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The Butterfly Effect
- How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America
- Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
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The Butterfly Effect
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Publisher's summary
This “smart, confident, and necessary” (Shea Serrano, New York Times best-selling author) 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 13-time Grammy Award-winning rapper is just in his early 30s, 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 much more than the first biography of Kendrick Lamar. “It’s an analytical deep dive into the life of that good kid whose m.A.A.d city raised him, and how it sparked a fire within Kendrick Lamar to change history” (Kathy Iandoli, author of Baby Girl) for the better.
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Can't Stop Won't Stop
- A History of the Hip-Hop Generation
- By: Jeff Chang
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 19 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 118
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
Forged in the fires of the Bronx and Kingston, Jamaica, hip-hop became the Esperanto of youth rebellion and a generation-defining movement. In a post-civil rights era defined by deindustrialization and globalization, hip-hop crystallized a multiracial, polycultural generation's worldview and transformed American politics and culture. But that epic story has never been told with this kind of breadth, insight, and style.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not About Hip Hop Music
- By A. Yerkes on 09-06-19
By: Jeff Chang
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Diary of a Madman
- The Geto Boys, Life, Death, and The Roots of Southern Rap
- By: Brad "Scarface" Jordan, Benjamin Meadows Ingram - with
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 171
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Story5 out of 5 stars 148
Scarface is the celebrated rapper whose hits include "On My Block," "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" and "Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta" (made famous in the cult film Office Space). The former president of Def Jam South, he's collaborated with everyone from Kanye West, Ice Cube and Nas, and had many solo hits such as "Guess Who's Back" feat. Jay-Z and "Smile" feat. Tupac. But before that, he was a kid from Houston in love with rock-and-roll, listening to AC/DC and KISS.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Eye-opening life lessons.
- By Leonard D. Floyd on 12-08-23
By: Brad "Scarface" Jordan, and others
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The Dark Story of Eminem
- By: Nick Hasted
- Narrated by: Nick Landrum
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 126
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 107
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Story4 out of 5 stars 109
A ground-breaking story tracing Marshal Mathers' rise to fame from the schools and workplaces of his native Detriot to global superstardom.
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3 out of 5 stars
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En-n-me
- By Absinthe on 12-10-15
By: Nick Hasted
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Original Gangstas
- The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap
- By: Ben Westhoff
- Narrated by: J.D. Jackson
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 764
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 690
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 692
Amid rising gang violence, the crack epidemic, and police brutality, a group of unlikely voices cut through the chaos of late 1980s Los Angeles: N.W.A. Led by a drug dealer, a glammed-up producer, and a high school kid, N.W.A. gave voice to disenfranchised African Americans across the country. And they quickly redefined pop culture across the world. Their names remain as popular as ever: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Dre soon joined forces with Suge Knight to create the combustible Death Row Records.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Very Informative and well told
- By guyzilla on 02-19-17
By: Ben Westhoff
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A Little Devil in America
- Notes in Praise of Black Performance
- By: Hanif Abdurraqib
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 226
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 194
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Story5 out of 5 stars 193
“I was a devil in other countries, and I was a little devil in America, too.” Inspired by these few words, spoken by Josephine Baker at the 1963 March on Washington, MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellow and best-selling author Hanif Abdurraqib has written a profound and lasting reflection on how Black performance is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture. Filled with sharp insight, humor, and heart, A Little Devil in America exalts the Black performance that unfolds in specific moments in time and space
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5 out of 5 stars
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Magical
- By Mary A. Ardoin on 05-11-21
By: Hanif Abdurraqib
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Ice
- A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption - from South Central to Hollywood
- By: Douglas Century
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 409
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 364
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 369
Ice-T here offers his hip-hop generation’s Horatio Alger story: the narrative of an orphaned child who, drawn inexorably into a harrowing life of crime, ultimately turns away from the streets and, through self-discipline and a single-minded work ethic, forges a path to international fame as a musician and film-and-television star.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I have a whole new respect for this man!
- By kris on 11-19-12
By: Douglas Century
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We Had a Little Real Estate Problem
- The Unheralded Story of Native Americans & Comedy
- By: Kliph Nesteroff
- Narrated by: Kliph Nesteroff
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 173
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 150
It was one of the most reliable jokes in Charlie Hill’s stand-up routine: “My people are from Wisconsin. We used to be from New York. We had a little real estate problem.” In We Had a Little Real Estate Problem, acclaimed comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff focuses on one of comedy’s most significant and little-known stories: how, despite having been denied representation in the entertainment industry, Native Americans have influenced and advanced the art form.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing book!
- By Gregg Anderson on 03-22-21
By: Kliph Nesteroff
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Jay-Z
- Made in America
- By: Michael Eric Dyson, Pharrell - foreword
- Narrated by: Michael Eric Dyson, Nick Cannon
- Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,577
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,356
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,349
Jay-Z: Made in America is the fruit of Michael Eric Dyson’s decade of teaching the work of one of the greatest poets this nation has produced, as gifted a wordsmith as Walt Whitman, Robert Frost and Rita Dove. But as a rapper, he’s sometimes not given the credit he deserves for just how great an artist he’s been for so long.
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3 out of 5 stars
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No Surprises for Fans
- By Tim & Ty on 12-22-19
By: Michael Eric Dyson, and others
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Walk This Way
- Run-DMC, Aerosmith, and the Song That Changed American Music Forever
- By: Geoff Edgers
- Narrated by: Geoff Edgers
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
Washington Post staff writer Geoff Edgers takes a deep dive into the story behind "Walk This Way", Aerosmith and Run-DMC's legendary, groundbreaking mashup that forever changed music.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A MUST LISTEN/READ
- By Aron Teo Lee on 05-17-19
By: Geoff Edgers
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1965
- The Most Revolutionary Year in Music
- By: Andrew Grant Jackson
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
During 12 unforgettable months in the middle of the turbulent '60s, America saw the rise of innovative new sounds that would change popular music as we knew it. In 1965: The Most Revolutionary Year in Music, music historian Andrew Grant Jackson (Still the Greatest: The Essential Songs of The Beatles' Solo Careers) chronicles a groundbreaking year of creativity fueled by rivalries between musicians and continents, sweeping social changes, and technological breakthroughs.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Seems like a good overview
- By wylie smith on 01-12-23
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Will
- By: Will Smith, Mark Manson
- Narrated by: Will Smith
- Length: 16 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 57,489
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 52,035
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Story5 out of 5 stars 51,773
One of the most dynamic and globally recognized entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Will sure loves Will
- By Kejeco on 11-18-21
By: Will Smith, and others
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Go Ahead in the Rain
- Notes to A Tribe Called Quest
- By: Hanif Abdurraqib
- Narrated by: Ron Butler
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 371
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 328
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 326
The seminal rap group A Tribe Called Quest brought jazz into the genre, resurrecting timeless rhythms to create masterpieces. This narrative follows Tribe from their early days as part of the Afrocentric rap collective known as the Native Tongues, through their first three classic albums, to their eventual breakup and long hiatus. Throughout the narrative, poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib connects the music and cultural history to their street-level impact and draws from his own experience to reflect on how its distinctive sound resonated among fans like himself.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful
- By Joshua Lindell on 03-06-19
By: Hanif Abdurraqib
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My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire
- By: Maurice White, Herb Powell
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 526
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 466
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Story5 out of 5 stars 460
The late Grammy-winning founder of the legendary pop/R&B/soul/funk/disco group tells his story and charts the rise of his legendary band in this sincere memoir that captures the heart and soul of an artist whose groundbreaking sound continues to influence music today. With a foreword by David Foster.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Maurice--Earth, Wind and Fire
- By Linda Ealey on 02-28-17
By: Maurice White, and others
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The One
- The Life and Music of James Brown
- By: R. J. Smith
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 77
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 64
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 66
Senior editor at L.A. Magazine RJ Smith saw his first book, The Great Black Way, win the coveted California Book Award. With The One, Smith profiles one of the 20th century’s most innovative musical icons, the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Drawing on extensive research and captivating interviews, Smith chronicles Brown’s rise from abject poverty to the pinnacle of fame, while also detailing Brown’s work as a civil rights activist and entrepreneur.
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5 out of 5 stars
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pitiable, lovable, despicable,understandable
- By Anonymous User on 01-06-13
By: R. J. Smith
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Shine Bright
- A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop
- By: Danyel Smith
- Narrated by: Danyel Smith
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 102
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 95
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 95
A weave of biography, criticism, and memoir, Shine Bright is Danyel Smith’s intimate history of Black women’s music as the foundational story of American pop. Smith has been writing this history for more than five years. But as a music fan, and then as an essayist, editor (Vibe, Billboard), and podcast host (Black Girl Songbook), she has been living this history since she was a latchkey kid listening to “Midnight Train to Georgia” on the family stereo.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Ok might have been better reading the hard copy
- By cde on 06-18-22
By: Danyel Smith
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Your Song Changed My Life
- From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It
- By: Bob Boilen
- Narrated by: Bob Boilen
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 58
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
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Story4 out of 5 stars 52
From the beloved host and creator of NPR's All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts comes an essential oral history of modern music, told in the voices of iconic and up-and-coming musicians, including Dave Grohl, Jimmy Page, Michael Stipe, Carrie Brownstein, Smokey Robinson, and Jeff Tweedy, among others - published in association with NPR Music.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Cool if you know all interviewed artists
- By Farfield on 12-05-16
By: Bob Boilen
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On the Shoulders of Giants
- My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance
- By: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld
- Narrated by: Richard Allen
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 47
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
In On the Shoulders of Giants, indomitable basketball star and best-selling author and historian Kareem Abdul-Jabbar invites listeners on an extraordinarily personal journey back to his birthplace. He leads us through one of the greatest political, cultural, literary, and artistic movements in our history, revealing the tremendous impact the Harlem Renaissance had on both American culture and his own life.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The best of both worlds
- By Marianne on 10-06-08
By: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and others
What listeners say about The Butterfly Effect
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Claudia L
- 12-06-23
Un must para todo fan de Kendrick
Me gustó que este libro narra el contexto personal, social y político de la música de Kendrick y profundiza en lo que estaba pensando al sacar cada álbum, los momentos clave de su carrera y explica porqué revolucionó el rap. Lo único que no me gustó fue como en los últimos capítulos enaltecen demasiado a Barack Obama, claro que tuvo uno de los papeles más importantes en la representación de la comunidad negra pero sus acciones como presidente no fueron 100% buenas en cuanto a minorías y las guerras fuera de USA, me hubiera gustado que no usarán tanto tiempo en Obama y se centraran más en Kendrick.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Random
- 09-10-23
Amazing
Great book. Really enjoyed it. Best part was hearing the author’s references to articles and interviews I already came across. I gained so much more perspective with all the new references and connections the author presented. Great job. Thank you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Domonique
- 04-01-24
Amazing Read and or listen
This was a very educational and inspirational story. Giving greater meaning to amazing lyricism. It truly is another take on history. Truly a must read.
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