The Ski Mask Way

The Ski Mask Way
Average customer rating:

Living Hard

Nice Read

Off the Chain

G-Unit Book strikes Gold with K. Elliott collab

HEAVEN FOR SEVEN

The Ski Mask Way
K Elliott , and 50 Cent
Manufacturer: G-Unit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1416531017

Book Description

HARD LIFE. HARD LUCK. HARD DRUGS.

HARD DEALS. HARD TIME.

Back in New York City, Seven was the seventh child. But here in Charlotte he's number one on every ladies' list. Even behind bars, he managed to sex a female corrections officer, who lost her job and found herself pregnant. Now Seven is out of the pen and back on the streets. A small-time dealer with big-time dreams, he's ready to take care of business -- for his baby, his baby's mother, his slammin' girlfriend, and his empty wallet. But first, he's got to play the game with the biggest pushers in town. He'll be a soldier for The Man. Then he'll rob the suckers blind before they figure out what's going down. Sure, it could get him killed. But Seven knows there are things in life worth living for -- and things worth dying for. And sometimes you can't tell the difference.

Customer Reviews:

Living Hard.......2007-07-05

Mr. Elliott done a good job with this book, I like his style of writing and he keeps you wanting more. Taking a walk with Elliott in to the world of Seven I got to see just how he got down for his, showing you his highs and lows all while tring to make away for his son. I enjoyed it, it was on point and stayed there. 50 did it again!

Nice Read.......2007-05-31

I think it's really cool that 50 is getting into writing (or co-writing) street fiction. The story line was written well & was a smooth & easy read. I read this book in one sitting! I look forward to more G-Unit books. Right before reading this one, I picked up and finished the Death Before Dishonor. I was not disappointed by either. Although Death before Dishonor was a better read,I enjoyed the Ski Mask way as well. I think there should be a sequel! After reading this book, I may start reading books by K. Elliott from here on out.

Off the Chain .......2007-05-27

I LOVE THIS BOOK 50 & K.ELLIOT KNOW HOW TO GET YOUR ATTENTION WITH THIS BOOK.......A PAGE TURNER IT IS...YOU MUST READ THIS YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.............ONE PAGE AND B4 YOU KNOW IT YOU FINISH I JUST HAD TO FINISH IT AND IT'S ALL THAT. SEVEN DOES THE DAYUM THING.......WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING BOUT COP THE BOOK~

G-Unit Book strikes Gold with K. Elliott collab.......2007-04-01

There are not alot of authors who are able to both inform and entertain. K. Elliott has been able to do both and do it better than most authors who have been on the literary scene long than he. They just keep getting better and better.

HEAVEN FOR SEVEN.......2007-03-22

I am a 44 year old white woman from Detroit and I have read a lot of books but I never read one as good as this. I never set the book down. I've got everybody reading it now. It was the most thrilling book, it had me on the edge of my seat. You won't be disappointed. I went out the next day and bought the other (2) 50 cent books they were all excellent especially The Ski Mask. Thanks, Mr. Elliot

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
The Doc is In!! Book of the year!
Funny, Sexy, Hip
I laughed til the tears rolled out of my eyes
When is the next one coming out???

The Making of Dr. Truelove
Derrick Barnes
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1416914390

Book Description

Diego is a sixteen-year-old boy with a problem. He loves his girlfriend, Roxy. And when they suddenly break up due to Diego's own insecurity issues, the boy is crushed. How ever will he win Shorty back?

On the trusty advice of his (crazy) best friend, Diego invents an alter ego known as Dr. Truelove. A sex and relationship e-columnist, Truelove is smooth where Diego is gawky, skilled where Diego is clueless. Truelove is, quite clearly, the way back into Roxy's heart. Or so it seems. . . .

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-03-29

When Diego's plans to lose his virginity with his girlfriend, Roxy, don't go the way he wanted them to, he pushes her away. Too late, he realizes his mistake, but he has no idea how to get her back. She's a great girl, being chased by one of the hottest young athletes around, and Diego is a jazz-loving math geek--a jazz-loving math geek who understands Roxy like no one else, but still. There's no way, he thinks, that he can compete with popular, athletic John-John McAfee.

However, his boy J-Live has a plan. A rather insane plan, sure, but it's all Diego's got, so he agrees to go along with it. J-Live wants Diego to start writing an anonymous column about love and sex online. The plan, he says, is foolproof. Diego will learn his stuff from girly magazines, write it all as the anonymous Dr. Dexter Truelove, and then, at the height of his popularity, Diego's identity will be revealed, and Roxy, realizing that he really does have a way with the ladies, will want him back.

Any sensible person--Diego included--would realize the insanity of this plan, but Diego will do anything to get back with Roxy. Of course, like all good plans, it has serious potential to blow up in his face...

Derrick Barnes' smart, funny, debut novel will appeal to all teens. Barnes holds nothing back here, so in case the previous summary isn't enough, beware of some racy content. However, if you're comfortable with that, you will love this book! Barnes is a talented author who really brings his characters to life--my personal favorite is the always scheming J-Live. I can't wait to see what Derrick Barnes comes up with next!

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

The Doc is In!! Book of the year!.......2006-11-07

This book is awesome!! The story of transformation of Diego into Dr Truelove to win back his love interest Roxy is hilarious, and made me laugh like crazy. Derrick Barnes does a great job - he knows how to reach out and win his readers. The Making of Dr Truelove has everything you could want in a book: Real and funny characters, an urban setting, a fast paced plot, sexy undercurrents and great humor, not to mention the 'Real Talk Sessions' of Dr Truelove and his 'prescriptions'. I had a great time reading this book. A must read!

Funny, Sexy, Hip.......2006-11-07

Dr. Truelove has a real hip-hop vibe and a sexy undercurrent that surfaces often enough to create calamity.

The characters are real, the situations are crazy, and the online advice column is hilarious.

I wish my high school experience was more like Diego's.

I laughed til the tears rolled out of my eyes.......2006-11-06

Barnes's language is so real, he gives real insight into how teenage boys think. Not to mention, some of the situations he invents are just side-splittingly hilarious.

Although, by far, what made me read this book over and over again was that it's full of heart. I like that Deigo cares about Roxy, that he has her best interests at heart.

But seriously, though, this high school hopped up on hormones. Read it, you'll love it.

When is the next one coming out???.......2006-10-28

A brave new author with a funny and unique voice, Derrick Barnes combines hip-hop Jazz and urban culture to make the perfect cocktail for any reader of any age. I would call this book a page turner!!!
Dennis J. Schleicher
Glastonbury, Connecticut

Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from NYPD's First "Hip-Hop Cop"

Average customer rating:

I dropped it after 21 pages
This Isn't Some Video.....It Is The Real Thing
Hip-Hop Cape
Mildly Whack
Power and corruption with a bullet

Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from NYPD's First "Hip-Hop Cop"
Derrick Parker , and Matt Diehl
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312352514
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Book Description

The stories are as infamous as the artists who tell them. With their boasts of drugs, extortion and even murder, in todays world rappers need rap sheets before they can even hope to have a platinum record. So with all this grandstanding about their criminal nature, why havent more hip-hop artists been busted for the crimes that they brag of, and why havent high profile crimes replete with witnesses and media coverage ever been solved? Derrick Parker knows why. A veteran of the NYPD, Parker served as the lead detective in the Rap Intelligence Unit, the first special force devoted to hip-hop crime. For over twenty years he served on the force, covering the hip-hop beat and uncovering the truth behind some of musics most notorious crimes. But in the midst of politics and internal strife, Parkers efforts to close the cases were stymied by the NYPD. Notorious C.O.P. will be the Serpico of the new millennium, exposing the flaws in the NYPD that have rendered them unable to adequately deal with the threat of hip-hop crime. From cops working part-time for the artists they are supposed to be pursuing, to their lack of understanding of gang culture and drug warfare, which has left not only these widely publicized murders unsolved, but has allowed notorious gang leaders to go unprosecuted for decades. Filled with photos, documents, interviews, and anecdotes, Notorious C.O.P. will be the most extensive and authoritative book ever written on hip-hop crime, exposing the facts behind the legends and the foibles of the NYPD that have left them unresolved to this day.

Customer Reviews:

I dropped it after 21 pages.......2007-02-13

This book from what other reviewers said really doesn't add much new info in terms of the much-publicized deaths of TuPac, Biggie or Jam Master Jay ... which is one of the big motivations I'm sure most of us consider reading a book like this.

Also the fact that this book was written by a cop from the once secret "Hip Hop police" is also somewhat novel.

You'll spend most of the first 20 pages sifting through this guy trying to straddle the fence -- sounding official & professional to rep police but also trying to come off as empathetic and altruistic in his quest to "save" hip hop's elite from crime & corruption.

Read this book with a grain of salt!!!!

I dropped it after Page 21 (go to a bookstore or library and read the bottom 2.5 paragraphs).

Parker's basic premise in his defense of policing hip hop is NOT that he sees the stars as needing protection (which is why soooo many rappers still roll deep, packin' heat!), but rather that so many are still so heavily involved in criminal activity he's doing what he does for public safety.

Give me a break.

Who's really afraid of Ludacris? Jay-Z? Kanye West? Chamillionaire (or 50 Cent for that matter)?

Parker dares to use the term "public safety" in this defense and discusses how any number of acts of gunplay could "breakout at any time" when rappers are in public.

Let's see, we've got ...

A raging war in Iraq & the threat of nuclear terrorism.

Ongoing police brutality issues.

Trickle down damage from crooked politicians.

Real crime.

All kinds of sexual predators.

Increasingly fragile school systems not to mention poverty, intolerance & all kinds of social ills.

Yeah, Parker's doing a great job defending society from public enemy No. 1: Poor black men who use hip hop success to rise to a better life.

Skim the book's latter chapters for the minor details you seek if you'd like, but I pass on reading more of this crap.

I'm sure he's got interesting stories to tell, but this book just reads like an opportunist looking to make a fast buck by preying on the weak-minded blind enough to believe rappers (code for young black men) must be tamed.

This Isn't Some Video.....It Is The Real Thing.......2007-01-02

The reader can avoid about the opening 26 pages in Notorious C.O.P., as Derrick Parker mentions that he was the NYPD'S "hip-hop cop" so many times that it ruins what could have been a good introduction. But putting his ego aside - or at least dishing it out in smaller doses - the compelling book becomes hard to put down.

Parker took his affinity for the music industry and his concerns about its expanding linkage to organized crime to eventually spearhead a "hip-hop" unit. He is careful to explain that he was working for the safety of the artists - which was not always the goal of other police officials - while also taking steps to clean out the criminal element that made victims of the artists, neighborhoods and others who innocently got caught up in the drama.

What I found especially interesting is the normal, daily manipulations that you may hear about, but really don't see in print; the politics from his bosses that oftentimes came from a media-hungry and -savvy City Hall, the department jealousies, the ignorance & corruption, along with the bitter racism.

Parker's growing disenchantment with the NYPD reached a boiling point when he was brought up on bogus departmental charges due to others who wanted his "hip-hop" post for all the wrong reasons and when a superior ordered him to compile a dossier on hip-hop artists that had all the trappings of COINTELPRO-styled abuse.

The sensationalistic subtitle sets those chapters up for a letdown, and that is what happened in the cases of Tupac and Biggie. Parker really adds very little to what has been made public over the past decade, but does justify his findings with credible evidence.

Though retired from the NYPD, Parker's private investigation of the Jam Master Jay murder, his attempts to get his former colleagues engaged into a solid investigation with a prime witness and the games played that has now made solving the crime virtually impossible brings the book to an apt conclusion.

Organized crime has been in the music industry for many years; the original gansta was probably Frank Sinatra, who reportedly had some "assistance" in the early 1940s to get out of his contract with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra to start a solo recording/touring career.

Parker shows - through a text unfortunately marred with numerous typographical errors - that the vicious game in a multi-billion-dollar industry is still being played, but with oftentimes much greater tragic conclusions. And those with the power to help clean things up refuse to do so for a variety of reasons that are as much racial as they are political.

Hip-Hop Cape.......2006-12-28

Pros: Someone recommended this book to me, and when he did, I asked him why in the world would he think I'd be interested in a book written by a cop, specifically because I've never made it a secret that I do NOT trust police and I'm extremely burnt out on the Biggie/Tupac's death considering I wasn't a fan of either of them. He told me that it talked about some interesting parts of hip hop crime and that there was only one chapter on Biggie and Tupac. Indeed, he was right. This book delved into the Jam Master Jay killing, along with the criminal issues of Murder Inc., Young Jeezy, Jay-Z, Diddy, 50 Cent, J. Lo, Lil' Kim, Foxxy Brown, Suge Knight, Snoop, Game, Dr. Dre, etc., in addition to the murders of Freaky Tah, Tupac, Biggie, and more. It was interesting to read about the details that I did not hear in these cases, such as cops handcuffing J. Lo to the top of the cage. That's a prime example of why I feel the way I feel about cops. Was it really necessary to do that? In that aspect, I can feel this book. There were many times when Parker complained about how the NYPD handled witnesses and innocent victims as though they were criminals, and he hit it right on the head by explaining that if the NYPD continues to be as domineering and violent as they have been to get people to talk, the streets and crime will continue to be on different playing fields with no intentions of a fair game.

Cons: 1) I'll admit that even as a professional copyeditor, I can look over errors. It's much safer to let at least two pairs of eyes read a manuscript than one. I'm hoping that's what happened with this book. No copyeditor will catch every single error, but about a quarter through this book, I was seeing so many errors to the point where I wondered was it copyedited at all? Commas out of place, words in the wrong order, past tense with present tense, and other glaring errors that should've been caught by even the most casual reader.

2) I was so tired of this man patting himself on the back. It was to the point where I thought he was molesting himself trying to talk about how great he was. He kept italicizing "I" and "me" as if we didn't understand that he deserved credit for something. Then, he kept on bragging about how cops were coming to him for help because he knew about hip hop. In mid-story, he'd start talking about how he knew something was wrong because he was so well-informed of the subject. Okay, we get it. If the man had just told the story and his actions, we could've come to the same conclusion without reading about you and your Hip-Hop Superman Cape.

3) Over and over again, he made idiotic statements that only cops can come to the conclusion of. The word "accidentally" and "Amadou Diallo" should NEVER be used in the same sentence. That was flat-out intended murder; nothing accidental about it. Even though he kept saying that hip-hop was not the full reason for violence, he kept throwing out all these random examples about how they equate, without ever mentioning the fact that poverty can play a great big hand in that. He uses examples like Kanye West to say that some rappers don't go down the same violent path, but what a drastic comparison. Kanye West didn't live nearly the life that Snoop Doggy Dogg did and there's no way anybody is going to tell me that the neighborhood and economic gain does not play a hand in the attitudes that many "gangsters" and drug dealers have in how they view life. This is not to say that it is right for them to be suicidal all the time, but I can't see how he couldn't understand that.

4) Throughout this whole book, he made it seem like he was one of the best cops and he seldomly talks about anything he does wrong. Even when he does, he blames it on his boss making him do it (ex. creating the hip-hop binder). He claims he's not a drinker but consistently talks about how he doesn't remember certain places he was at because he was so drunk and having fun. He talks about how other cops were scared but he was excited to be in drug-ridden, violent areas of Brooklyn. That in itself concerns me. To me, that's like saying that this cop viewed these areas like the board game Clue. He may find it amusing that he caught the killer, but none of these killers, witnesses, and children in the area find their everyday life "fun." It's very easy to criticize one's lifestyle when you don't have to live it on an everyday basis.

5) The man seems to have all of these answers about how the NYPD and LAPD should operate to be a more productive police force, but there was something he did in this book that only stamped the "Why I Hate Cops" attitude into just about everyone who mildly thought it before. There's a huge no-snitch policy in poverty-stricken areas (and quite a few middle-income areas too, the more the police act a fool)! Every single time he talked about issues within criminal cases, he gave out real names of witnesses, as well as ALL the information they gave. He talked about buying them food and how so many were cooperative in telling their stories. But the information he gave may not have all been accessible to the public. Some of the killers got off free, and I don't even understand why he put so much information about what the victims said in this book. Does he think all criminals don't read? All they need is ONE friend to say that their name was mentioned in the book, and there's a whole new set of problems for these witnesses. Victims and witnesses risk their lives telling stories about what has happened around them, and a cop documenting all the details in the book does not make anybody feel safer to go running to the cops. If anything, it makes them more hesitant. Just about every chapter, I was shaking my head and thinking "He can't help it. He's a cop. He doesn't understand how goofy it is to document this type of information." Even if it's someone who hasn't been in a situation where they have to be a witness, a cop repeatedly bothering you can work a person's nerves to the point where they don't want to help you simply because they don't like YOU. I went to a high school a block away from a police station and was harrassed ALL the time for unexplainable reasons, even as a reasonably innocent teenage girl. It's going to take more than the no-snitch rule to get people to help in these communities. Cops have to pretty much change their WHOLE attitude before a lot of these people will trust them.

6) He speculates on how hip-hop is becoming organized crime and how Jay-Z and 50 Cent have marketing deals. I don't even understand this comparison. It's not like these were dudes fresh off the street who walked in rapping and got gymshoes. They both had to fight their way to the top for these companies to even pay attention to them. Yes, they were both drug dealers IN THE PAST. So what? Is every marketing company supposed to look at their background, ignore the fact that they are legit now, and not do business with them? If that's the case, America wouldn't have survived this long. This country was created from thieves and slaveowners. If Wall Street can get rich, so can hip-hop. Parker talks about how most Fortune 500 companies wouldn't do business with people with this background. I hate to break it to this dude, but if companies weren't going to get rich off of criminals, America wouldn't be one of the most powerful countries that it is now off of FREE labor and the attitude "well, it's all in the past now."

As I figured, I didn't like this book and it didn't improve my opinion on cops, but when he wasn't talking about how great he was, I did find out some missing information that the media has screwed up in their daily reports.

Mildly Whack.......2006-11-04

The title of this book should have been "Derrick Parker is the Bomb" by Derrick Parker. He seems a lot more interested in hyping himself then really giving any insight to the murders of Pac, Biggie and Jay. He said he solved Jay's case. Well, if he solved it, why is no one in jail? There were some pretty good moments, especially his stories from Miami. I would say that 50% of the book was Parker hyping Parker, 20% was interesting information and 30% was the just some things we've all read or heard before. I hope that the fools that put down Pac, Biggie and Jay get their due, but this book does not do a lot to help the cause.

Power and corruption with a bullet.......2006-09-21

Having read this book was quite more of an eye opener than I would have liked to think in regards to what takes place in the hip-hop realm. It is quite unfortunate to read about what goes on with many of the hip-hop artists from an insider and investigator's point of view. The self-perpetuating, and often self-fulfilling lethality of hip-hop is something one could only hope would one day cease to exist. The corruption within the police force...I suppose when one can genetically remove human nature then this could end that.

Overall, I tremendously enjoyed the book and would recommend it highly to people who want more perspective. The book takes on natural growth as Parker's outlines hip-hop's milestones that coincide with his development within the police force. Could the book be written better? Sure. The edits could have been more sensitive. However, I did not feel that anything was taken from the essence and message that Parker delivers. The truth is the truth no matter how it is written...we just won't even know it for sure.

The Story of Insane Clown Posse (Omnibus Press Presents)

Average customer rating:

Do your self a favour buy behind the paint
great book ! ...SHORT BUT GREAT !!!

The Story of Insane Clown Posse (Omnibus Press Presents)
Lou Stone
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Twiztid - The Purple Show
Insane Clown Posse - Bootlegged in L.A.
F.T.F.O.
Carnival of Carnage
Big Money Hustlas

ASIN: 0825634377
Release Date: 2006-01-01

Product Description

In the band's first -ever biography, Lou G. Stone investigates the left-of-center charm that is Insane Clown Posse. part cartoon characters who dress as clowns/part metal-rap band, ICP is known for outrageous live performances featuring flames, chainsaws, and liters of soda sousing the fans in attendance.

Customer Reviews:

Do your self a favour buy behind the paint.......2006-07-28

This offers the commited Juggalo no real insight into ICP it is a mish mash of stuff and snippets gleaned from the definative book behind the paint by Violent J.Do yourself a favour dont get mugged read up on ICP on their website or another fansite and buy the proper book this is nothing new and definatley not fantastic but dull and pedestrian.

great book ! ...SHORT BUT GREAT !!!.......2006-01-11

i will tell you right away ! it's short...100 pages...i meen c'mon,but everything inside is fresh.

Average customer rating:

interesting
Dope book
Extremely dissappointed
A lonesome child to a famous superstar
Real

The Dark Story of Eminem
Nick Hasted
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Angry Blonde
White Noise: The Eminem Collection
Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem
Eminem: Cleaning Out My Closet: The Stories Behind Every Song
His Name Is: The Eminem Story in Words and Pictures

ASIN: 1844497267
Release Date: 2005-09-01

Product Description

An updated edition of the best-selling in-depth biography of the world's most popular rapper! Nick Hasted's groung-breaking book traces Marshall Mather's rise to fame from the schools and workplaces of his native Detroit to global superstardom. From the depths fo being a suicidal no-hoper through the redemptive alias of Slim Shady to eventual triumph as an unlikely rap star, Eminem's dark story is unflinchingly presented in this wide-ranging book.

Customer Reviews:

interesting.......2005-10-19

the most curious part were these mysterious people who helped to mold and cultivate him before he ever met Dr. Dre. i wonder if they were the illuminati

Dope book.......2004-09-06

This book rocks. It gives tons of background on rap and Eminem and points out instances of incredible timing so you can really appreciate it...you get many, many actual quotes from Eminem and others...the author is sympathetic, not bashing, doesn't seem to have an agenda like so many others. I totally loved this book and am a HUGE Eminem fan. I would also recommend the book Angry Blonde by Eminem himself! He's the master. I LOVE YOU EMINEM!!

Extremely dissappointed.......2003-11-19

This is a deplorable piece of work from a sad, talentless hack. With any luck, this will be last time Nick Hasted is ever asked to write about important figures in music, such as Eminem, whom I love. He simply lacks the skill or flair required to tell the story in a pacy, engaging and believable fashion.

A lonesome child to a famous superstar.......2003-09-07

This book was a very interesting insight into the mind of Eminem. With thorough details into his childhood traumas and experiences with racism and bullying, you can begin to empathise with Eminem and understand the controversy of his lyrics and why he so extreme with his music. I enjoyed reading this book and now appreciate Eminem and his principles.

Real.......2003-06-20

This was my first book about his life and it is was very readable, looked precise and honest and I read it in 2 days -very quick read for my standards.

Book Description

In 1987, three white Jewish boys from New York City were the most fascinating phenomenon in the burgeoning rap music scene. No, really. The Beastie Boys, barely out of their teens, had just released Licensed to Ill, which quickly became the first hip-hop album to reach number one on the charts. Pairing vulgar and hilarious lyrics with heavy-metal-derived musical backing and a punk DIY attitude, the Beasties—MCA (Adam Yauch), King Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz), and Mike D (Michael Diamond)—changed the face of rap forever by bringing it into the mainstream. In the years that followed, they would change it again and again—musically, culturally, and politically.

To create The Skills to Pay the Bills, Alan Light spent years taping conversations with the group, their friends, roommates, producers, engineers, collaborators, and other artists from Madonna to Chuck D. Here, as told from the inside, is the fascinating tale of three rump-shaking, innovative rappers whose albums still go platinum and whose tours continue to fill arenas after more than two decades of making music. The Skills to Pay the Bills chronicles the Beasties’ unique journey from the hardcore New York underground to the top of the Billboard charts. It is a story of larger-than-life personalities, noble causes, funky beats, and truly one of the most influential and ambitious groups of all time.

I said, Where’d you get your information from, huh?

“The first time I met them, I thought I was on Candid Camera.” —D.M.C.

“I think I made out with Adam Yauch once in their dressing room.” —Madonna

“One of my favorite groups is the Beastie Boys.” —Bono

Customer Reviews:

Very VERY nice.......2007-02-08

I was indeed satisfied by this book. Of course it isn't a complete, in-depth Beasties biography, which it doesn't claim to be anyway, and it's clearly not something that you should expect from a small paperback.

What it is however, is a fascinating read, it doesn't give you any conclusions, ramblings or whatever - only stories from people who knew the Beasties firsthand, most of whom are amazing talents in their own right.

The book might not be ideal for people who barely know the Beasties, but you dont' have to be a hardcore fan to enjoy it. If you know more that one or two of their songs, and/or have interest for hip-hop and pop culture in general - you gotta read this.

Check your head -- this book rocks.......2006-03-02

A first-person account of this unlikely trio of rappers who rock. At first it is jarring to have an entire book of quotations from the actual players in this saga, but it is great to hear them all telling it. One guy is taking credit for the name Beastie Boys, then the ousted woman is telling how she was pushed out of the band so they could go big-time. Riveting stuff! A fun read. Pull out your Beasties CDs and crank them as you read this blast of a book.

Beasties for Dummies.......2006-02-24

I really looked forward to reading this book, figuring that someone with as much access as Alan Light would give me more of an insiders look into a great band. But he remains on the outside like the rest of us, instead relying on first hand accounts of the band members themselves as well as many others in or around hip-hop. At first it's kind of cool to get some of the early stories about the punk scene in NYC, which really branched out from the hardcore D.C. bands like Bad Brains. You just never really get to be in the studio, or at the writing sessions, or on the tour bus. It's more fitting for liner notes. Let's tackle this subject head on and get some good stories in a collection. These guys are legends, and have toured and recorded with and around some of the core players in hip-hop history. I found this book to be a shallow take on a complex and genre bending crew. Disappointing.

Eminem: Cleaning Out My Closet: The Stories Behind Every Song

Average customer rating:

Great Product!
If it came with a 10 dollar bill, I'd pay 4 for it
A The Story of Eminem Through His Songs
I <3 Eminem and this Book!!! ~Stephanie (15 yrs old)

Eminem: Cleaning Out My Closet: The Stories Behind Every Song
David Stubbs
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Angry Blonde
White Noise: The Eminem Collection
Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem
The Dark Story of Eminem
His Name Is: The Eminem Story in Words and Pictures

ASIN: 1560255536

Book Description

Emerging from a poor, stereotypically white-trash childhood in Detroit, this vengeful hip-hop devotee soon turned his anger into an art form and shot to global notoriety. Eminem has written two multi-platinum best-selling albums of surreally inventive, vicious, scattergun brilliance and become the world’s premier rapper and an icon for disaffected teenagers everywhere. Along the way, though, he’s been accused of homophobia, endorsing drug abuse, encouraging violence against women, and flirting with incarceration—a fate many see as inevitable for this psychologically flawed modern antihero. So where does Marshall Mathers end and Slim Shady begin? Who, in short, is this enigma — the person indubitably considered today’s most contradictory and controversial entertainer know as Eminem? Containing 60 fantastic full-color photographs, this illustrated biography is a celebration of the uniquely provocative and complex rapper who advises his young fans, “Don’t do drugs, have unprotected sex, or be violent—leave that to me.”

Customer Reviews:

Great Product!.......2007-07-17

First of all the book is in excellent condition. The book itself is great! I loved reading it....I have had it for about 10 days now and I've already read it twice....cover to cover.
Definetly a must have item.

If it came with a 10 dollar bill, I'd pay 4 for it.......2006-04-13

If you have heard the songs on the albums covered, and ever read the album covers, save the ink trees and paper wasted on this lame caper. The lyrics and songs are full of misquotes, nothing novel or of note was wrote, paraphrasing the misheard words of spitfire rhymes I've heard a thousand times and apparently this punk "author" had transcribed. Other reviewers explained that is was a lame biography but showed stories that transpired that inspired the spirit of the lyrics you hear, but they obviously were as frightfully uninsightful as the writer. Let me save you the six bucks for the used with the truth: When it's slim spittin' about drugs, it's for fun and humor...When it's Em about family, it's addressin' the rumors...When it's a diss it's clear and every lyric is what your hear and means, love Em or hate `im, what is said verbatim.

A The Story of Eminem Through His Songs.......2004-02-15

The book has a great presentation and describes most of the songs Eminem appeared in or wrote. From his first album, Infinite, to the development of Slim Shady in the Slim Shady EP to getting picked up by Dr Dre in the Slim Shady LP to the other songs in Marshal Mathers and Eminem Show as well as collaborations and 8 Mile. Not really a bio, but a good compliment to his books.

I <3 Eminem and this Book!!! ~Stephanie (15 yrs old).......2003-12-28

I really liked this book. It contains really good pictures of him. It has the reasons for why Eminem wrote all of the songs he did, from the Slim Shady EP, to the Slim Shady LP, to the Marshall Mathers LP, to the Eminem Show, to the 8 Mile soundtrack. It talks about struggles in his life with his mother, Debbie, and Kim. It also talks about his daugter, Hailie Jade. If you are expecting a book all about his life, though, then you shouldn't get this book because it basically describes the reasons for writing each song. I enjoyed this book and if you are a huge Eminem fan like I am, then I think that you will like this book too!!!

Shanna's First Readers Level 1: Hip, Hop, Hooray! (Shanna's First Readers)

Average customer rating:

Party Surprise

Shanna's First Readers Level 1: Hip, Hop, Hooray! (Shanna's First Readers)
Jean Marzollo
Manufacturer: Jump At The Sun
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
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Shanna's First Readers Level 1: Bear Hunt (Shanna's First Readers)
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Shanna's First Readers Level 1: Animal Riddles (Shanna's First Readers)

ASIN: 0786818301

Book Description

Hip, hop today. Hip, hop, hooray!The Shanna Show is fun today.Children chant, clap, rap, and rhyme

Customer Reviews:

Party Surprise.......2004-10-10

Shanna's little brother Shane is celebrating his birthday and the gang has planned a party filled with colorful hats, toys, and presents. In addition, there are cards made out of the most common shapes and a fun treasure hunt for Shane to complete. As they hear Shane nearing the room, they all hide and then jump from their hiding places and yell "surprise" and the party begins.

What a fun and enjoyable read for first readers and parents who enjoy reading to their children. Though my two-year-old cannot read, she enjoyed the rhythms and rhymes, as well as colorful images drawn to match this story. This is a must read for all young children.

Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Ready to Die: The Story of Biggie Smalls Notorious B.I.G.

Average customer rating:

Ready to Die: The Story of Biggie Smalls Notorious B.I.G.
Jake Brown
Manufacturer: Amber Communications Group, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.
The Murder of Biggie Smalls
LAbyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implication of Death Row Records' Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles Police Scandal
Biggie: Voletta Wallace Remembers Her Son, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G.
The Rose That Grew From Concrete

ASIN: 0974977934

Book Description

While many considered Biggie ahead of his time, author Jake Brown clearly cites why it was his time. He didn't live in or up to the moment, he actually created it. Biggie controlled his time, by the very nature of what he achieved in it. When his time was up, he had done what he set out to do, and it was historic ! Biggie Smalls' life was lived in the fast lane. The Notorious B.I.G. quickly became a household name among hip hop fans and all responsibility would rest on him as he made his way up hip hop aisles to center stage. What took hip-hop by storm with the debuts of the Notorious B.I.G. was his candid rapping style. He seemed to welcome the challenge, as if he was already resigned to his fate, hence, ready for death, or whatever the world could throw at him . In Ready to Die: The Story of Biggie Smalls - The Notorious B.I.G . author Jake Brown reveals Biggie's sensitive side as well as his hard-core media stance; it explores his motivations, his loyalties and his roots. In a true sense, it strips away the media frenzy and sheds light on the truth, bringing you upclose and personal into the rise of Bad Boy Entertainment which would make Sean Puffy Combs (Puff Daddy) a mogul in his own right; Tupac Shakur; Faith Evans; Lil Kim and the Junior Mafia.

Average customer rating:

Eminem: The Stories Behind Every Song
David Stubbs
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Angry Blonde
The Dark Story of Eminem
Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem

ASIN: 1560259469

Book Description

Emerging from a poor, stereotypically white-trash childhood in Detroit, this vengeful hip-hop devotee soon turned his anger into an art form and shot to global notoriety. Eminem has written two multi-platinum bestselling albums of surreally inventive, vicious, scattergun brilliance and become the world's premier rapper and and icon for disaffected teenagers everywhere. Along the way, though, he's been accused of homophobia, endorsing drug abuse, encouraging violence against women, and flirting with incarceration — a fate many see as inevitable for this psychologically flawed modern antihero.

So where does Marshall Mathers end and Slim Shady begin? Who, in short, is Eminem? This fantastic biography is a celebration of the uniquely provocative and complex rapper who advises his young fans, "Don't do drugs, have unprotected sex, or be violent — leave that to me."

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