May 6, 2018 My personal favorites are Rakim Told Me, Check The Technique Vol. 1 and 2. All by Brian Coleman. He basically picks out 80s and 90s albums widely considered to be classic Hip Hop albums and he gives background info on the artists and how the albums got made. He involves the artists as well by getting their perspectives on these albums. I also f---s with: One Day It'll All Make Sense by Common My Infamous Life by Prodigy Ego Trip's Big Book of Rap Lists Marvel Hip Hop Covers 1 & 2 (it's just a collection of the Marvel variant covers that are based on Hip Hop album covers, not much else. Still dope nonetheless) Can't Stop, Won't Stop by Jeff Chang Queens Reigns Supreme: Fat Cat, 50 Cent and the Rise of the Hip Hop Hustler by Ethan Brown The Rap Year Book by Shea Serrano Angry Blonde by Eminem The Way I Am by Eminem The Big Payback by Dan Charnas Fight The Power by Chuck D The Wu-Tang Manual by RZA Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm by MF Grimm (this is a graphic novel about MF Grimm's life. Some references to other Hip Hop artists like Dr. Dre, King Sun and of course DOOM) New York Ricans From The Hip Hop Zone by Raquel Z. Rivera Root For The Villain by J-Zone
May 7, 2018 Off topic but I'm rereading The Stand and I could have swore a couple years ago your were struggling to get through it @Big Cuntry ever finish it?
May 7, 2018 Ya I did, very entertaining read, though it might have been Dark Tower I was struggling to read cuz I found the first book pretty boring and I loved The Stand. But funny you mention it cuz I just started the second dark tower audiobook on a long drive yesterday on a whim and it's dope once it gets into the actual story. I don't really f--- with audiobooks for most books but I've found Stephen King's are perfect for the medium.
May 7, 2018 The Dark Tower >>>> Rereading that again too actually lol and I agree with you on audio books and Stephen King
May 8, 2018 Duff McKagans autobiography is supposed to be really great. I actually haven't read really any books on hip hop or music in general, definitely gonna try to before the end of the year
May 11, 2018 Came in here to answer but ended up spending the last hour reading I Feel Like Dying. Now I see why @WPG has turned into such a God-awful message board poster. He saves all of his great s--- for his real work. Like everything else I've read.... you're incredible bro. f---ing keep it up.
May 11, 2018 Finished this book I posted in the OP the other day and it's fantastic, I can honestly say it's one of my top ten favorite books I've ever read. Can't recommended enough for anyone interested in music in general (bout half the music essays are on rap, other half a mixture of rock/punk/emo/etc). It's really refreshing in the age of over-the-top snark/irony/hyperbole and 24-hour reviews to read music criticism that's this thoughtful and respectful of an artist's craft while maintaining a critical eye. And don't get me wrong, I love trashing artists as much as the next guy, but it's a nice change of pace to read criticism from someone who just genuinely loves and lives for music and had however long he wanted to lay that out in a book of essays instead of churning out a review over the weekend. All of this while functioning as a semi-memoir. http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0722/2871/products/They-Can_t-k----Us-Until-They-k----Us_grande.jpg?v=1515075999
