Author Topic: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!  (Read 1798 times)

TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96'

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Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« on: May 13, 2010, 10:01:54 AM »
This book puts Ronin Ro's books to utter shame.  I actually thought Ronin Ro's Death Row book was ok when I first read it, but his Dr. Dre book was god aweful...

...but don't give up on these books documenting the industry, because there have been some good ones.  Russel Simmons book about the industry was pretty good...

...but for people who grew up loving 90's West Coast rap you all aren't going to be able to put this one down!!

He talks about everything in intriquing, honest, and sometimes comedic detail.  He doesn't waste any time, he begins with the night Dre set up Eazy and Suge gangstered E into signing the contracts, and he doesn't leave anything out even giving inside info on Bones experiences with himself and the label.

Anyone else read it yet?
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Fonkarround

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2010, 10:15:54 AM »
you got me interested in it.. whats the full name of the book?

FUCK U

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2010, 10:54:29 AM »
Ruthless, good book 8)
 

Allpaul

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2010, 11:12:12 AM »
I read it.. I thought it was great.
 

KURUPTION-81

Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2010, 11:15:27 AM »
I read it a while back but cant remember a lot about it in all honesty.

Can anyone recommend any other good westcoast books or hip hop in general.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2010, 11:39:45 AM by KURUPTION-81 »

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Laconic

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2010, 11:21:35 AM »
The book was interesting no doubt.  However, it was rather biased against Cube leaving the group and "ruining" the Black Beatles.

TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96'

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2010, 11:58:49 AM »
The book was interesting no doubt.  However, it was rather biased against Cube leaving the group and "ruining" the Black Beatles.

Yeah, but that is part of what makes this book a great read.  If he was all politically correct about everything, and just said nice things about everybody, then it would be totally boring, like pro-athletes when they are interviewed.

What makes this book great is it is a personal account of everything.  So it's all new information, even the things we knew already we get to hear Jerry's side of the story, and his insider perspective.

I also thought it was enjoyable reading about his recollections of first hearing about "rap music".  And how it was "a bolt of lightning that he was too stupid to get out of the way of".   LOL..I actually laughed out loud at that line.





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Mista Rosa

Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2010, 12:27:43 PM »
is there something about nate dogg??
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StevenQBosell

Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2010, 10:28:50 PM »
The book was interesting no doubt.  However, it was rather biased against Cube leaving the group and "ruining" the Black Beatles.

Yeah i got that feeling too when reading it. Pretty good for me, except for the chapter where he talks about him managing his white bands, and Elton John in the 60's, 70's... That prt was boring...

I read Ronin Ro's "Have Gun" - it would be great if it was all real... but too many people have said his accounts are straight bullshit, so his shit is janktacular. Also I read his book on Puffy (don't ask me why) and all he does is just ground Puffy into the ground. Nothing he does is ever a good decision, he's only in it for selfish reasons, blah blah... completley biased, but not even veiled, just straight out hit-piece.

I'm really getting into these behind the scenes books, but it does seem that a lot of the books that've been coming out hven't been vetted like they should.. But I will most def check out that Russell Simmons book you were talking about
 

TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96'

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2010, 03:37:37 PM »

 But I will most def check out that Russell Simmons book you were talking about


Yeah, he has a couple of books, the one called "Life and Def" (money, drugs, fame, God) is the one you want to get, inside accounts of his relationship with the hip-hop industry from it's beginnings up until today.  Good read.
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Jimmy H.

Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2010, 03:47:24 PM »
Ro's books are entertaining but it's like tabloid TV. A lot of it is just sensationlized stories. The Heller book is a good read. He goes into Cube hard. He is actually very kind to Dre given the history (he pretty much calls him the most important part of N.W.A.) but he really doesn't have much nice to say about Cube or D.O.C. for that matter. He basically says that Eric and Cube's last meeting wasn't a legit burying of the hatchet and Eazy still didn't like Cube but wanted to have an N.W.A. reunion. If you're looking for a good counter-balance to Ronin Ro's Dre book, the one that Dre's former right-hand, Bruce Williams, wrote is pretty good. He details a lot of the Death Row drama and gives some very interesting insight into the problems at Aftermath as well as the real issues in the 50-Game beef. His critique of the Game is very interesting.
 

TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96'

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2010, 03:51:31 PM »
Ro's books are entertaining but it's like tabloid TV. A lot of it is just sensationlized stories. The Heller book is a good read. He goes into Cube hard. He is actually very kind to Dre given the history (he pretty much calls him the most important part of N.W.A.) but he really doesn't have much nice to say about Cube or D.O.C. for that matter. He basically says that Eric and Cube's last meeting wasn't a legit burying of the hatchet and Eazy still didn't like Cube but wanted to have an N.W.A. reunion. If you're looking for a good counter-balance to Ronin Ro's Dre book, the one that Dre's former right-hand, Bruce Williams, wrote is pretty good. He details a lot of the Death Row drama and gives some very interesting insight into the problems at Aftermath as well as the real issues in the 50-Game beef. His critique of the Game is very interesting.

Well Ro's book on Dre was not even entertaining.  It said nothing that the average dubcc forum member doesn't already know.  That book was wack as hell.

Good suggestion on the Bruce Williams book, I will probably check it out after I finish Jerry's book
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jones5099

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2010, 04:11:42 PM »
Have any of you read Chosen By Fate: My Life Inside Death Row Records by McKinley Lee?

is it any good?  i'm thinking about getting it
 

dubsmith_nz

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Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2010, 06:06:51 PM »
I read it.. I thought it was great.

Yeah it was a good read, I also liked the stuff about Van Morrison in there as well
 

Triple OG Rapsodie

Re: Jerry Heller's book is a great read!
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2010, 02:32:54 AM »
lol, he does seem to have a personal animosity towards Ice Cube in particular. iI was probably the "you let a jew break up my crew" line. Cube basically destroyed Heller's entire image to the hip hop audience, whether deserved or not. Definitely a good read though.