Download or read book Real Love No Drama written by Danny Alexander and published by University of Texas Press. This book was released on 2016-03-01 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary J. Blige is an icon who represents the political consciousness of hip hop and the historical promise of soul. She is an everywoman, celebrated by Oprah Winfrey and beloved by pop music fans of all ages and races. Blige has sold over fifty million albums, won numerous Grammys, and even played at multiple White House events, as well as the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Displaying astonishing range and versatility, she has recorded everything from Broadway standards to Led Zeppelin anthems and worked with some of popular music’s greatest artists—Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Sting, U2, and Beyoncé, among them. Real Love, No Drama: The Music of Mary J. Blige tells the story of one of the most important artists in pop music history. Danny Alexander follows the whole arc of Blige’s career, from her first album, which heralded the birth of “hip hop soul,” to her critically praised 2014 album, The London Sessions. He highlights the fact that Blige was part of the historically unprecedented movement of black women onto pop radio and explores how she and other women took control of their careers and used their music to give voice to women’s (and men’s) everyday struggles and dreams. This book adds immensely to the story of both black women artists and artists rooted in hip hop and pays tribute to a musician who, by expanding her reach and asking tough questions about how music can and should evolve, has proven herself an artistic visionary.
Download or read book Mary J Blige written by Jennifer Torres and published by . This book was released on 2007-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the life and career of R & B powerhouse Mary J. Blige.
Download or read book The Prisoner in His Palace written by Will Bardenwerper and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-06-06 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the tradition of In Cold Blood and The Executioner’s Song, this haunting, insightful, and surprisingly intimate portrait of Saddam Hussein provides “a brief, but powerful, meditation on the meaning of evil and power” (USA TODAY). The “captivating” (Military Times) The Prisoner in His Palace invites us to take a journey with twelve young American soldiers in the summer of 2006. Shortly after being deployed to Iraq, they learn their assignment: guarding Saddam Hussein in the months before his execution. Living alongside, and caring for, their “high value detainee and regularly transporting him to his raucous trial, many of the men begin questioning some of their most basic assumptions—about the judicial process, Saddam’s character, and the morality of modern war. Although the young soldiers’ increasingly intimate conversations with the once-feared dictator never lead them to doubt his responsibility for unspeakable crimes, the men do discover surprising new layers to his psyche that run counter to the media’s portrayal of him. Woven from firsthand accounts provided by many of the American guards, government officials, interrogators, scholars, spies, lawyers, family members, and victims, The Prisoner in His Palace shows two Saddams coexisting in one person: the defiant tyrant who uses torture and murder as tools, and a shrewd but contemplative prisoner who exhibits surprising affection, dignity, and courage in the face of looming death. In this thought-provoking narrative, Saddam, known as the “man without a conscience,” gets many of those around him to examine theirs. “A singular study exhibiting both military duty and human compassion” (Kirkus Reviews), The Prisoner in His Palace grants us “a behind-the-scenes look at history that’s nearly impossible to put down…a mesmerizing glimpse into the final moments of a brutal tyrant’s life” (BookPage).
Download or read book My life written by and published by CUP Archive. This book was released on with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Bevelations written by Bevy Smith and published by Andy Cohen Books. This book was released on 2021-01-12 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Bevy knows what's what, and she is the kind of woman you want in your corner. If you don't believe me . . . buy the book." —Whoopi Goldberg "Funny, wise, well-experienced, empathetic, colorful—Bevy brings the spirit of humanity wherever she goes." —Pharrell Williams From the host of the fabulous and popular show Bevelations on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy channel, Bevy Smith’s irreverent and inspiring memoir about learning to live a big, authentic, and unapologetic life—and how you can, too Bevy Smith was living what seemed like a glamorous dream as a fashion advertising executive, blazing a lucrative career for herself in the whitewashed magazine world. She jetsetted to Europe for fashion shows, dined and danced at every hot spot, and enjoyed a mighty roster of lovers. So it came as quite a shock to Bevy when one day, after arriving at her luxury hotel in Milan, she collapsed on the Frette bedsheets and sobbed. Years of rolling with the in-crowd had taken its toll. Her satisfaction with work and life had hit rock bottom. But Bevy could not be defeated, and within minutes (okay, days) she grabbed a notepad and started realizing a truer path—one built on self-reflection and, ultimately, clarity. She figured out how to redirect her life toward meaningful creativity and freedom. In her signature lively and infectious voice (there’s no one like Bevy!), Bevelations candidly shares how she reclaimed her life’s course and shows how we too can manifest our most bodacious dreams. From repossessing her bold childhood nature to becoming her own brand to envisioning her life’s next great destination (which will feature natural hair, important charitable giving, and a midcentury house overlooking the Pacific Ocean), Bevy invites readers along on the route of her personal transformation to reveal how each of us can live our best lives with honesty, joy, and, when we’re in the mood, a killer pair of shoes.
Download or read book Stranded on Death Row written by Danny Steward and published by . This book was released on 2017-02-07 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Danny Boy grew up on one of the most influential record labels in the history of rap music. As the adopted son of Suge Knight, Danny rubbed elbows with the best of the best in the music industry. He sang for Teena Marie, collaborated with Lisa Left Eye Lopes, and formed a friendship with Jodeci members, K-Ci and JoJo. He witnessed both the rise and fall of Death Row Records, traveled with Suge and Tupac, and performed with some of the greatest musicians of all times. Danny is probably most widely known for "I Ain't Mad at Cha," the iconic song he recorded with the late Tupac Shakur. But there's more to his story. In this autobiography, he shares his secrets, his heartaches, and loves; he takes the reader on a journey that is unforgettable.
Download or read book Mary J Blige written by Diane Bailey and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2009-01-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary J. Blige has a style all her own. When it comes to fashion, her music, or just the way she lives her life, Mary has never been afraid to just be herself. To date, Mary J. Blige has sold over 40 million records and won 8 of Grammy awards. Dubbed the "Queen of Hip-hop Soul," Mary and her music continue to inspire fans of all types.
Download or read book My Voice written by Angie Martinez and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017-03-07 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now in paperback—Angie Martinez, the “Voice of New York,” candidly recounts the story of her rise to become an internationally celebrated hip hop radio icon. In her current reign at Power 105.1 and for nearly two decades at New York’s Hot 97, Angie Martinez has had one of the highest rated radio shows in the country. After working her way up as an intern, she burst on the scene as a young female jock whose on-air “Battle of the Beats” segment broke records and became a platform for emerging artists like a young Jay Z. Angie quickly became known for intimate, high-profile interviews, mediating feuds between artists, and taking on the most controversial issues in hip hop. At age twenty-five, at the height of the East Coast/West Coast rap war, Angie was summoned by Tupac Shakur for what would be his last no-holds-barred interview—which has never aired in its entirety and which she’s never discussed in detail—until now. Angie shares stories from behind-the-scenes of her most controversial conversations, from onetime presidential hopeful Barack Obama to superstars like Mary J. Blige and Chris Brown, and describes her emotional, bittersweet final days at Hot 97 and the highly publicized move to Power 105.1. She also opens up about her personal life—from her roots in Washington Heights and her formative years being raised by a single mom in Brooklyn to exploring the lessons that shaped her into the woman she is today. From the Puerto Rican Day Parade to the White House—Angie is universally recognized as a powerful voice in the Latino and hip hop communities. My Voice gives an inside look at New York City’s one-of-a-kind urban radio culture, the changing faces of hip hop music, and Angie’s rise to become the Voice of New York.
Download or read book Mary J Blige written by Sofia Maimone and published by Gareth Stevens Publishing LLLP. This book was released on 2011-01-01 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary J. Blige has had to travel a long, hard road to become the famous hip-hop artist she is today. Readers will see the way she changed from an angry teenager to a woman who gets stronger with every album—all while sharing her strength with other women. Her talent and passion have taken her from singing backup for others to having three albums in a row reach the top spot on the charts.
Download or read book Mary J Blige written by Terrell Brown and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tells the story of Mary J. Blige, the rap musician.
Download or read book Keep the Faith written by Faith Evans and published by Hachette+ORM. This book was released on 2008-05-05 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Forceful talent" (Essence Magazine) and R&B sensation Faith Evans gives us a first person account of life at ground zero of the most infamous part of hip-hop history. It's been over ten years since Big was killed. I grieved for him for a very long time. And then, as time passed, the icy wall of grief surrounding my heart began to thaw and I began to heal. I remarried, had more children, and continued to record and release more music. I continued to live my life. And while I can never discount the time I spent with Big, I've never felt the need to live in the past. But sometimes, I still find myself thinking about Big being rushed the hospital, and I break down in tears. It's not just because we hung up on each other during what would be our last telephone conversation. And it's not because I am raising our son, a young man who has never known his father. It's partly all of those things. But mainly it's because he wasn't ready to go. His debut album was called Ready to Die. But in the end, he wasn't. Big never got a chance to tell his story. It's been left to others to tell it for him. In making the decision to tell my own story, it means that I've become one of those who can give insight to who Big really was. But I can only speak on what he meant to me. Yet I also want people to understand that although he was a large part of my life, my story doesn't actually begin or end with Big's death. My journey has been complicated on many levels. And since I am always linked to Big, there are a lot of misconceptions about who I really am. I hope that in reading my words, there is inspiration to be found. Perhaps you can duplicate my success or achieve where I have failed. Maybe you can skip over the mistakes I've made. Use my life as an example-of what to do and in some cases, what not to do. It's not easy putting your life out there for the masses. But I've decided I'll tell my own story. For Big. For my children. And for myself.
Download or read book Mary J Blige written by Z. B. Hill and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mary J. Blige has been a major part of hip-hop and R&B for years. The singer has inspired artists like Beyonce, Ashanti, and Alicia Keys--and she's had a lot of success of her own, too! Mary hasn't always had an easy life. Drugs and alcohol almost ended Mary's music career and she had a very tough childhood. But Mary made it through hard times to become a better person. Today, Mary J. Blige is making new music and giving back to others. Mary J. Blige tells the story of how Mary moved from a hard childhood to becoming a singing superstar. Read about how Mary changed her life for the better but always stayed true to herself.
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" --
Download or read book Every Little Step written by Bobby Brown and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-06-13 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Bestseller In Every Little Step, Bobby Brown tells the full story of his life and sets the record straight, particularly about his relationship with Whitney Houston. Bobby Brown has been one of the most compelling American artists of the past thirty years, a magnetic and talented figure who successfully crossed over many musical genres, including R&B and hip hop, as well as the mainstream. In the late 1980s, the former front man of New Edition had a wildly successful solo career—especially with the launch of Don't Be Cruel—garnering multiple hits on the Billboard top ten list, as well as several Grammy, American Music, and Soul Train awards. But Brown put his career on hold to be with the woman he loved—American music royalty Whitney Houston. The marriage between Brown and Houston was perhaps the most closely watched and talked about marriage of the 1990s—a pairing that obsessed the public and the gossip industry. Now, for the first time, the world will be able to hear the truth from the mouth of America’s “bad boy” himself. Raw and powerful, Every Little Step is the story of a man who has been on the top of the mountain and in the depths of the valley and who is now finally ready to talk about his career and family life, from the passion and the excess to his creative inspirations and massive musical success. On the process of writing this book, Bobby says, “Right after I signed on to write my story, I went through one of the most agonizing traumas I had ever experienced with the death of my daughter. But I was surprised by how therapeutic it was to work on this project, to look at the entire arc of my life and to realize that although there has been considerable pain, I have also been incredibly blessed. I hope my fans and other readers of this book will be entertained by this trip into the crazy, exciting, fascinating world of Bobby Brown. And I hope they will feel that I have been as honest and open with them in these pages as I have tried to be my entire life.”
Download or read book Real Love No Drama written by Danny Alexander (Music journalist) and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Hustle Harder Hustle Smarter written by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2020-04-28 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER For the first time, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson opens up about his amazing comeback—from tragic personal loss to thriving businessman and cable’s highest-paid executive—in this unique self-help guide, his first since his blockbuster New York Times bestseller The 50th Law. In his early twenties Curtis Jackson, known as 50 Cent rose to the heights of fame and power in the cutthroat music business. A decade ago the multi-platinum selling rap artist decided to pivot. His ability to adapt to change was demonstrated when he became the executive producer and star of Power, a high-octane, gripping crime drama centered around a drug kingpin’s family. The series quickly became “appointment” television, leading to Jackson inking a four-year, $150 million contract with the Starz network—the most lucrative deal in premium cable history. Now, in his most personal book, Jackson shakes up the self-help category with his unique, cutting-edge lessons and hard-earned advice on embracing change. Where The 50th Law tells readers “fear nothing and you shall succeed,” Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter builds on this message, combining it with Jackson’s street smarts and hard-learned corporate savvy to help readers successfully achieve their own comeback—and to learn to flow with the changes that disrupt their own lives.
Download or read book Parental Discretion Is Advised written by Gerrick D. Kennedy and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-12-05 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experience the stunning rise, fall, and legacy of N.W.A. and how they put their stamp on pop culture, black culture, and hip-hop music forever in this “incredibly vivid look at one of music’s most iconic groups” (Associated Press). In 1986, a group was formed that would establish the foundation of gangsta rap and push the genre forward, electrifying fans with their visceral and profane lyrics that glorified the dark ways of street life and brazenly challenged the police system. Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella caused a seismic shift in hip-hop when they decided to form N.W.A in 1986. With their hard-core image, bombastic sound, and lyrics that were equal parts poetic, lascivious, conscious, and downright in-your-face, N.W.A spoke the truth about life on the streets of Compton, California—then a hotbed of poverty, drugs, gangs, and unemployment. Going beyond the story portrayed in the 2015 blockbuster movie Straight Outta Compton, through firsthand interviews, extensive research, and top-notch storytelling, Los Angeles Times music reporter Gerrick Kennedy transports you back in time and offers a front-row seat to N.W.A’s early days and the drama and controversy that followed the incendiary group as they rose to become multiplatinum artists. Kennedy leaves nothing off the table in his pursuit of the full story behind the group’s most pivotal moments, such as Ice Cube’s decision to go solo after their debut studio album became a smash hit; their battle with the FBI over inflammatory lyrics; incidents of physical assault; Dr. Dre’s departure from the group to form Death Row Records with Suge Knight; their impact on the 1992 L.A. riots; Eazy-E’s battle with AIDS; and much more. A bold, riveting, “non-stop, can’t-put-it-down ride” (Library Journal), Parental Discretion Is Advised unveils the true and astonishing history of one of the most transcendent and controversial musical groups of the 1980s and 1990s.
