Rise of a Killah
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- $24.99
Publisher Description
The story of the celebrated rapper and the iconic Wu-Tang Clan, told by one of its founding members
Dennis Coles—aka Ghostface Killah—is a co-founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, a legendary hip hop group who established themselves by breaking all the rules, taking their music to the streets during hip hop’s golden era on a decade-long wave of releasing anthem after classic anthem, and serving as the foundation of modern hip hop. An all-star cast who formed like Voltron to establish the pillars that serve as the foundation of modern hip hop and released seminal albums that have stood the test of time.
Rise of a Killah is Ghost’s autobiography, focusing on the people, places and events that mean the most to him as he enters his fourth decade writing and performing. It’s a beautiful and intense book, going back to the creative ferment that led to Ghost’s first handwritten rhymes. Dive into Ghost’s defining personal moments, his battles with his personal demons, his journey to Africa, his religious viewpoints, his childhood in Staten Island, and his commitment to his family (including his two brothers with muscular dystrophy), from the Clan’s early successes to the pinnacle of Ghost’s career touring and spreading his wings as a solo artist, fashion icon, and trendsetter.
Exclusive photos and memorabilia, as well as graphic art commissioned for this book, make Rise of a Killah both a memoir and a unique visual record, a “real feel” narrative of Ghost’s life as he sees it, a one of a kind holy grail for Wu-Tang and Ghost fans alike.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Rapper Ghostface Killah (The World According to Pretty Toney), a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan and prolific solo artist whose legal name is Dennis Coles, portrays in his heartfelt memoir the "sharper than cleats" youth he drew on for his rhymes. Studded with full-color snapshots, the narrative has a free-associative flow, making readers feel as if they're chopping it up with Coles as he reminisces about the painful background to such songs as 1996's "All That I Got Is You." He describes, for instance, how, as a preteen, he took care of his two younger brothers with muscular dystrophy after his parents separated in early-'80s Staten Island. Stories of the thefts, robberies, and drug deals that came a few years later are vaguer by comparison. Also featured are bracing depictions of Coles's mental health issues and struggles to manage his diabetes so he can continue to tour, which lend a poignant note to the book's triumphant conclusion ("We the Rolling Stones of this hip-hop shit," Cole says of the Wu-Tang Clan, which formed in 1992). Just as revealing are his descriptions of the writing process behind his cinematic verses, which have often been inspired by hearing bandmate RZA's production tracks ("I see things so vividly"). Devotees of hip-hop's golden age will appreciate this jagged portrait. Illus.
