Diary of a Madman: The Geto Boys, Life, Death, and the Roots of Southern Rap - Hardcover

Jordan, Brad "Scarface"; Ingram, Benjamin Meadows

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062302639 ISBN 13: 9780062302632

Publisher: Dey Street Books, 2015

Synopsis

For fans of Jay Z s Decoded and DMX s E.A.R.L., an eloquent, passionate, and entertaining memoir from the legendary godfather of Southern rap and front man of the Geto Boys about growing up in Houston, the roots and influences of Southern hip-hop, and how he rose to the top of the burgeoning rap scene.

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). He is the iconic front man of the seminal rap group Geto Boys and the former president of Def Jam South, and has had many solo hits such as Guess Who s Back feat. Jay-Z and Smile feat. Tupac (plus collaborations with everyone from Kanye West and Eminem to Ice Cube and Nas).  But before that, he was a kid from Houston in love with rock-and-roll, listening to AC/DC and KISS.

Diary of a Madman is the story of how Scarface s world changed when he heard Run DMC for the first time; how he dropped out of school in the ninth grade and started selling crack; and how he began rapping as the new form of music made its way out of New York and across the country. It is the account of his rise to the heights of the rap world, as well as his battles with his own demons and depression.

Featuring 20-40 photos, Diary of a Madman eloquently and passionately unpacks and explains the roots and influences of Southern rap culture. It is the story of hip-hop the music, the business, the streets, and the South.

About this title

Review:

“Remarkable collaboration . . . By the end of this immensely readable book, you may not be convinced that Scarface is one of the best producers in the game (as he does), but you’ll never forget that he’s one of the best storytellers.” (Rolling Stone, Best Music Books of 2015)

Your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper. (MTV News)

“Predictably, [the book is] dope. . . . At long last, ’Face has broken his offstage silence and dished the goods . . . about as complete a self-portrait of the intensely private MC that we’re ever likely to get.” (Houston Press)

“A remarkable personal memoir as well as an insightful study of the circumstances that have established hip-hop in the popular imagination.” (Los Angeles Review of Books)

From the Back Cover:

“One of the greatest to ever touch a mic . . . a true artist. . . .He can put fear into your heart and also touch your soul at the same time.”—Chuck D, from his foreword

From Geto Boys legend and renowned storyteller Scarface comes a passionate memoir about how hip-hop changed the life of a kid from the south side of Houston, and how he rose to the top—and ushered in a new generation of rap dominance.

In Diary of a Madman, Scarface reveals how his world changed when he heard Run-D.M.C. for the first time, how he dropped out of school in the ninth grade and started selling drugs, and how he began rapping as the new form of music made its way out of New York and across the country. It is the account of his rise from the streets of Houston to the heights of the rap world—working with everyone from Kanye West to Ice Cube to Nas—as well as his battles with his own demons and depression.

Passionately exploring and explaining the roots and influences of southern rap culture, Diary of a Madman is the story of hip-hop—the music, the business, the streets—and life on the south side of Houston, Texas.

“A remarkable personal memoir.”—Los Angeles Review of Books

About this edition

• Publisher: Dey Street Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0062302639
• ISBN 13: 9780062302632
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240