Fat Cat 50 Cent And The Rise Of The Hip-Hop Hustler ( Page 129-172 )

Summary: Taking us back to the dark ages of hip hop chapter six " Straight Outta Hollis " mentions Tupac Shakur and the Notorious BIG's east and west coast drama. To us this is a dark and dreaded time as the two legends no longer live, but at the time, it was a marketing strategy that was bound to work. The beef of the east and west coast rappers caused those who listened to want to buy both sides of bash out records. This chapter also includes the involvement of Puff Daddy between this bashing out. In a song by Knight and Death Row they mention how Puffy is" Weaker than a f***ing Block and told Biggie " You claim to be a playa/ but I F***Ed your wife". This verbal abuse was bound to cause drama when touring from coast to coast, not only for artist but for the public who listened to it. Things soon started to become personal and the life of Shakur was stolen by some crips in an intersection. This tragic murder was captured by hotel security cameras. Brown does a great job

Quote: "It is also a telling that Rosemond often uses the word discipline to characterize the Quad Shooting...the motive for the incident was not robbery but Rosemond's wish to teach Shakur a lesson for being disrespectful towards him." (Page 130)

Reaction: This quote is connected to the murder of Shakur. Brown states that according to insiders the killing of Shakru had something to do with personal business between him and Rosemond. But I believe if that's the cause of the matter than all rappers from both east and west coast should have suffered the consequences. A rapping battle should not have affected the life of a legend. Till this day the legend of Shakru lives.

Fat Cat 50 Cent, And the Rise of the Hip-Hop Hustler (Page 87 - 129)

Summary: Part two: Hip - Hop begins with Brown explaining that Hip-Hop and being an informant were ways to get out of Queens and make a good living, money wise. Then there wad the “Entrepreneurial-style hustling ". According to Brown this was the most intelligent because it produced decent money and minimal risk. See the job of these hustlers was to do planed robberies and stick-ups. The down fall of gangster crews, caused Hollis to not have a main control source, therefore entrepreneurial hustlers flourished. Brown then begins to introduce us to the rise of some present successful formal musicians. He introduces Russell Simmons as a “mediocre hustler with a terrible shot ". Informing us that in 1975 he left the street life for college. Life in collage was tough for a hustler, thus Simmons used to hang out in the student lounge and the. Trip on LSD during weekends. This all changed when he was given the blessing of hip-hop one day at a Harlem Club. Giving birth to the Successful man we still manage to see now on television and his fame attracting son Diggy Simmons also as a musician.

Quote: "People who have the opportunity destroyed their lives. Instead of moving up a lot of kids moved down "(Brown 87)

Reaction: This quote drew my attention because that is what many adults say to their kids when they hear about a gang killing or drug abuse kill. I would have to say that this quote ties back to the past and also holds our future. Till this day and days that come forth kids with the up most potential will throw there life away till they get the push or "miracle" that they need. Perfect example, Russell Simmons.