let's start an official hip hop readin' thread. books related to hip hop or by hip hop artists

jensyao

Collector
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
3,943
Reputation
3,565
Daps
7,859
Reppin
Schooling people takes forever; don't bother
i legit thought about this...music industry is fukked because their practice stem from fukking over ex-slaves back in new orleans jazz and even motown where they own your image, rights, etc and you get a 360 deal through the record company to trade your soul for fame where now, those standards are the same for everybody regardless of race or popularity

book publishing is mostly a 'white genre' where the authors get lucrative deals from the publisher where not only do you retain more rights to your work, you also can resell that same script to turn that into a movie and you wont owe the publisher a dime because they don't do 360 deals and the 'established white genre' is protected by lawyers that would fight that unfairness compared to record companies

so in the age of streaming, there is no difference between streaming an album or streaming an audiobook...both audio types get uploaded to youtube/spotify and there is audio recognition software to count the plays in which they have to cash out to the record label or publisher, but in the case of the publisher, you own more of your rights without getting screwed for your art

therefore, if you want to create music, accompany the music by co-writing a book like these rappers already have published: like an autobiography or the narrative and a picture book of what was involved with this album. the book would promote the music and vice versa like a package deal. sure, you can own more by being independent but artists just want to be artists and they benefit from the corporate machine and promotion

in the future, someone is going to get smart when they want to make music and instead sign with book publishers rather than record labels. Every album would have an accompanying book, physical or digital, that comes with the music because publishers already have audiobooks established for you to release an album through them, and this would break the current music industry system like the USFL did with raising NFL wages in the 80s

there's things called "the audiobook experience" where they accompany the reading with sound effects and instrumentation...they are really sophisticated with it now...sooner or later that 'audio experience' of the book reading will turn into an album www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBkVzqs7ucc

There's still a decent amount of grassroots publishers that would allow such a thing to have them gain an upper edge, and some publishers are more willing to take a chance on you compared to stubborn record label executives and A&Rs...audiobooks go for like $17 without audible premium, almost double the price of an album, etc, where amazon would pick up the tab for the free trial as long as you have prime or audible premium
 
Last edited:

Complexion

ʇdᴉɹɔsǝɥʇdᴉlɟ
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
6,344
Reputation
5,379
Daps
27,879
Whats the best Wu Tang book?

There's:

Wu-Tang Clan: A Complete Biography of the Notorious Group

From the Streets of Shaolin: The Wu-Tang Saga

Life on the road with the Wu-Tang Clan

Once Upon a Time in Shaolin: The Untold Story of Wu-Tang Clan's Million-Dollar Secret Album

Chamber Music: About the Wu-Tang (in 36 Pieces)

Enter The Wu-Tang: How Nine Men Changed Hip-Hop Forever: How Nine Men Changed Hip-Hop Forever

The Wu-Tang Clan and RZA: A Trip through Hip Hop's 36 Chambers (Hip Hop in America)


and two by RZA:

The Wu-tang Manual: The Wu-Tang Clan

Tao of Wu, The


As well as various solo efforts. Whats the best overall and preferably in depth with new info/insights and not third person tales of questionable origin. Raes book looks dope so I'm getting that but was looking for another for contrast and balance.
 

Alvin

Superstar
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
19,961
Reputation
765
Daps
25,759
Whats the best Wu Tang book?

There's:

Wu-Tang Clan: A Complete Biography of the Notorious Group

From the Streets of Shaolin: The Wu-Tang Saga

Life on the road with the Wu-Tang Clan

Once Upon a Time in Shaolin: The Untold Story of Wu-Tang Clan's Million-Dollar Secret Album

Chamber Music: About the Wu-Tang (in 36 Pieces)

Enter The Wu-Tang: How Nine Men Changed Hip-Hop Forever: How Nine Men Changed Hip-Hop Forever

The Wu-Tang Clan and RZA: A Trip through Hip Hop's 36 Chambers (Hip Hop in America)


and two by RZA:

The Wu-tang Manual: The Wu-Tang Clan

Tao of Wu, The


As well as various solo efforts. Whats the best overall and preferably in depth with new info/insights and not third person tales of questionable origin. Raes book looks dope so I'm getting that but was looking for another for contrast and balance.
The RZA books and then the books by U-God and Raekwon
 

Alvin

Superstar
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
19,961
Reputation
765
Daps
25,759
Juicy J and Jeezy book dropped
Drumma Boy book dropping in April
Hip Hop related books, fashion killa (high fashion and hip hop relations) is dropping in October. Ice Cold, a tale of hip hop jewelry is out now.
 

jensyao

Collector
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
3,943
Reputation
3,565
Daps
7,859
Reppin
Schooling people takes forever; don't bother
Anybody get this book? LL COOL J Presents The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip-Hop Greatness

looks dope :ohhh:



fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do

fullpage.do


fullpage.do


fullpage.do

fullpage.do

...you get the point

more preview pages here

 
Last edited:

jensyao

Collector
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
3,943
Reputation
3,565
Daps
7,859
Reppin
Schooling people takes forever; don't bother

file list

175 pdfs




audiobooks


@onlylno can you reup the trick daddy and luther campbell books?
 
Last edited:

Alvin

Superstar
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
19,961
Reputation
765
Daps
25,759

file list

175 pdfs




audiobooks


@onlylno can you reup the trick daddy book?

respect breh
 

Alvin

Superstar
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
19,961
Reputation
765
Daps
25,759
hopefully someone has "behind the hits" drumma boy book.
 

Mac Ten

Class of 97 !!!
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Messages
7,761
Reputation
1,661
Daps
14,141
Reppin
B-More
Does anyone have Mark Curry’s Dancing With The Devil and Gene Deal’s books???
 
Top