Gerrick D. Kennedy

This felt more like a history book for…if there were a class being taught on the impact of gangsta rap on the black youth and it’s lasting legacy for future artists. I liked how it was organized and the throwbacks to some memorable names that a rap rookie like me could recognize. It was a good read.
When I was six years old my family moved to whole other state and we lived with family members for a while. I roomed with my 12 year old cousin that was obsessed with Eminem and I hated rap for the longest of times. It wasn’t until I was 16 and discovered Kanye West that I really delved into rap but even then gangsta rap like Eazy E and Ice Cube intimidated me. At the end of the day, I recognized that that type of music was not written for someone like me who didn’t grow up in a gang controlled area. I was never pressured to sell or buy drugs or join a gang so it didn’t apply to me. Most of the time the stories being told aren’t one that I should even relate to but somehow every once in a while I’ll take a stroll to try and educate myself.

This book had some good insights and I felt like it was a good start towards educating myself on the old type of rap that used to dominate the underground scene. While I might never really fully appreciate this type of music I can say that reading this book helped me have a certain amount of respect for what I know isn’t directed towards me.… (plus d'informations)