The big payback : the history of the business of hip-hop

Dan Charnas

"The business of hip-hop and the relation between artist and merchant. The histories of the early long-shot successes of Sugar Hill Records and Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC's crossover breakthrough on MTV, the marketing of gangsta rap, and the rise of artist/entrepreneurs like Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs. 300 industry veterans-well-known giants like Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, the founders of Def Jam; and key insiders like Gerald Levin, the embattled former TimeWarner chief-gave their stories. A view into the victories, defeats, corporate clashes and street battles along the 40-year road to hip-hop's dominance"-