For years, hip-hop fans have been robbed of context and background when buying and enjoying classic albums from the Golden the 1980s. Rakim Told Me brings you these invisible liner notes, one album at a time, with new angles and engaging stories. 21 albums are examined in-depth, and facts are uncovered with the turn of every page. Journalist Brian Coleman has, over the past decade, immersed himself in and written about the hip-hop art form as a columnist for national magazines like XXL, Scratch, CMJ and URB. In this volume, The 80s, he digs deep, one-on one, with legendary artists like Rakim, De La Soul, Ice-T, Public Enemy, KRS-One, Run-DMC, Slick Rick, Too $hort and many more. Rakim Told Me lets you dive head first into the world of your favorite hip-hop artists and the classic albums they produced. These are pure wax facts straight from the original artists, broughtto the surface again after years of invisibility. So dig out your turntable, clean off your Zulu Nation medallion, crack open a chapter, and relive hip-hop s most creative and captivating era.
It took me forever to get a copy of this book but the wait was worth it. While reading I would often play the albums explored and remember the times when I first heard them. Having read Check The Technique first, I knew what to expect from a structure and writing perspective. What makes the book is the classic subject matter. Some of the writing leaves you wanting more but it is an important book, especially when you consider where hip hop is today. It feels stagnant and same.
I enjoyed this book a lot. Great oral history on some seminal rap albums that should be required reading for those who want to learn the history on these albums.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS. I LOST PEOPLE THAT WERE ONCE MY BEST FRIENDS. I LOST OLD FRIENDSHIPS THAT I THOUGHT WOULD LAST BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL. PEOPLE I ONCE TRUSTED ENDED UP SHOWING ME THE OPPOSITE. ALTHOUGH I LOST THOSE PEOPLE, I ALSO BUILT MORE VALUABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO STAYED. I KEPT THE FRIENDS THAT REALLY MATTERED. I GAINED STRONGER FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE FOR ME.
This is a fantasic book about early hip hop. I especially liked the bit on Pubic Enemy. Very informative. Apparently there is a new edition of this out with even more information and more artists profiled. Great.
First self published book by Brian Coleman. It is the original book about the origins of many of the most classic hip hop albums ever. He later published "Check The Technique" which expanded this edition..