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“A vital book for readers eager to understand the history of the genre.”
“A vital book for readers eager to understand the history of the genre.”
Book Description
At the age of nineteen, Nasir “Nas” Jones began recording tracks for his debut album—and changed the music world forever. Released in 1994, Illmatic was hailed as an instant masterpiece and has proven one of the most influential albums in hip-hop history. With its close attention to beats and lyricism, and riveting first-person explorations of the isolation and desolation of urban poverty, Illmatic was pivotal in the evolution of the genre.
In Born to Use Mics, Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai have brought together renowned writers and critics including Mark Anthony Neal, Marc Lamont Hill, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., and many others to confront Illmatic song by song, with each scholar assessing an individual track from the album. The result is a brilliant engagement with and commentary upon one of the most incisive sets of songs ever laid down on wax.
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential for Any Fan of Hip Hop and Good Music,
By
This review is from: Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic (Paperback)
Outstanding book! I simply cannot say how grateful I am to Michael Eric Dyson and Sohail Daulatzai for bringing together a great team to write this incredible analysis of one of the greatest albums, Nas's Illmatic. The book covers the full range of social, political, and historical factors that influenced not only Nas's work BUT ALSO hip hop more generally. In fact, this book is more about what makes hip hop tick!!!I recommend it highly. Enjoy!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.6 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews) 21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not A 5 Mic Book,
By C. Koch - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic (Paperback)
I try to write reviews that I would have found helpful when I was shopping.The following info has already been mentioned in other reviews, but is important: This is a collection of essays connected to the tracks off of Nas' classic album "Illmatic." There is an essay for every song, including the intro, plus bonus commentary, interviews, and the original 5 Mic review from the Source. If one wants a "making of" version of Illmatic, then definately buy the 33 1/3 book for Illmatic.Nas' Illmatic (33 1/3 series) If you are thinking of buying this book, answer these two questions: 1. Do you think a fair interpretation of the second line in "The World Is Yours" ("writin in my book of rhymes, all the words pass the margin") could be "The margins also serve as a metaphor for urban youth relegated to the margins by being forced to work within clearly defined legal, economic, social, and political parameters (i.e., margins)."? 2. Would you agree that "N.Y. State of Mind" is "a bird's-eye view, a series of close-ups and cutaways that not only allows us to imagine the land-mine littered landscape of the globe under American power - but also to see the connections between the forces that have devastated urban centers in the United States and those that are destroying lives throughout the Third World"? If the answer is "Yes," definitely buy the book. If you answered, "No" or "I'm not sure" then this book might not be for you. Personally, I found these connections very clever, but I kept thinking, "I don't think this was on Nas' mind when he wrote this." My recommendation, look at the library first or borrow from a friend. The additional essays and interviews are very good. Nas' interviews are insightful, dream hampton writes about sharing Illmatic with Tupac, and Jon Caramanica writes an excellent essay putting Illmatic in historical context. He also includes a line that pops out in contrast to other writers: "(Illmatic) became what the listener wanted it to be as much as, if not more than, what Nas intended it to be." 2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Quite what I expected,
By Phategod1 - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic (Paperback)
I thought the Book was more a comprehensive review of each song on Illmatic but it borders between that, and a essay "on what this song means to me" type of book in some chapters.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Real Emceeing,
By Verbal Kentz - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic (Paperback)
This book was very informative and explored thoroughly by the authors. Illmatic is a true classic and needs to be examined and dissected as this novel does. Great insight on the history of this groundbreaking album and all the necessary producers that produced this exquisite masterpiece. How it got made and the necessary people that made it possible. The east coast was looking for something to embrace because at the time the west coast was becoming the source of current hip hop classics. Lyrical the east has always been the best not to say their aren't any lyrical cats elsewhere but the west was more into production of the musical renaissance. This album was influential in other classic's been made like "Ready To Die" and "Reasonable Doubt". Big might have taken the album art cover idea but "Reasonable doubt" samples the music from the classic "Illmatic" Also to know that "halftime" was on the "Zebra Head" soundtrack. Nas dropping classic verses on "Live at The Barbeque" and MC Search putting Nas on "Back to the Grill" and shopping his demo. The east-coast had group's dropping classics but not individual artist like the west-coast. This book is truly informative and deserves Five Mics for being written.
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