Tougher Than Leather: The Rise of Run-DMC Review

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(More customer reviews)I was a highschooler when Run-DMC made their first hits. Now I'm 35 years old and their music seems fresher than ever. But I never knew too much about Run, DMC, and Jam Master Jay as people until I read this book. Now I see that they were just as serious and interesting behind the scenes as they were on records and onstage. And I also learned a lot about the early career of Russell Simmons and the founding of the Def Jam label with LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys. Some day people will study Run-DMC the way that the baby boomers study the Beatles. Until then, this is the book to read.

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'Tougher Than Leather' tells the inside story of Run-DMC's astonishing rise to fame from the obscurity of Hollis. Queens to the kleig-lit heights of pop music fame. It is a story that has inspired important music makers for the last 15 years, including the Beastie Boys, Will Smith, Public Enemy, NWA, Master P, Jay-z, Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit and Eminem-all of whom know who opened the door for them. And now it can inspire you. 'Tougher Than Leather' was originally published in 1987 and is reissued here in a new edition, a must have for any serious music fan.

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The Men Behind Def Jam: The Radical Rise of Russell Simmons And Rick Rubin (Omnibus Press) Review

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(More customer reviews)Alex Ogg did a superb job in his book on Russel Simmons and Rick Rubin, founders of the record label, "Def Jam". Ogg gave the men who launched the careers of Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, and other stars of hip hop their props. While I found it was an insightful read, I discovered that homorous touches and memorable moments abound throughout the book. Since I am an fan of the Beastie Boys, I enjoyed the early part of the book which dealt with the rap/rock phenomenon in the 1980's, although I was a bit dissapointed that Ogg didn't delve more deeply into how Rubin got to be friends and roomates with Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock of Beastie-Boy fame.) Nevertheless, Alex Ogg, a gifted writer, knows how to put together a good Def Jam history book, and without a doubt loves hip-hop very much.

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having introduced the world to LL Cool J, the BeastieBoys, Public Enemy, DMX, and Jay-Z, the label formed byhustler-incarnate Russell Simmons and A & R maverick Rick Rubin hasnow successfully marketed what was a ghetto phenomenon into the mostpervasive youth culture of the late 20th century. This book documentsthe growth of Def Jam from humble origins to its current status as thepre-eminent black music label of the 80's and 90's.

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Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway ... and More Review

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(More customer reviews)I saw the group of eight in concert about a month ago and I was so disappointed to see the performance end. I REALLY enjoyed their poetry and this book just gave me another dose of it. Sometimes you need another dose to fully get into poets, because when Beau Sia came to Northern Michigan University, I didn't care for him. I didn't think he was funny. But when I saw him in Chicago, I cracked up. Poets are funny people. Sometimes they just take some getting used to and some grow on you before they can open their mouth (i.e. Lemon). I'm curious why the ninth poet wasn't on the tour, but atleast I got to read his poetry in this book, which was excellent from beginning to end. My favorite poem is "Love Poem" by Lemon, but the rest are all good in separate styles. All the different techniques and language are what make this group so entertaining. Keep up the great work! I was advertising for them coming to Chicago like I would get commission for it and I'm going to do the book the same way!

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This upbeat, one-of-a-kind collection brings the Def poets -- as featured in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show and popular HBO television program -- to life on the page. Among them: Suheir Hammad, Beau Sia, Steve Colman, Stacyann Chin, Mayda del Valle, Georgia Me, Poetri, and other well-established and up-and-coming Slam artists who have forever changed the face of poetry and offer a fresh, exuberant, insightful, and comedic look at who we are as Americans today.

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