Original Gangstas

Liked the book, and have been looking for it for a while now.

Mr. Westhoff's latest installment of hip-hop lore, Ben tackles the behemotic tangled mess that is the origins of rap culture in the West. While the recent film Straight Out of Compton revived intrigue in the mysterious story of NWA and West Coast rap, it did not do complete justice to the truth nor had a concrete foundation of detail. There was much left to be desired. Much of what is known of West Coast hip-hop is left to anecdotal accounts or interviews by those who were in the circle of NWA, Tupac, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, etc. Many of those who pioneered rap culture in the West are not alive today.Mr. Westhoff's incredible research, which took a number of years, digs down deep and gets to the truth and dispels the myths. We learn the nitty gritty details of the personal lives of NWA, Tupac, Eazy-E, Ice-Cube, etc. We discover connections between rap groups that were otherwise unknown. Ben also addresses the social and political turmoil of the time with excellent commentary.There is no other book, nor documentary around currently that is as descriptive and as detailed as this book. There is so much detail that it feels as if you are there with the rap icons themselves. This is what journalism is about, and Mr. Westhoff slams it out of the park. Ben sets an example for how journalism should be done. I don't want to spoil the book, but I wish it were longer! I would not be surprised if someday in the far future this book becomes required reading in a college class for the Studies of Hip-Hop Culture. EVERY FAN OF HIP-HOP MUST HAVE THIS BOOK IN THEIR COLLECTION!

Original Gangstas is a thorough and engrossing telling of the rise of West Coast Rap. Mr. Westhoff did extensive research, interviewed countless people, and sifted through fact, opinion, and hearsay like the professional journalist that he is.The characters are all portrayed as the very real, very flawed, and very talented individuals they were. While other books and films chose to ignore some of the darker aspects of these individuals' character and story, Mr. Westhoff dives right in and shows both the good and the bad. He is a true fan of the genre and that helps him express just how groundbreaking this music was as he tells the story of the people who made it.If you are interested at all in music, hip-hop culture, race relations, or the tragic drama that ended the young lives of Eazy-E, Tupac, Biggie, and others, this is a must read.

This is a well written and researched tome chronically the west coast roots of “Gangsta Rap.” The history of rap has been obscured by the current trends in what’s now referred to as “Hip Hop.” Frankly I have no idea where that term originated, or what it actually means (is it the ‘cool’ version of a “Sock Hop” alluding to the 50s and 60s era high school dances?).Being nearly 58 and having lived in Compton CA during my Jr and Sr high school years, I love this book. The author covers a lot of ground, from NWA’s formation through the murder of “Biggie Smalls.” I’m not celebrating the deleterious effect Hip Hop culture may have had on the Black community and culture at large, I’m merely complimenting the author on his compilation.This book is a good read. It has a ton of information. I recommend it to any fan of raps popular shift to the west coast, or anyone looking for a historical account of west coast rap.

Well researched and riveting. Hoping he does another hip hop book.Probably the best book on the genre I’ve ever read. Well done mr. Westhoff!

Original Gangstas is a fun and entertaining read. Westhoff packs a lot of detail into an easy-to-read book that puts you in the center of the action. At the same time, Westhoff is a dispassionate observer who reports without injecting any obvious bias into the longstanding debates, disagreements, and mythology surrounding the events that led to this category of music. His years of interviews and thorough investigation paid off with never before heard details that give context to the foundation and growth of a new music genre and the struggles of the artists (and businesspeople) who made it happen. I found his descriptions of the interviews particularly interesting - the additional detail, while not fundamentally necessary to the story, made me picture myself in his shoes as he sat through countless discussions. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

N.W.A. blew up on hip-hop, entertainment industry and the political realm like a mushroom cloud leaving debris on middle America, law enforcement and the Constitution. Their international influence is still felt today. On the heels of the hit movie Straight Outta Compton comes this awesome new book, filled with new details, such as Easy-E's hustling days, and Ice Cube's relationship with the Nation of Islam and Jewish Defense League. It's great learning how some of these important relationships were made, succeeded and disintegrated into a financial battle royal. It's impossible in any other profession for young men in their late teens and early twenties to become influential millionaires, this book made me feel like an insider toward understanding the entire process. I now wish this could be used as a blueprint for a Netflix Series.

The actual book is awesome. However I would not buy it from this seller. My copy is missing 33 pages.

Great read! Thought I knew everything there was to know about the stories of the artists featured in this book, but this book gave me so much more info on a subject I thought I knew a lot about already! Would recommend it to any hip hop fan

exactly the kind of extra info and facts I was looking for. A good read, would recommend to anyone interested in this music and genre

As described

Personne n'ignore encore ici que je suis fan de West Coast rap, comprendre NWA, CMW, Above The Law, DJ Quik, Spice 1, E 40, The Coup, South Central Cartel, 2nd II None....donc je ne peux dire que du bien du sujet traité ici...et comme la façon dont le sujet est traité est plus proche de "Ruthless Memories" que du film "Straight Outta Compton", je valide à 1000% ce bouquin. Tout simplement(n'est-ce pas JLTismé, Parano Refré et MC Bees, comprendront ceux et celles qui doivent comprendre)! This book is the ultimate one about gangsta rap and G funk era in Los Angeles area, until Kokane & Big Hutch do one maybe...Read it if you want to know the truth, the whole funk and nothing but the rap!

Heard about the book from the last podcast on the left. Very good read if you want to know the details of west coast rap.