will appeal to all Led Zeppelin fans!



2. Tends to "describe" or give his opinion about the songs rather than telling the story behind them. I can listen to the songs - I don't need to be told how great they are or how Plant's voice sounds on a particular number.
   
   A disappointment.



3. I was highly excited when i bought this book. I am a very obsessed Led Zeppelin fan and was looking forward to reading it after listening endlessly to all of their songs. If you are just starting with Zeppelin its a great book to read, but if you a huge long time fan, than i dont recommend that you buy it. I already knew most of the stuff they said and the author lacks in explaining the actual meaning of the songs. The 'analysis' is too short. Ramble On only has one paragraph!! I was disappointed...the author is telling me some lyrics and some instruments that are used..its purely not enough..you can learn more by going on the message boards at www.Led-Zeppelin.com..and trust me i have...



4. excellent read for any led zep fan. chris welch has done an
   excellent job. this is a must for your musical library.



5. I enjoyed this book because the photographs were clear . I also loved the details behind the songs. It makes listening to the music more intimate because you know the stories behind them. Well worth the price.

5 comments about Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G..

1. I am so glad that I read this book. This book glorified Biggie as a everyday fella not a superstar. How good of a person he was and what he did for others including the ones that hated on him, which were many.

   This book gave a first account on how he went for "ashy to classy" and how hard he tried to keep it once he found out that he really had talent for music rather than talent for selling crack.

   What I didn't know, but really didn't surprise me was how much of a playa Biggie was. He had his wife Faith, Lil' Kim and Charlie Baltimore and I am going to say that it was more than that. It bugged me out him and Faith never even spoke to each other when the saw each other on the night he died. I guess it is true that you never know that last time you may see someone for good.

   I love the loyalty of his true friends from St. James, mainly Lil' Cease. This book also showed you how grimey Lil' Kim really is. What devastated me that most was how his relationship between him and Tupac just crumbled over bullsh--, straight bullsh--. If you ask me my opinion and this is just my opinion, I think Tupac what just in the wrong place at the wrong place, just like the rest of his situations. Now, don't get me wrong that's my boy too, he just makes bad judgements, just like Biggie staying out in Cali, like everything was cool.

   Overall, this book was the best biography I ever read. It was straight up real, it made you feel as if Biggie was telling you the story of his life himself.

   Later!!!




2. A must read for anyone interested in the history of hip hop. Before I read it, I had only heard of the Notorious B.I.G. Now I feel as though I know him - personally.

   During the 90's, when gansta rap and the East coast vs. West coast fight broke out, I was too busy working on my Bachelor's and Master's degrees to pay much attention to anything else.
   I had also heard of Suge Knight and Sean Combs, but only from newspaper reports. Reading this book really filled in a lot of the details for me. Suge Knight is portrayed in a postive light as really caring for his artists and seeing to it that they were treated right. He became violent only when he thought that those artists were being taken advantage of, and that they (as well as he) were losing part of the money they were entitled to. I had always wondered what had prompted this violent streak of his. I remember the newspapers would only report the latest incidents, never try to explain them. The book also explains what it is, in fact, that Sean Combs does. I had always wondered: Is he a rapper? A producer? An executive? And, how did he amass so much money? Combs had always been a mystery to me. To some extent, he still is, but the book goes a long way toward solving this riddle too.

   This book explores many interesting puzzles like these and shows how intricate relationships within the hip hop community had become, even by the 90's. Biggie Smalls is portrayed as a flawed yet sympathetic character. At first, he's a child attending Catholic school in uniform, who feels different from all the others hanging out on the corner. His mother is a teacher, he's fatherless, and while not rich, he's by no means poor. His mother gets all the latest gear for him so he doesn't go out and get in trouble. As he grows older, however, the lure of quick profits grows stronger, so that by the time he's 16, he's dropped out of school and become a full-time crack dealer. The book wants us to believe this is so he can buy even more of the latest gear, and that he's never statisfied with what he's got. I'm not sure that that's the whole story, but surely his life was never as bleak as what he depicted later in some of his songs. One gets the feeling that somewhere along the line, something just isn't right - either with the world, or with Biggie. Then, once Biggie becomes a rap star, he says in the book that he never expected to, that rapping was just a hobby and that the profession he had actually chosen was that of the crack dealer. So, we're expected to believe that this rap star thing just happened as a fluke, and came just as much as a surprise to him as to the rest of the world. Maybe all this is so, but if it isn't, the book makes no alternative explanations, nor even attempts to. All we're left with, instead, is an incomplete portrayal of the man who would later become known as the Notorious BIG. All in all, despite the inadequacies in the portrayal, one is still able to admire and respect the genius and charisma of this man. This is both a tribute to the man and to the author. It makes us aware that even legends have character pitfalls, yet we're still able to remember and love them for who they were.




3. This book is Big as biggie smallz, i always respected Biggie smallz and i always wanted to know who really was Christopher wallace and when you read it you just fell pain for his mother, cause christopher was the son every mother want to have, this nigga could have done everything to see the people around him happy, when you read this you see how Biggie would never done nothing whrong to 2pac ,every hip hop fan have to buy this cause we all know many things about 2pac life but finally we don't know nothing about Biggie smalls , before reading this i was taking Big as the best flow hip hop will never had, after reading this book i thing that this fella was the realest hip hop will never have , i want to tell all the 2pac fan who take Biggie as the so called greatest to never forgot that 2pac has 6 lps before his death and Biggie got 2 only, this nigga was at the begining of his career and he was on his way to be the mike anyone jordan , jackson of hip hop!at the reading of this book you see that the 2 dearly legend of hip hop was two friend with nothing in common but with everything complementary, so enjoy cause this may not be the best biography i've read it's arleady one of the best ... it's 25 years full of love, pain, drugs,sex, guns , talent,women and many more!



4. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Book Review: The Life, Death, And Afterlife of Notorious Of Big
   
   By: Cheo Hodon Coker
   
   
   
   
   
   
   The Notorious B.I.G. aka "Biggie" has left the rap game in body, but his music lives
   
   on. Unbelievable; The life, death, and afterlife of The Notorious Big which was written
   
   By: Cheo Hodon Coker. I gave it a five star rating; because it gave a better
   
   understanding of Biggie problems and emotion that he faced on the streets of Brooklyn,
   
   New York to the Hills of Hollywood, California. Coker makes it clear that Biggie
   
   conquered the music industry with his street rhythms to win number of awards. Never
   
   the less he come short to explain why when Biggie saw his wife Faith they did not talk to
   
   each other for the last time.
   
   
   The book was a good Biography of Notorious Big. It rest; fill with a lot of street
   
   talking just as know Biggie to talk on a day to day bases. The book makes it seem as if
   
   McPherson 2
   
   
   
   
   Biggie was the person telling the story that how good the book is. It also explores a lot
   
   of interesting issues that not many people are willing to talk about. Biggie had attended
   
   Catholic School and getting a lot of things from his mother, who was a teacher, young
   
   Biggie did not have much to do.
   
   
   By the age of 16 he had dropped out of High School and had become a crack dealer.
   
   Coker often said in the book that biggie just wanted more. Sean Combs, a Music
   
   Producer, who pay Biggie money to stop selling crack. Biggie would not stop
   
   because he had just had a baby and the music was not giving him the money he wanted
   
   Combs one time had to went down south to get Biggie, because Biggie was down there
   
   selling crack. Biggie often says that he did not think that he could make it in the rap
   
   game.
   
   Then come the war "East Coast" VS "West Coast", which the Media put a lot of
   
   paper to the Fire and made it bigger. It ended up with the death of Tupac death, and then
   
   soon it would be Biggie turn.
   
   Over the entire book was a success I would recommend that people take out of there
   
   busy life and read this book, most of all the rappers in the music busy now. It would also
   
   help to stop the "Beefing" of rappers.



5. Coker has written a readable, entertaining, and comprehensive biography of the man who became, rather improbably, the greatest rapper of all time. Focusing on his life, his titanic talent, his character, and the intrinsic grace of his storytelling, this book does not dwell on the petty rivalries that engrossed the media and dominated most discussions about Biggie Smalls. This book is overwhelmingly positive; in fact, the author seems somewhat infatuated with the subject, and this is the only reason I do not give the book 5 stars. For instance, Coker does not dwell on how Biggie exaggerated the poverty and depravation of his childhood to a great degree. But overall it is a great book that gives a solid feel of the life and times of the King of N-Y, although it is a bit of a puff piece.

No comments about Taylor Swift (Blue Banner Biographies) (Blue Banner Biographies).

3 comments about Rap Attack 3.

1. "All music has a history, shameful or illustrious, but for a 14-year old chilling out in Playland, white nylon anorak with the hood pulled tight and maybe a pair of Nike kicks with the tongues pulled out, what matters in the mini-phones plugged into the Walkman (or one of its cheaper variants) is the post-NASA - Silicon Valley - Atari - TV Break Out - Taito - Sony - Roland - Linn - Oberheim - Lucas - Speilberg groove." That's David Toop on the "electro" music of the early '80s--just one of many subjects handled with real sensitivity and street smarts in _Rap Attack_, a classic text now in its third edition. A musician as well as a writer, Toop conveys the magnitude of hip hop's revolution in sound--combining the musique concrete of Edgar Varese with the urban frenzy of a Bronx social club at 2:00 a. m.--but also its verbal genius, a lineage extending from the griots of Northern Nigeria to "doin' the dozens" to Kool Keith. With a dry wit and the erudition of a walking pop-music encyclopedia, Toop tells the tale of the amazing homegrown phenomenon that by 1998 "had overtaken country music to become America's biggest-selling format."



2. This is a serious, thorough, warmly written book about a musical genre that until very recently was given short shrift by most music critics. Toop dived head-first into the subject and immersed himself in the history, culture and mythology of hip-hop. His enthusiasm is infectious. One of the best books about music I've read.



3. First published 1984, then with a few extra chapters. This was on publication essential reading and remains so. It combines a good account of hip Hop's formation and antecedents with a look at the contemporary scene..labels, artists and crews. It is particularly good for tracing themes within the culture and cross referencing them to earlier music. Well written, suitable for all ages with classic photos, every Hip Hop fan should own this.

5 comments about Have Gun Will Travel.

1. What should have been a fascinating book, at the very least as a voyeuristic experience, fails to deliver largely due to its poorly written pages. The text stumbles along from incomprehensible link to allusive derailment, making the mistake of huge chunks of repetitive material which inevitably detract from the fascinating subject matter. Perhaps more of an editng disaster than an author's failure.....at the heart of which lies a story deserving a more coherent telling.



2. Ronin Ro's "Have Gun Will Travel" is probably one of the most entertaining books ever written on the subject of Suge Knight's Death Row Records. However, a good deal of the information in this book should be taken with a grain of salt. Ro paints Knight as a thuggish bully who used violent tactics to extort his way into the music industry and helped create a feared "gang presence" behind the scenes at Death Row. It explores his partnership with Dr. Dre, a talented music producer who Knight pulled from rival Ruthless Records only to knock out of the picture when he was able to acquire an even-larger artist, Tupac Shakur. It goes into detail about the reported beatings of Dre production assistant, Sam Sneed and the infamous boat party where Warren G and his crew were assaulted. Ro tends to have a personal vendetta with some rappers, most noteably Tupac Shakur and DJ Quik. Shakur is written as a loud-mouthed, arrogant gangsta rapper who was falsely praised as a "revolutionary" because of his mother's fabricated past as a member of the Black Panthers. Quik is also written about in a less flattering way as Ro takes a biased look at his feud with MC Eiht, accussing him of hiding behind gang tactics and using violent threats while Eiht attempted to reconcile the problem. It fails to mention that Quik's diss record was a lyrical retaliation to a series of diss tracks called "Def Wish" where Eiht verbally punked Quik or that following the death of Biggie, Quik began recording positive anti-gang records including "You'z A Gangsta" where he made a call to end his problems with Eiht. Still, the star of the show, Suge Knight, takes the brunt of the beating in an editorial assault that makes Michael Moore's portrait of George W. Bush in "Farenheit 9/11" look kind in comparison. When he's not being accussed of assaulting record executives, promoting violence within the recording industry, or setting up rappers to be murdered, Knight's sexuality is also questioned as Ro explores a "supposed" homosexual relationship between Suge and his label's R&B crooner, Danny Boy, who is also his adopted son. If you were even a slight fan of West Coast rap music in the 90's, "Have Gun Will Travel" is one hell of an entertaining read, though most of its information is more "National Enquirer" than LA Times.



3. This book gives you an inside look at one of the most powerfull companies in history. Its not just contracts and courtrooms, its murder, shooting and violence. It keeps your interest from start to finish. You see what a true gangsta Suge Knight was, doing anything to get what he wanted. It covers Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, N.W.A., the DOC, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and many more. Ronin Ro puts direct quotes and doesnt altar or change anything, its raw, real, true. The language is definatly for 16+ but its great regarless. Go behind the scenes of the biggest indusry in music, and go inside the East Vs. West Coast Rap Battle. Once it arrives you will never put it down.



4. Before I start this review, I'd like to defend Ronin Ro for his writing. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the way this book was written: the author carefully weaved in each character who was essential in the Death Row scandal. I saw no editorial mistakes and it was organized sufficiently. If a reader does not like the experiences in the book, that's one thing; but to insult the writer is ridiculous, especially since this was such an interesting and well-researched book.
   
   On to the book:
   I'm not quite sure how the topic of Suge Knight came up between a friend and I, but we were both shaking our heads about the man being shot in the leg. With all the rumored hits out on him, we were thinking "How could the shooter have such bad aim?" She told me about this book and I am so glad she did. I knew Suge Knight was an alleged dangerous man, and from an interview I saw of him challenging a journalist on a Tupac documentary, it was pretty obvious that he liked to intimidate people. But I was not expecting it to be this dramatic.
   Death Row had everything from gun fights, gangs, rape, holding people out of balconies, locked doors to hear desperate screams, drugs, disgruntled rappers, terrified employees, scared delivery people, Crips, Bloods, women being beaten, boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, boyfriend/boyfriend relationships, East Coast artists being forced into West Coast artists, "thugs" turning into grown men, grown men trying to figure out how to connect to the streets but be peaceful, business conflict, etc. Anything that could possibly go wrong in a business happened at Death Row. I didn't grow up in the safest neighborhood, so about half of this didn't even make me flinch, but when the story got into beating up women; jailhouse rapes; balcony scenes, etc., I was like "Okay, enough is enough."
   Although it is commendable that Suge Knight gave back to his community with food and money to the homeless/lower income, it does not justify all of the things he DID do. Honestly, I'm extremely surprised he's alive today, and definitely understand why he rolled with such a thick crew. Had he not, he'd have been dead long ago.
   While I was reading this book, I couldn't stop giggling thinking about the "Gangstalicious" episode of the "Boondocks." So much of what I thought was a mocking of 50 Cent seemed more like it related to Tupac, and the guy chasing Gangstalicous reminded me of Suge. Although there were definitely humorous scenes throughout the story (from my own morbid mind) and it was definitely an entertaining read, it was extremely disturbing to see so many grown men acting like teenagers. When is it time to decide to stand on your own two, fight your own battles ALONE, stop killing your own race, and bullying people every time you don't get your way? It's one thing to want to be a grown man; it's another to be a grown bully. I ponder over whether many of these people actually enjoy the lifestyle; or is it just a matter of survival in the ghettoes? I know so many young men who were BEATEN into gangs, and then forced to participate to show their loyalty. But how can you show loyalty to a group that you NEVER wanted to be a part of? Why would someone be so happy to get out of jail, if they were just going to return to the jail lifestyle regardless of the bars?
   If anything, this book definitely relates to the streets and brings up excellent questions. It also brings more information to cases that were only browsed over (i.e. how Tupac became a part of Death Row, the REAL relationship between Tupac and Dr. Dre, the murder trial for Snoop Doggy Dogg, Puffy's relationship with Suge Knight, Biggie's murder, Biggie's relationship with Tupac, the incidents of Tupac's being shot, robbed, and killed, etc.) Ro touches on SO many topics that the news glossed over or magazines didn't pay enough attention to.
   
   I was very impressed with this book and think he did a great job for research--and is one brave guy for putting all this information out there. Be safe, Ro!



5. This book and author are fantastic! Ro provides a detailed and free flowing view of Death Row Records. The text was very detailed and not drawn out. I highly recommend Ro's biography of Dr. Dre.

3 comments about Other People's Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America.

1. I picked up this book because I like hip hop, but didn't really understand the incredibly interesting larger cultural and social context in which it arose and operates. Having read my fair share of books on jazz, I was concerned because I know authors can take great art forms and turn them into boring academic treastises. Thankfully, Jason Tanz has richly and engagingly captured an inner city art form and its often uncomfortable, yet strangely symbiotic, relationship with white middle America. Norman Mailer, Thoreau and Eminem all make an appearance as Tanz entertainingly traces the origins of hip-hop and the way it has influenced, but also been subverted by, the white audience and market.



2. OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY; A SHADOW HISTORY OF HIP HOP IN WHITE AMERICA could also have appeared in our 'Social Issues' section but is reviewed here for its focus on the obstacles that stand between producers and consumers of rap music: a very different approach than your usual music book covering the history of rap and the evolution of rapsters. It blends a personal story of growing up in a racially divided America with cultural analysis and music insights: while this approach might defy easy categorization, it does make for a hard-hitting analysis which will reach not only college-level collections strong in social issues and music, but the general-interest public and libraries with holdings strong in ethnic issues debates.



3. Hip-hop music, what some of us still think of as "rap," isn't easy to sort out these days. It seems to have invaded all aspects of life, even in the seemely far-removed and lilly-white suburbs.
   
   So what counts today as "authentic" hip-hop? Is it necessarily black? If it's commercialized to identify with a product, say Sprite, does that make the rapper a "sellout?"
   
   And if you're white, suburban and, say, over 35, what is hip-hop culture all about?
   
   These, it turns out, are exceedingly complicated questions.
   
   They cut deeply to the root of what was once a raw expression of black realism to a place where, even within hip-hop, debates rage. But Jason Tanz, a rap-loving white kids from suburban Tacoma, Wash., has some surprising and fascinating answers for you in this thoughtful book with a perfect title -- Other People's Property.
   
   Tanz takes us on an illuminating journey from rap's emergence among graffiti artists and break dancers on the streets of the Bronx, through his own experience as a sometimes guilt-ridden rap music lover cocooned in safe, white suburia, to today's wildy diverse and commercially bankable hip-hop scene.
   
   Tanz personal story will, in turns, make you cringe, laugh and cheer. But his look at rap's varied charecters is what will keep you turning the pages.
   
   There's Grandmaster Flash's Rahiem, an icon of rap's roots on New York City's rough streets, now a "Legends of Hip-Hop" tour guide busing white fans through the Bronx for $75 a pop. There's Papa Rich, an authentic NYC street performer who teaches break dancing to the wealthy suburban children of Connecticut's soccer moms. There's Tha Pumpsta, an earnest white rap lover who misses entirely the irony when he DJ's "kill whitie" parties in the Virginia suburbs. And there's MC Frontalot, a comical hip hop anti-hero who excites nerdy white fans with his brand of "Geeksta" rap.
   
   Tanz travels to Green Bay to explore a rap radio experiment in one of America's whitest cities and to a garage studio in suburban L.A. where a group of goofy white losers play act the part of black gangsters.
   
   More than anything, this is a smart book. The anecdotes carry the story, but Tanz peppers in sharp analysis and displays a deep understanding of the delicate balances -- and sometimes blatant contradictions -- of race, culture, commerce and sincerity (or a lack of it) in hip-hop.
   
   And if you ever wondered how we got here, to an America where hip-hop music and style dominate the mainstream, Tanz's book takes you through it all with both unblinking criticism and fond affection.
   
   In a brilliant chapter on the marketing of hip-hop, Tanz concludes rap has has the potential, perhaps untapped, to be a cultural bridge between white and black America:
   
   "Inner city black kids, seeking a modicum of respect and financial security, create a point of entry into the commerical world that has ignored them for so long. We white kids, drawn to the implicit escape that their music and lifestyles represented, bought it. Hip-hop is where we meet, we on our way out of the system, they on their way in. Is hip-hop a door that swings open between our two cultures, letting us mix freely with each other, or is it a revolving door, endlessly spinning, allowing us to pass in opposite directions without ever actually touching?"

3 comments about 50 X 50: 50 Cent in His Own Words.

1. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AND THE PHOTOS OF CURTIS AND HIS FAMILY MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I KNOW HIM MORE.I FEEL THIS SHOWS YOU THAT 50 IS JUST AN EVERY DAY MAN I LOVE THE BOOK



2. This is one of the most awesome and upclose and personal looks at any star i have ever seen published..
   When reading this.. I could almost hear the words coming outta fifty's mouth...



3. Can you imagine feeling what 50 cent (the rapper) felt when he got shot nine times, his struggles, and what he had to go trough just to be where he is today?
   
   This is an autobiography about Curtis 50 cent Jackson's life, childhood, struggles, and what he had to do to get where he is today. He explained in great detail of his childhood and why he sold drugs and what he had to do because he sold drugs (he went to rehab). He sold drugs because he said that he never had the things that most young kids have today including: sneakers, cool shirts and other clothing, so he just wanted to have those things. He explained how it felt when his grandmother caught him selling drugs. He said that he blamed his grandparents because if he didn't have to hide it from them, his school wouldn't have found it in his sneakers. He also explained what happened the day that he got shot, and how the guy waited for 50 cent to get out of his house.
   
   Even though 50 cent is a rapper I never know that he could write such a good book like this, he explained everything that happened to him in great detail. There was one passage in the book where he talks about himself going to rehab. He said that he had never did crack, but he said that he handled, cooked, and sold it so much that he came up positive when they tested him. He told about his time in rehab and how he thought it was funny (not haha funny) how a guy was in there for doing the same drugs 50 cent sold to people.
   
   I would like to share an insert from the book, where 50 cent explains how he got shot. He puts you in his mind of what was going on and how he felt, and that what I like about his style of writing.
   
   "Suddenly this guy runs up on our car and starts unloading like BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm splayed out all over the back seat of the car, but since I'd grabbed my gun I threw my hand up and stared shooting back out the window. He starts to back up and tacks two more shots. One of them goes through my hand."

5 comments about Back In The Day: My Life And Times With Tupac Shakur.

1. I liked this book quite a bit.

   Mainly because it offered a different perspective than most other books about Tupac.

   This book was written by a teenage friend who experieced the same things Tupac himself experienced. They 'shared the struggle' of trying to better themselves in a very harsh environment.

   This book shows the almost relentless passion Tupac had to try and influence the world around him in a positive way. And the internal struggle he had with some of his actions. He knew of the contradiction and was trying to evolve. Too bad he was cut short in his quest.

   One of the most telling insights to the basis of Tupac's personality is the answer to the question one of his earlist teachers asked. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

   For those who haven't ever looked too deeply into Tupac's more intellectual and compassionate side, there is a surprise in store, Tupac's heart. For those of us that knew he was much more than a thug, you'll see more and more of his depth.

   An easy read that kept me flippin pages..




2. This is a good book, insightful and well written by Mr.Bastfield, it was clearly written as a labor of love and a need to document an intense kinship, that ended before it had a chance to mature in the later years of life. Since Tupac Shakurs untimely death there have been many people trying to capitalize on his memory, however this author and book do not fall into that category. For those who are interested in the somewhat awkward but always smooth teenager, who would one day become Rap musics greatest legend, this is a heartfelt account of the building of the man behind the myth, the carefree but yet fiercely determined ghetto kid, who had the right stuff to overcome the enormous odds stacked against him. Few have the courage to dream big and then pursue those dreams at all cost, this is a story and observations of a young man who did just that. The book falls short in some areas but overall is well worth reading, and a job well done by Mr.Bastfield.



3. The book is the story of the author's life as it was when he grew up with Tupac. Even if you don't know who Tupac is (somehow I doubt that) you will still enjoy this book. The story is one of a man who plays the cards he was dealt and how no bad hand could hold him back. It gives you an appreciation of the artist, the author and of yourself all at the same time.
   This is the book to read for Tupac fans as it is written in story-book format thus enabeling you not only to learn the specs of the life but also to be put in the shoes of someone who was near him before he was famous. Great book, great life, great read!! Pac4life haha!



4. 
   
   
   Back In The Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Sharuk
   
   
   
   Tupac was the greatest rapper/actor in history. But to get to the top he had to go through struggles in his childhoods. Thats why the theme of the story
   
   Back in the in the Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Sharuk is to follow your dreams no matter what you had to go through and dont't stop unless
   
   you have to. Tupac also teaches us to use our talents to enjoy our life. Darrin Bastfeild , the author of the book , go with Tupac adventures during his
   
   high school years.So let talk about more of the theme.
   
   Tupac actions of the theme was letting no one stop him from his talents. Every day he would wake up, go to school, come home or go to his freind house
   
   and write raps, sleep then repeat the process all over. But one thing Tupac and the author always endured was both of them was poor although Darrin had
   
   had a little more money then Tupac. So Tupac would borrow clothes from his friends or kids from the school bring him clothes. Any chances Tupac had to
   
   to get a break he takes. For example Tupac and his friends almost had a break into Hollywood but the seruity guard caught them and the manager of Salt n' Pepa
   
   reject them saying he had to cacth a plane. No matter how much he was rejected Tupac still had a break.
   
   Tupac also shows the theme by the words out his mouth. One thing Darrin points out is that Tupac said he was little was that he wanted to be a revolvutionary
   
   when he grows up. That shows Tupac known what he wanted to be which he did but did it in a different style such as a rapper and an actor.He always told
   
   everyone what he wanted to be and he showed it. Like one of the Tupac wrote when he was growing up "We Work Hard" was what he did .He spoke out for
   
   people like him while he and his mom was with the Black Panther movemment about the voilence in his nieghberhood. So not only did Tupac rap but he was also a
   
   worker for peace.
   
   Yes this theme is true because I had my own taste of bad karma. When I was born I had a blood infection so I stay in the hospital for fifthteen days. Around two
   
   years old I had lead poisoning, which I miricaly survive and had to get surgery on on my ankle. At five my sodium level was to high. and only last year did I nearly
   
   passed out because of my heart membrace I got when I was born. Still I'm smart, got accepted to a good school and go there and play an insturment in band.That
   
   proves that the past can not predict your furture.
   
   In the end Tupac achieved his goals. He starred in movies such as A Raisin in the Sun and made smash hits like Califoria Love. He had the world knowing what
   
   his name was and rocking to his beat espcially in the black nieghberhoods of America. He known people like Biggy Smalls and Mary J. Bligh. Darrin almost went on
   
   a tour with Tupac realized they had lives of there their own and went their seperate ways. Tupac shows just we can anything we want to as long as we set are minds
   
   to it. But sadly, he was shot and died seven days later.



5. I was always pulling up a blank on my mind when anyone mentioned Tupac. Not only that, I also never knew when his music was playing. All I knew was that he was a rap artist who was shot to death one unfortunate day. What I came to learn from this book was stunning not only in the stories about his past, but also stories about his family, particularly his mother. The time and place of his beginning is humbling; for a child growing up in an impoverished and dangerous city, Tupac has shown society that great people CAN come from even the poorest of places. His revolutionary ideas and strong, provocative lyrics showed not only that great people can emerge from the most unlikely of places, but also showed that our society is full of corruption and in desperate need of reform, starting with the less fortunate and oppressed.

3 comments about All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap and Hip-Hop.

1. This is the real kind of rap music, not just the kind you hear on the radio. This book goes into detail not just the mainstream artists of rap, but also underground favorites. It also rates each artists albums out of five stars. It provides a (usually)small biography on the artist as well as who he/her worked with in the past. The book also gives you a well rounded vision of hip-hop in general by showing you where all the different genres of rap originated, and what distinguishes them. Every time I go to buy an album I look it up here first. It is also very recent, going all the way up to the summer of 2003. Overall, well worth your money.



2. Just to reiterate what was mentioned earlier, this book goes nicely in depth, going back to originating artists as well as current mainstream as well as underground heavy hitters. I have alot of fun looking through this guide. Any big Hiphop fan should love this book. There were a few artists I felt should definitely have been included in the book, but were not. However, there was a good effort put into this book.



3. This is one of the best music books I have ever purchased it has reviews on almost every hip hop album ever made for all the Youngsters of the rap game that have no education in hip hop buy this book at once and find something out on Kool DJ Herc-Grandwizard Theodore-Grandmaster Caz the originators if you dont know the Message you dont know rap-Good day