Dancing With the Devil: How Puff Burned the Bad Boys of Hip-Hop [Paperback]

Did you ever want to know what it's like rolling with Diddy and being a part of the world-famous Bad Boy Records? Mark Curry gives you his experience with the mogul in Dancing With The Devil: How Puff Burned the Bad Boys of HipHop. Curry fans away the smoke and dismantles the mirrors with his debut release as an author. What you will find is the good, the bad and gritty lifestyle that Diddy provides to those artists unfortunate to get caught up in the Bad Boy empire.

If you grew up listening to HipHop during the Bad Boy era, Dancing With The Devil will give you an intriguing history of rap music during that time from a person lived it. Curry's attention to detail and ability to weave his personal experiences and research makes this book easy to read and hard to put down. This is more than an expose from a disgruntled artist. Dancing With the Devil is a journey that separates the fact from the fiction. This book shows you the music industry for what it is -- harsh and cut throat. If you can go online, Google and YouTube will be your best friend as you journey with Mark Curry through the maze of music, murders and mayhem.

Once you finish with this book, you will have taken a trip that few have the heart to speak about. Dancing With The Devil is more than a one-sided account of a wannabe artists mad at the world. You will have a thorough understanding of why artists such as The L.O.X., Faith Evans, 112, Total, etc. are no longer a part of Bad Boy's roster. You will hear those Bad Boy classics in a new light once you gain the understanding of why Diddy added his chatter to songs and his presence to the videos.

You might even feel sorry for current Bad Boy artists such as Danity Kane (or what's left of them), Day 26 and Da Band. The infamous contract signing scenarios take on a new meaning once you are aware of Diddy's history of jerking people with terrible deals. Curry acts more like a journalist than anything else as he sifts through tons of information and personal experiences to show how the music industry can promise you diamonds with intentions of giving you coal.

Curry's Dancing With The Devil can easily be considered Bad Boy Records' version of Fredericks Dannen's The Hit Men.

Joey Pinkney Dot Com
Book Reviewer

I really enjoyed this book. This isn't a second hand account. Curry experienced the "Bad Boy Life" first hand, for 10 years. He, like all the other artists, were in dire efforts to achieve their dreams in the music industry. Despite the constant hard work, long nights, time, energy, and money spent striving towards their "big break", they ended up with nothing. Not because of anything lacking on their part, but because of Sean Combs. I don't look at him as a good business man. He's a con artist- plain and simple. And this book is not the only thing that makes me view him that way.

Some of the stories, I have read about, based on facts and other great reads. Curry merely provided further confirmation. Also, there were a lot of stories I had not read about, but I could definitely see them as truth since Puff has a pattern of ways.

The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because in the beginning (7 or 8 chapters in), he talks about random events in his life before his deal. He mentioned alot of people that came from nowhere w/ nicknames and I got a bit confused. It almost made me suspicious of whether or not this book was really about Puffy, the con artist. Fast forward to Chapter 8. From that point on, every thing is smooth sailing ahead.

I totally commend and respect Curry for being so truthful and holding his head up through this entire ordeal. From the start of this book, I sense that he has a good heart. His intentions were to do the thing he loved(music), make his parents(now deceased) even more proud, and provide for his wife and son. He's not trying to slander. He's just telling facts. He's giving his life experience when he was with Bad Boy. If these truths paint Puffy as a "bad guy", then so be it. What's true is true. And besides, it's not like we didn't know that already. Think about the plethora of musicians signed to Bad Boy. Where are they? Don't worry, I'll wait.....

I finally decided to break down and purchase this book due to Bad Boys still not hiring any of the assistances from his reality show, "I want to work for Diddy." I even read just recently that the chic from the second show is now without job and broke, so that she could appear on the show. It looks like he is making all this money from the reality shows but not actually hiring them in the end. Mic Barber had his own company before the show, so the exposure really worked in his favor. Therefore, I decided to get this book and really see the man behind the myth.

Most things I already knew or suspected about Diddy so I am not surprised. The industry overall is just a snake and a very tough business regardless with what record company you sign with and Bad Boy is no exception. The key is to not be naïve and to have your own lawyers not their lawyer or a recommended lawyer read all of your contracts. I also do know that most record companies will charge and deduct whatever time you spend in studio, video, or any other associated costs, so that is a normal thing in the industry. If there is something such as creativity or other rights you want in the contract that you and your lawyer do not agree with, well you do not sign with the company. I think Mr. Curry was very green to the industry and thought quick money would come, which it does not. I wish the best for him and maybe he should try self-promoting his music as many artists are doing today. That is then when the record company will come looking for you and you can set your own terms.