Download or read book Rise of a Killah written by Ghostface Killah and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2024-05-14 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of the celebrated rapper and the iconic Wu-Tang Clan, told by one of its founding members Dennis Coles—aka Ghostface Killah—is a co-founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, a legendary hip hop group who established themselves by breaking all the rules, taking their music to the streets during hip hop’s golden era on a decade-long wave of releasing anthem after classic anthem, and serving as the foundation of modern hip hop. An all-star cast who formed like Voltron to establish the pillars that serve as the foundation of modern hip hop and released seminal albums that have stood the test of time. Rise of a Killah is Ghost’s autobiography, focusing on the people, places and events that mean the most to him as he enters his fourth decade writing and performing. It’s a beautiful and intense book, going back to the creative ferment that led to Ghost’s first handwritten rhymes. Dive into Ghost’s defining personal moments, his battles with his personal demons, his journey to Africa, his religious viewpoints, his childhood in Staten Island, and his commitment to his family (including his two brothers with muscular dystrophy), from the Clan’s early successes to the pinnacle of Ghost’s career touring and spreading his wings as a solo artist, fashion icon, and trendsetter. Exclusive photos and memorabilia, as well as graphic art commissioned for this book, make Rise of a Killah both a memoir and a unique visual record, a “real feel” narrative of Ghost’s life as he sees it, a one of a kind holy grail for Wu-Tang and Ghost fans alike.

Download or read book Iron Age written by Dean Van Nguyen and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2019-06-26 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the beginning, he was one of nine-the Wu-Tang Clan's first swordsman. But much more than just 11.11% of a greater entity, Ghostface Killah established himself as a seminal rapper in hip-hop history and one of the greatest artists to skulk the planet. In a series of essays that blend music criticism, cultural examination, and personal appreciation, Dean Van Nguyen examines every side of Ghost's bionic make-up. This essential collection is for students of East Coast rap, comic book culture, grindhouse cinema, and New York history. Most of all, it's for fans of the almighty Ghostface Killah, one of the most thrilling, fascinating rappers of our time.

Download or read book Cell Block Z written by Ghostface Killah and published by Grand Central Publishing. This book was released on 2009-07-29 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Read the thrilling novel as a heavyweight champion is framed for a murder he didn't commit and now he finds himself being transformed into something not-quite-so-human. To his fans, Cole Dennis is a heavyweight contender with a devastating right hook. To a city being held hostage to chaos and terror, Dennis has a grit and charisma that make him the shining hope for justice--until he is arrested for a brutal murder. Framed for a crime he did not commit, he finds himself captive in a foreboding high-tech superprison whose masters secretly conspire to turn inmates into tomorrow's most terrifying bioweapons--with Cole Dennis as the intended prize specimen. But Dennis is nobody's lab rat. Reborn as a towering engine of destruction, Dennis will prepare for the fight of his life. He will rename himself Ghostface Killah. And his cry of righteous rage will echo beyond the cold steel walls of Cell Block Z.

Download or read book The Tao of Wu written by The RZA and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2010-11-02 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the founder of the Wu-Tang Clan—celebrating their 25th anniversary this year—an inspirational book for the hip hop fan. The RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, imparts the lessons he's learned on his journey from the Staten Island projects to international superstardom. A devout student of knowledge in every form in which he's found it, he distills here the wisdom he's acquired into seven "pillars," each based on a formative event in his life-from the moment he first heard the call of hip-hop to the death of his cousin and Clan- mate, Russell Jones, aka ODB. Delivered in RZA's unmistakable style, at once surprising, profound, and provocative, The Tao of Wu is a spiritual memoir the world has never seen before, and will never see again. A nonfiction Siddhartha for the hip-hop generation from the author of The Wu-Tang Manual, it will enlighten, entertain, and inspire.

Download or read book Raw written by Lamont "U-God" Hawkins and published by Picador. This book was released on 2018-03-06 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Selected as a Best Book of the Year by Esquire "Couldn't put it down." – Charlamagne Tha God "Mesmerizing." – Raekwon da Chef "Insightful, moving, necessary." – Shea Serrano "Cathartic." –The New Yorker "A classic." –The Washington Post The explosive, never-before-told story behind the historicrise of the Wu-Tang Clan, as told by one of its founding members, Lamont "U-God" Hawkins. “It’s time to write down not only my legacy, but the story of nine dirt-bomb street thugs who took our everyday life—scrappin’ and hustlin’and tryin’ to survive in the urban jungle of New York City—and turned that into something bigger than we could possibly imagine, something that took us out of the projects for good, which was the only thing we all wanted in the first place.” —Lamont "U-God" Hawkins The Wu-Tang Clan are considered hip-hop royalty. Remarkably, none of the founding members have told their story—until now. Here, for the first time, the quiet one speaks. Lamont “U-God” Hawkins was born in Brownsville, New York, in 1970. Raised by a single mother and forced to reckon with the hostile conditions of project life, U-God learned from an early age how to survive. And surviving in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s was no easy task—especially as a young black boy living in some of the city’s most ignored and destitute districts. But, along the way, he met and befriended those who would eventually form the Clan’s core: RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, and Masta Killa. Brought up by the streets, and bonding over their love of hip-hop, they sought to pursue the impossible: music as their ticket out of the ghetto. U-God’s unforgettable first-person account of his journey,from the streets of Brooklyn to some of the biggest stages around the world, is not only thoroughly affecting, unfiltered, and explosive but also captures, invivid detail, the making of one of the greatest acts in American music history.

Download or read book Twelve Reasons To Die written by Ghostface Killah and published by Black Mask Studios. This book was released on 2020-11-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Guns. Sex. Vinyl. Revenge. Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah and RZA teamed with then young-gun writers Matthew Rosenberg (Uncanny X-Men, 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank) & Patrick Kindlon (Survival Fetish, Nobody Is In Control) for this brutal tale of a dangerous crime lord's rise and fall. Featuring art by Nate Powell (March), Ryan Kelly (DMZ), Tim Seeley (Nightwing), Kyle Strahm (Spread), Tyler Crook (Harrow County), Joelle Jones (Ladykiller), Toby Cypress (Rodd Racer), Riley Rossmo (Batman), and many more.

Download or read book Vibrate Higher written by Talib Kweli and published by MCD. This book was released on 2021-02-16 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY LITERARY PRIZE From one of the most lyrically gifted, socially conscious rappers of the past twenty years, Vibrate Higher is a firsthand account of hip-hop as a political force Before Talib Kweli became a world-renowned hip-hop artist, he was a Brooklyn kid who liked to cut class, spit rhymes, and wander the streets of Greenwich Village with a motley crew of artists, rappers, and DJs who found hip-hop more inspiring than their textbooks (much to the chagrin of the educator parents who had given their son an Afrocentric name in hope of securing for him a more traditional sense of pride and purpose). Kweli’s was the first generation to grow up with hip-hop as established culture—a genre of music that has expanded to include its own pantheon of heroes, rich history and politics, and distinct worldview. Eventually, childhood friendships turned into collaborations, and Kweli gained notoriety as a rapper in his own right. From collaborating with some of hip-hop’s greatest—including Mos Def, Common, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Kendrick Lamar—to selling books out of the oldest African-American bookstore in Brooklyn, ultimately leaving his record label, and taking control of his own recording career, Kweli tells the winding, always compelling story of the people and events that shaped his own life as well as the culture of hip-hop that informs American culture at large. Vibrate Higher illuminates Talib Kweli’s upbringing and artistic success, but so too does it give life to hip-hop as a political force—one that galvanized the Movement for Black Lives and serves a continual channel for resistance against the rising tide of white nationalism.

Download or read book The World According to Pretty Toney written by Ghostface Killah (Rapper) and published by MTV Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hip hop artist Ghostface Killah settles into one of his most popular characters, Pretty Toney, and offers readers Toney's hilariously unique perspective on life, via advice on everything from sex to gambling, family to education.

Download or read book From Staircase to Stage written by Raekwon and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-11-30 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Legendary wordsmith Raekwon the Chef opens up about his journey from the staircases of Park Hill in Staten Island to sold-out stadiums around the world with the Wu-Tang Clan in this revealing memoir - perfect for fans of The Autobiography of Gucci Mane and Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter. There are rappers that everyone loves and there are rappers that every rapper loves, and Corey Woods, a.k.a. Raekwon the Chef, is one of the few who is both. His versatile flow, natural storytelling and evocative imagery has inspired legions of fans and a new generation of rappers. As one of the founding members of Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon’s voice and cadence is synonymous with the inimitable sound that has made the group iconic since 1991. Now, for the first time, Raekwon tells his full story, from struggling through poverty to make ends meet to turning a hobby into a legacy. The Wu-Tang story is dense, complex and full of drama, and here nothing is off limits: the group’s underground origins, secrets behind songs like 'C.R.E.A.M.' and 'Protect Ya Neck', and what it took to be one of the first hip-hop groups to break into the mainstream. Raekwon also dives deep into the making of his meticulous solo albums - particularly the classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - and talks about how spirituality and fatherhood continue to inspire his unstoppable creative process. A celebration of perseverance and the power of music, From Staircase to Stage is a master storyteller’s lifelong journey to stay true to himself and his roots.

Download or read book Buzz Books2024 Spring Summer written by and published by Publishers Lunch. This book was released on 2024-01-16 with total page 1050 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buzz Books 2024: Spring/Summer is the 24th volume in our popular sampler series. This Buzz Books presents passionate readers with an insider’s look at nearly sixty of the buzziest books due out this season. Such major bestselling authors as Ally Condie, Christina Dodd, and Emiko Jean are featured, along with literary figures like Mateo Askaripour, Abi Daré, Alison Espach, Peter Nichols and more. Buzz Books has had a particularly stellar track record with highlighting the most talented, exciting and diverse debut authors, and this edition is no exception. Rita Bullwinkel, editor at large for McSweeney’s and deputy editor of The Believer, offers a novel on women boxer, while Lily Samson’s title has already been preempted by Sony Pictures Television. One YA and two nonfiction authors make their adult fiction debuts: Kristen Perrin, Mary Annaïse Heglar and Kate Young, respectively. Among others are Essie Chambers, Katelyn Doyle, Alejandro Puyana, and Rachel Rueckert. Our robust nonfiction section covers such important subjects as suicide and combating racist biases; several memoirs about harrowing childhoods and illnesses; and a biography of the first Asian-American woman pilot to fly during World War II. Finally, we present early looks at new work from young adult authors, including the New York Times bestselling Tracey Baptiste and Morgan Matson. The YA titles also represent more diversity than ever, with Aboriginal, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Malaysian and Trinidadian novelists. And be sure to look out for Buzz Books 2024: Fall/Winter, coming in May, for next season’s most talked about books.

Download or read book THE SUNEZ CRATES written by Sunez and published by Edward Sunez Rodriguez for Moon Soul Books. This book was released on 2014-07-22 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The entire 2013 collection of writings from Sunez, the Executive Editor of PremiereHipHop.com. Works from a true Hip Hop writer, an element of Hip Hop that blends Creative Writing, Journalistic coverage and Historical analysis. Art on Art is the science of covering this Hip Hop counterculture. Featuring exclusive coverage and person to person interviews of this decades best artists from Hell Razah of Sunz of Man/Thug Angelz, Kool G Rap, Bronze Nazareth, Kevlaar 7 and Phillie of the Wisemen, Ka, Napoleon da Legend, Spit Gemz, Woodenchainz, Shake Cee, Darkim Be Allah & Fame Labs, Zagnif Nori & Noble Scity Crew, Shaz Illyork, Starvin B, Cyrus Malachi & the Triple Darkness Crew, Killah Priest, O7 & Sinnagi of Undeniable, A-Alikes, Tragic Allies and more...

Download or read book Complex Presents Dummy Boy written by Shawn Setaro and published by Kingston Imperial. This book was released on 2021-12-21 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Tekashi 6ix9ine one of the most controversial figures in all of hip-hop history, Dummy Boy tells the tale his meteoric rise to fame. In tracing Danny "Tekashi 6ix9ine" Hernandez's life from Bushwick to the heights of the rap scene, Complex reporter Shawn Setaro illuminates the story of the young rapper who forged an alliance with a notorious street gang to bolster his image and boost his internet clout. Before long, Tekashi's antics and affiliations caught up with him, leading to a major police investigation that tore apart his team and saw him squarely behind bars, facing a life in prison. A thrilling true crime narrative set in the contemporary hip-hop world, Dummy Boy draws on dozens of exclusive interviews with collaborators, associates, and witnesses, to provide a detailed account of the most beguiling and intriguing story in modern music. More than a biography, Dummy Boy is an American crime story, a critical examination of internet trolling in the Trump era, and an exploration of the long-running connection between rap, gangs, and police in New York City.

Download or read book From the Streets of Shaolin written by S. H. Fernando Jr. and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2021-07-06 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This definitive biography of rap supergroup, Wu-Tang Clan, features decades of unpublished interviews and unparalleled access to members of the group and their associates. This is the definitive biography of rap supergroup and cultural icons, Wu-Tang Clan (WTC). Heralded as one of the most influential groups in modern music—hip hop or otherwise—WTC created a rap dynasty on the strength of seven gold and platinum albums that launched the careers of such famous rappers as RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and more. During the ‘90s, they ushered in a hip-hop renaissance, rescuing rap from the corporate suites and bringing it back to the gritty streets where it started. In the process they changed the way business was conducted in an industry known for exploiting artists. Creatively, Wu-Tang pushed the boundaries of the artform dedicating themselves to lyrical mastery and sonic innovation, and one would be hard pressed to find a group who's had a bigger impact on the evolution of hip hop. S.H. Fernando Jr., a veteran music journalist who spent a significant amount of time with The Clan during their heyday of the ‘90s, has written extensively about the group for such publications as Rolling Stone, Vibe, and The Source. Over the years he has built up a formidable Wu-Tang archive that includes pages of unpublished interviews, videos of the group in action in the studio, and several notepads of accumulated memories and observations. Using such exclusive access as well as the wealth of open-source material, Fernando reconstructs the genesis and evolution of the group, delving into their unique ideology and range of influences, and detailing exactly how they changed the game and established a legacy that continues to this day. The book provides a startling portrait of overcoming adversity through self-empowerment and brotherhood, giving us unparalleled insights into what makes these nine young men from the ghetto tick. While celebrating the myriad accomplishments of The Clan, the book doesn't shy away from controversy—we're also privy to stories from their childhoods in the crack-infested hallways of Staten Island housing projects, stints in Rikers for gun possession, and million-dollar contracts that led to recklessness and drug overdoses (including Ol' Dirty Bastard's untimely death). More than simply a history of a single group, this book tells the story of a musical and cultural shift that started on the streets of Shaolin (Staten Island) and quickly spread around the world. Biographies on such an influential outfit are surprisingly few, mostly focused on a single member of the group's story. This book weaves together interviews from all the Clan members, as well as their friends, family and collaborators to create a compelling narrative and the most three-dimensional portrait of Wu-Tang to date. It also puts The Clan within a social, cultural, and historical perspective to fully appreciate their impact and understand how they have become the cultural icons they are today. Unique in its breadth, scope, and access, From The Streets of Shaolin is a must-have for fans of WTC and music bios in general.

Download or read book Omens Bite written by P. C. Cast and published by Wednesday Books. This book was released on 2022-04-05 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Something wicked this way comes... Twin sisters, Mercy and Hunter are witches, direct descendants of the Goode family, the founders of their town. After the murder of their mother at the hands of a foul demon, they have become the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds--ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and the darkest of creatures exist. Grief has taken a terrible toll on the twins. Rather than bringing them together, their sadness has torn them apart, driving Mercy to attempt to save the crumbling Gates without her twin and Hunter into the arms of a dangerous goddess. While Mercy looks for aid from Khenti, Guardian of the Egyptian Underworld, Hunter begins to realize the goddess she’s allied with is more monster than deity. She needs her sister’s help, but Mercy is beyond her reach on an adventure that could cost them everything, including their world.

Download or read book The Wu Tang Manual written by The RZA and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-02-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA’s first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop’s original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan. Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior codes, numerological systems, and Eastern spiritual ethics that define the Wu-Tang dynasty. Packed with information that reflects the breadth and depth of the RZA’s — and rest of the Clan’s — intellectual interests and passions, The Wu-Tang Manual is divided into four books of nine chambers each, for a total of 36 chambers. All together, the book provides the breakdown of essential Wu-Tang components, from basic information about each of the nine core members of Wu-Tang Clan to deeper explorations of the key themes of the Wu-Tang universe, a dictionary-like Wu-Slang lexicon, and an entire section of Wu-Tang lyrics with densely annotated explanations of what they mean. For the hardcore Wu-Tang disciple and the recent initiate alike, The Wu-Tang Manual is the definitive guide to the essence of Wu, one of the most innovative hip-hop groups of all time. The RZA's most recent book, The Tao of Wu, is also available from Riverhead Books.

Download or read book My Infamous Life written by Albert "Prodigy" Johnson and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-02-07 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A memoir about a life almost lost and a revealing look at the dark side of hip hop's golden era ... a story of struggle, survival, and hope down the mean streets of New York City"--Dust flap jacket.

Download or read book Raising Kanye written by Donda West and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-05-08 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The mother of rap superstar Kanye West shares her experiences on being a single mother raising a celebrity. As the mother of hip-hop superstar Kanye West, Donda West has watched her son grow from a brilliant baby boy with all the intimations of fame and fortune to one of the hottest rappers on the music scene. And she has every right to be proud: she raised her son with strong moral values, teaching him right from wrong and helping him become the man he is today. In Raising Kanye, Donda not only pays homage to her famous son but reflects on all the things she learned about being his mother along the way. Featuring never-before-seen photos and compelling personal anecdotes, Donda's powerful and inspiring memoir reveals everything from the difficulties she faced as a single mother in the African American community to her later experiences as Kanye's manager as he rose to superstardom. Speaking frankly about her son's reputation as a "Mama's Boy," and his memorable public outbursts about gay rights and President George W. Bush, Donda supports her son without exception, and here she shares the invaluable wisdom she has taken away from each experience—passion, tolerance, patience, and above all, always telling the truth. Ultimately, she not only expresses what her famously talented son has meant to her but what he has meant to music and an entire generation.