Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Texas

Lyrics by Malik “Malik-16” Sharif

Let Me Hear a Rhyme

Music spotlight collector’s edition.
Magazine about 50 years of hip hop… from Drake to Run DMC.
New
2023

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

California

The Entire History from Run DMC to N.W.A. to Drake and Beyond

50 Years of Hip-Hop

#hiphop #bipoc #fiction #ya #youngadult #streetlit #rap #bedsty #Brooklyn 

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

New Jersey

In this striking new novel by the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly and Monday’s Not Coming, Tiffany D. Jackson tells the story of three Brooklyn teens who plot to turn their murdered friend into a major rap star by pretending he's still alive. Brooklyn, 1998. Biggie Smalls was right: Things done changed. But that doesn’t mean that Quadir and Jarrell are cool letting their best friend Steph’s music lie forgotten under his bed after he’s murdered—not when his rhymes could turn any Bed Stuy corner into a party. With the help of Steph’s younger sister Jasmine, they come up with a plan to promote Steph’s music under a new rap name: the Architect. Soon, everyone wants a piece of him. When his demo catches the attention of a hotheaded music label rep, the trio must prove Steph’s talent from beyond the grave. As the pressure of keeping their secret grows, Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine are forced to confront the truth about what happened to Steph. Only, each has something to hide. And with everything riding on Steph’s fame, they need to decide what they stand for or lose all that they’ve worked so hard to hold on to—including each other.

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Gobi

Afeni Shakur

Thoughts on Tupac Amaru Shakur in Pictures and Words

Nine years after his death, Tupac Shakur's allure is stronger than ever. With more than a quarter of a million copies of his poetry book sold to date; countless Internet sites; the Tupac Amaru Centre in Georgia, USA; university courses dedicated to his poetry and new hit recordings, it's clear that interest in this complex and fascinating artist is still growing. THRU MY EYES is a collection of fifty photographs of Tupac, many never seen before by the public. Gathered from the last year of Tupac's life (1995-1996), these are revealing and poignant images that show him pulling away from the dark forces that influenced his life and developing into a mature artist. With text written by Gobi, Tupac's former music video director/producer, business partner and friend, THRU MY EYES provides an in-depth look at a frequently misunderstood performer and also reveals the lighter more playful side of Tupac. There are photographs presenting him as a lover of life and sex symbol; photographs of Tupac in frivolous mood, dressed as Rick James; photographs of him playing joyfully with his kids. And of course there are images depicting Tupac working at his crafts - acting and rapping - imbuing every task with the dedication and determination that defined his life.

Thru My Eyes

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Jay-Z

Book does show some definite wear. The spine is slightly out of square. 

Heavy Hardcover (2 to 4 lbs)

Decoded is a book like no other: a collection of lyrics and their meanings that together tell the story of a culture, an art form, a moment in history, and one of the most provocative and successful artists of our time. Praise for Decoded “Compelling . . . provocative, evocative . . . Part autobiography, part lavishly illustrated commentary on the author’s own work, Decoded gives the reader a harrowing portrait of the rough worlds Jay-Z navigated in his youth, while at the same time deconstructing his lyrics.”—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times “One of a handful of books that just about any hip hop fan should own.”—The New Yorker “Elegantly designed, incisively written . . . an impressive leap by a man who has never been known for small steps.”—Los Angeles Times “A riveting exploration of Jay-Z’s journey . . . So thoroughly engrossing, it reads like a good piece of cultural journalism.”—The Boston Globe “Shawn Carter’s most honest airing of the experiences he drew on to create the mythic figure of Jay-Z . . . The scenes he recounts along the way are fascinating.”—Entertainment Weekly “Hip-hop’s renaissance man drops a classic. . . . Heartfelt, passionate and slick.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Decoded

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#paperback #tupac #biography #tupacshakur #hiphop #rap #poet #music #nonfiction

New York

This series tells the stories of the leading figures of hip-hop, packed full of unrivalled information and full-colour photos.

Tupac

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Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

Pennsylvania

A Novel

Bestselling author Treasure E. Blue returns with a gritty against-all-odds urban fairy tale set in the same unforgiving neighborhood as that of his breakout debut novel Harlem Girl Lost. Desire was born on the streets of Harlem–literally. Her mom, a crack-addicted prostitute, delivered her on a bitter winter’s night after turning a trick and being brutally beaten by the john. Taken from her mother by the state, Desire grows up unwelcoming foster homes, until a local Good Samaritan takes her in. With Miss Hattie Mae’s love and Christian guidance, Desire gains confidence, joins the church choir, and discovers that she’s got a set of pipes–which soon attract the attention of hip-hop’s biggest exec. But the road to superstardom is paved with dangers and temptations: drugged-out, violent rappers, untrustworthy pro athletes promising romance, and vicious drugs. Despite her phenomenal success and Miss Hattie Mae’s kindness, Desire seems destined for a fall from the top that will slam her back onto the pavement where her mama left her–until an unexpected angel picks her back up. . . .

A Street Girl Named Desire

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#hardcover #fiction #ya #angiethomas #blackgirlmagic #comingtoagestory #music #rap 

Wisconsin

B&N exclusive edition

On the Come Up

Lecrae Moore

Georgia

If you live for people's acceptance, you'll die from their rejection.



Two-time Grammy winning rap artist, Lecrae, learned this lesson through more than his share of adversity--childhood abuse, drugs and alcoholism, a stint in rehab, an abortion, and an unsuccessful suicide attempt.



Along the way, Lecrae attained an unwavering faith in Jesus and began looking to God for affirmation. Now as a chart-topping industry anomaly, he has learned to ignore the haters and make peace with his craft. The rap artist holds nothing back as he divulges the most sensitive details of his life, answers his critics, shares intimate handwritten journal entries, and powerfully models how to be a Christian in a secular age.



This is the story of one man's journey to faith and freedom.



*Cover/Interior design by Alex Medina, photography by Mary Caroline Mann

Unashamed

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William Buckholz

Rap songs are famous for their double entendres, clever turns of phrase, and general ingenuity, but that doesn't mean things always make sense the first time around. Enter Understand Rap, a very funny pop-cultural reference book based on the website of the same name, which precisely explains the confusing lyrics and terms used in rap songs using language that even the most un-hip person can understand. The juxtaposition of a dry, academic tone with hip-hop terminology results in a book that's as entertaining as it is informative.

Explanations of Confusing Rap Lyrics That You and Your Grandma Can Understand

Although rap music is famous for its ingenuity, double entendres and clever turns of phrase, until now no one has attempted to collect rap lyrics into an organised compendium. Enter Understand Rap, a very funny pop-cultural reference book based on the website of the same name, which precisely explains all the confusing terms and lyrics used in rap songs in a language even the most un-hip person can understand. The result is a book with breakout potential that's both entertaining and highly informative. The juxtaposition of dry, academic manner with Hip Hop terminology in Understand Rap frequently lends itself to ironic comedy gold. For example: Lyric: 'Been servin' since you was doin' the runnin' man'. Explanation: My experience selling drugs began long ago, while you were still concerning yourself with immature things like doing goofy dances where you look like you're running in place. (From Song: Rubberband Man on Album: Trap Muzik by Artist: T.I.) Understand Rap features hip hop artists of all names, colours, and creeds and organise their lyrics into the following categories: Cars, Money, Drugs/Alcohol, People, Places, Fashion, Crime/Weapons, Insults, Skills/Pride and Sex/Relationships.

Understand Rap

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#fiction #africanamericanwomen #hardcover #music #rap

Talib Kweli

A Rap Story

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, and 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 which 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.

Vibrate Higher

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Dalton Higgins

Jane Springer

#paperback #hiphop #rap #groundworkguide #poetry a little squished on front cover (pic)

A Groundwork Guide by Dalton Higgins

Hip Hop World

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#paperback #50cent #rap #hiphop #Blackauthor #Blackcharacter

Softcover

A hard-hitting and inspirational novel about the redemption of a bully from international icon 50 Cent

Thirteen-year-old Butterball takes readers on a journey through the moments that made him into the playground bully he is today. Loosely inspired by 50 Cent's own adolescence and written with his teenage son in mind, Playground received wide critical praise--and is now poised to become a perennial classic.

Playground

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Rakim

Arizona

Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius

On the heels of Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer Prize, as the world begins to recognize the creative side of Hip-Hop, comes a writing guide from a musician and "The greatest MC of all time," Rakim.

The musician and Hip Hop legend--hailed as "the greatest MC of all time" and compared to Thelonious Monk--reimagines the writing handbook in this memoir and guide that incorporates the soulful genius, confidence, and creativity of a master artist.



When he exploded on the music scene, musical genius Rakim was hailed for his brilliant artistic style, adding layers, complexity, depth, musicality, and soul to rap. More than anyone, Rakim has changed the way MCs rhyme. Calm on the mic, his words combine in a frenzy of sound, using complicated patterns based on multisyllabic rhymes and internal rhythms. Rakim can tell a story about a down-on-his-luck man looking for a job and turn it into an epic tale and an unforgettable rhyme. He is not just a great songwriter--he's a great modern writer.

Part memoir, part writing guide, Sweat the Technique offers insight into how Rakim thinks about words, music, writing, and rhyming as it teaches writers of all levels how to hone their craft. It is also a rare glimpse into Rakim's private life, full of entertaining personal stories from his youth on Long Island growing up in a home and community filled with musiciansto the clubs of New York and the studios of Los Angeles during his rise to the top of popular music. Rakim celebrates the influences that shaped his development, including the jazz music of John Coltrane and the spirituality of the streets, and shares anecdotes spotlighting personalities such as L. L. Cool J. and Dr. Dre, among others.

Filled with valuable lessons for every writer, Sweat the Technique reveals the heart and mind of an artist and his love for great storytelling, and always, the words.

Sweat the Technique

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Massachusetts

On the come up 

#paperback #hiphop #music #rap #nonfiction #history

A Short History

Tells the story of how a movement that began in the neighborhoods of the Bronx, New York, grew to become a major musical, cultural, political, and philanthropic force over the world. This book helps readers learn how slavery and the civil rights movement helped lead to the birth of hip-hop.

Hip Hop

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please check out the pictures, there’s some staining and marks on the pages as shown 

Maine

On The Come Up

Justin Tinsley

Biggie and the World That Made Him

From a talented young journalist on the rise, a deeply reported, timely new biography of the Notorious B.I.G., publishing for what would have been his 50th birthday The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life: young trouble, drug dealing, guns, prison, a giant hit record, the wealth and international superstardom that came with it, then an early violent death. Biggie released his first record, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only 22. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second record Life After Death. Journalist Justin Tinsley's It Was All a Dream is a fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend. It is based on extensive interviews with those who knew and loved Biggie, including neighbors, friends, DJs, party promoters, and journalists. And it places Biggie's life in context, both within the history of rap but also the wider cultural and political forces that shaped him, including Caribbean immigration, the Reagan era disinvestment in public education, street life, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and the booming, creative, and influential 1990s music industry. This is the story of where Biggie came from, the forces that shaped him, and the legacy he has left behind.

It Was All a Dream

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This is the highly anticipated second novel by Angie Thomas, the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning The Hate U Give. Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least get some streams on her mixtape. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But when her mom unexpectedly loses her job, food banks and shut-off notices become as much a part of her life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it. On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are, and not who everyone expects you to be; and of the desperate realities of poor and working class black families. Brilliant, insightful, full of heart, this novel is another modern classic from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation.

On the Come Up (Book of the Month Edition, 2019)

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South Dakota

Tpain

Publisher	‎Atria Books; Illustrated edition (October 13, 2020)
Language	‎English
Edition: First Edition
Features: Dust Jacket
Hardcover	‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10	‎1982107588
ISBN-13	‎978-1982107581
Item Weight	‎15.4 ounces
Dimensions	‎6 x 1 x 9 inches

  #hardcover #nonfiction #biography #memoir #kendricklamar #rap #hiphop #blm #blackhistory #blackauthor

How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America

This first cultural biography of rap superstar and “master of storytelling” (The New Yorker) Kendrick Lamar explores his meteoric rise to fame and his profound impact on a racially fraught America—perfect for fans of Zack O’Malley Greenburg’s Empire State of Mind. Kendrick Lamar is at the top of his game. The thirteen-time Grammy Award­–winning rapper is just in his early thirties, but he’s already won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, produced and curated the soundtrack of the megahit film Black Panther, and has been named one of Time’s 100 Influential People. But what’s even more striking about the Compton-born lyricist and performer is how he’s established himself as a formidable adversary of oppression and force for change. Through his confessional poetics, his politically charged anthems, and his radical performances, Lamar has become a beacon of light for countless people. Written by veteran journalist and music critic Marcus J. Moore, this is the first biography of Kendrick Lamar. It’s the definitive account of his coming-of-age as an artist, his resurrection of two languishing genres (bebop and jazz), his profound impact on a racially fraught America, and his emergence as the bona fide King of Rap. The Butterfly Effect is the extraordinary, triumphant story of a modern lyrical prophet and an American icon who has given hope to those buckling under the weight of systemic oppression, reminding everyone that through it all—“we gon’ be alright.”

The Butterfly Effect

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Shawn Setaro

This book is in good condition with minor signs of wear and tear. See pictures for details. 

South Carolina

Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods

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.

Save this search

Tiffany D. Jackson

Let Me Hear a Rhyme

A360media

50 Years of Hip-Hop

Tiffany D. Jackson

Let Me Hear a Rhyme

Gobi; Afeni Shakur

Thru My Eyes

Jay-Z

Decoded

Hal Marcovitz

Tupac

Treasure E. Blue

A Street Girl Named Desire

Angie Thomas

On the Come Up

Lecrae Moore

Unashamed

William Buckholz

Understand Rap

Angie Thomas

On the Come Up

Talib Kweli

Vibrate Higher

Dalton Higgins

Hip Hop World

50 50 Cent; Lizzi Akana (Illustrator)

Playground

Rakim

Sweat the Technique

Angie Thomas

On the come up

Jay-Z

Decoded

Rosa Waters

Hip Hop

Angie Thomas

On The Come Up

Justin Tinsley

It Was All a Dream

Angie Thomas

On the Come Up (Book of the Month Edition, 2019)

HeatherS

Tpain

Marcus J. Moore

The Butterfly Effect

Shawn Setaro

Complex Presents Dummy Boy