
Original Gangstas
The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
J.D. Jackson
-
By:
-
Ben Westhoff
About this listen
"Raw, authoritative, and unflinching ... An elaborately detailed, darkly surprising, definitive history of the LA gangsta rap era."—Kirkus, starred review
A monumental, revealing narrative history about the legendary group of artists at the forefront of West Coast hip-hop: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur.
Amid rising gang violence, the crack epidemic, and police brutality, a group of unlikely voices cut through the chaos of late 1980s Los Angeles: N.W.A. Led by a drug dealer, a glammed-up producer, and a high school kid, N.W.A. gave voice to disenfranchised African Americans across the country. And they quickly redefined pop culture across the world.
Their names remain as popular as ever: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Dre soon joined forces with Suge Knight to create the combustible Death Row Records, which in turn transformed Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur into superstars.
Ben Westhoff explores how this group of artists shifted the balance of hip-hop from New York to Los Angeles. He shows how N.W.A.'s shocking success lead to rivalries between members, record labels, and eventually a war between East Coast and West Coast factions. In the process, hip-hop burst into mainstream America at a time of immense social change, and became the most dominant musical movement of the last thirty years. At gangsta rap's peak, two of its biggest names—Tupac and Biggie Smalls—were murdered, leaving the surviving artists to forge peace before the genre annihilated itself.
Featuring extensive investigative reporting, interviews with the principal players, and dozens of never-before-told stories, Original Gangstas is a groundbreaking addition to the history of popular music.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2016 Ben Westhoff (P)2016 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
Tupac Shakur
- The Authorized Biography
- By: Staci Robinson
- Narrated by: Jamal Joseph, Staci Robinson
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest and most controversial artists of all time. More than a quarter of a century after his tragic death in 1996 at the age of just twenty-five, he continues to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated, and prolific figures in modern history. Drawing on exclusive access to Tupac’s private notebooks, letters, and uncensored conversations with those who loved and knew him best, this estate-authorized biography paints the fullest and most intimate picture to date of the young man who became a legend for generations to come.
-
-
The Biography we’ve been waiting for
- By carl zayas on 02-24-24
By: Staci Robinson
-
Compton Street Legend
- Notorious Keffe D’s Street-Level Accounts of Tupac and Biggie Murders, Death Row Origins, Suge Knight, Puffy Combs, and Crooked Cops
- By: Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, Yusuf Jah
- Narrated by: Yusuf Jah
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, former shot caller for the Southside Compton Crips and kingpin of a Compton-based drug operation, rose to national prominence as one of the only living witnesses to the 1996 slaying of rapper Tupac Shakur after being featured in several TV specials on A&E (2017), USA Network (2017), Fox (2017), and BET (2018). More than 20 years after the killings of Tupac and Biggie, Keffe D has released his gritty memoir.
-
-
Cool book with a bunch of lies !!!
- By Anonymous User on 06-26-19
By: Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, and others
-
The History of Gangster Rap
- From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form
- By: Soren Baker, Xzibit - foreword
- Narrated by: James Shippy, Soren Baker
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into one of the most fascinating subgenres of any music category to date. Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture.
-
-
Brilliant chronicle
- By R. C. DeJesus on 03-12-21
By: Soren Baker, and others
-
Changes
- An Oral History of Tupac Shakur
- By: Sheldon Pearce
- Narrated by: Ashton Grooms, Aden Hakimi, Cary Hite, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Tupac’s birth and 25th anniversary of his death, in Changes, Sheldon Pearce offers one of the most thoughtful and comprehensive accounts yet of the artist’s life and legacy. Pearce, an editor and writer at The New Yorker, interviews dozens who knew Tupac throughout various phases of his life. While there are plenty of bold-faced names, the book focuses on the individuals who are lesser known and offer fresh stories and rare insight.
-
-
Good listen
- By Anonymous User on 06-23-21
By: Sheldon Pearce
-
LAbyrinth
- The True Story of City of Lies, the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. and the Implication of the Los Angeles Police Department
- By: Randall Sullivan
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan follows Russell Poole, a highly decorated LAPD detective who in 1997 was called to investigate a controversial cop-on-cop shooting, eventually to discover that the officer killed was tied to Marion “Suge” Knight’s notorious gangsta rap label, Death Row Records. During his investigation, Poole came to realize that a growing cadre of black officers were allied not only with Death Row, but with the murderous Bloods street gang. And incredibly, Poole began to uncover evidence that at least some of these “gangsta cops” may have been involved in the murders of rap superstars Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.
-
-
Racist And Inaccurate Trash
- By T Spencer on 12-25-19
By: Randall Sullivan
-
It Was All a Dream
- Biggie and the World That Made Him
- By: Justin Tinsley
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life. Biggie released his first record, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only 22. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second record Life After Death. Journalist Justin Tinsley’s It Was All a Dream is a fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend.
-
-
By Far the Best Biggie Bio I've Read
- By Jeremy on 06-05-22
By: Justin Tinsley
-
Tupac Shakur
- The Authorized Biography
- By: Staci Robinson
- Narrated by: Jamal Joseph, Staci Robinson
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest and most controversial artists of all time. More than a quarter of a century after his tragic death in 1996 at the age of just twenty-five, he continues to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated, and prolific figures in modern history. Drawing on exclusive access to Tupac’s private notebooks, letters, and uncensored conversations with those who loved and knew him best, this estate-authorized biography paints the fullest and most intimate picture to date of the young man who became a legend for generations to come.
-
-
The Biography we’ve been waiting for
- By carl zayas on 02-24-24
By: Staci Robinson
-
Compton Street Legend
- Notorious Keffe D’s Street-Level Accounts of Tupac and Biggie Murders, Death Row Origins, Suge Knight, Puffy Combs, and Crooked Cops
- By: Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, Yusuf Jah
- Narrated by: Yusuf Jah
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis, former shot caller for the Southside Compton Crips and kingpin of a Compton-based drug operation, rose to national prominence as one of the only living witnesses to the 1996 slaying of rapper Tupac Shakur after being featured in several TV specials on A&E (2017), USA Network (2017), Fox (2017), and BET (2018). More than 20 years after the killings of Tupac and Biggie, Keffe D has released his gritty memoir.
-
-
Cool book with a bunch of lies !!!
- By Anonymous User on 06-26-19
By: Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, and others
-
The History of Gangster Rap
- From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form
- By: Soren Baker, Xzibit - foreword
- Narrated by: James Shippy, Soren Baker
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into one of the most fascinating subgenres of any music category to date. Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture.
-
-
Brilliant chronicle
- By R. C. DeJesus on 03-12-21
By: Soren Baker, and others
-
Changes
- An Oral History of Tupac Shakur
- By: Sheldon Pearce
- Narrated by: Ashton Grooms, Aden Hakimi, Cary Hite, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Tupac’s birth and 25th anniversary of his death, in Changes, Sheldon Pearce offers one of the most thoughtful and comprehensive accounts yet of the artist’s life and legacy. Pearce, an editor and writer at The New Yorker, interviews dozens who knew Tupac throughout various phases of his life. While there are plenty of bold-faced names, the book focuses on the individuals who are lesser known and offer fresh stories and rare insight.
-
-
Good listen
- By Anonymous User on 06-23-21
By: Sheldon Pearce
-
LAbyrinth
- The True Story of City of Lies, the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. and the Implication of the Los Angeles Police Department
- By: Randall Sullivan
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan follows Russell Poole, a highly decorated LAPD detective who in 1997 was called to investigate a controversial cop-on-cop shooting, eventually to discover that the officer killed was tied to Marion “Suge” Knight’s notorious gangsta rap label, Death Row Records. During his investigation, Poole came to realize that a growing cadre of black officers were allied not only with Death Row, but with the murderous Bloods street gang. And incredibly, Poole began to uncover evidence that at least some of these “gangsta cops” may have been involved in the murders of rap superstars Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.
-
-
Racist And Inaccurate Trash
- By T Spencer on 12-25-19
By: Randall Sullivan
-
It Was All a Dream
- Biggie and the World That Made Him
- By: Justin Tinsley
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life. Biggie released his first record, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only 22. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second record Life After Death. Journalist Justin Tinsley’s It Was All a Dream is a fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend.
-
-
By Far the Best Biggie Bio I've Read
- By Jeremy on 06-05-22
By: Justin Tinsley
-
Have Gun Will Travel
- By: Sam Rolfe
- Narrated by: Ben Wright, Virginia Gregg
- Length: 42 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have Gun Will Travel was a Western adventure radio show that started on ABC in November 1958, just a year after its television version aired. At first the scripts for the radio show were derived from those of the television show, making the episodes in sync with one another. Later, though, the radio show started making scripts on its own. The story is about guns for hire, with the main character being Paladin, played by John Denner.
-
-
radio is the way to go
- By adam on 09-18-16
By: Sam Rolfe
-
Parental Discretion Is Advised
- The Rise of NWA and the Dawn of Gangsta Rap
- By: Gerrick D. Kennedy
- Narrated by: Guy Lockard
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Discover the stunning rise, fall, and legacy of N.W.A., one of America's most revered and iconic enduring music groups, who put their stamp on pop culture and black culture and who changed hip-hop music forever, in this comprehensive and authoritative work of music journalism. In 1986 a rap group was formed that would establish the foundation of gangsta rap and push the genre forward, electrifying fans with their visceral and profane lyrics that sensationalized street life and brazenly challenged the police system.
-
-
too drawn out
- By Reece on 06-11-24
-
Once Upon a Time in Compton
- By: Tim Brennan, Robert Ladd, Lolita Files
- Narrated by: Lolita Files
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 20 years, gang unit detectives Tim Brennan and Robert Ladd patrolled the streets of Compton. They witnessed the birth and rise of gangsta rap with acts they knew personally, such as N.W.A and D.J. Quik; dealt firsthand with the chaos of the L.A. riots, its aftermath, and the gang truce that followed; were involved in the investigations of the murders of hip-hop stars Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., and were major players in an all-out tug-of-war with City Hall that ultimately resulted in the permanent shut-down of the Compton Police Department.
-
-
Horrendous narration
- By Mike C on 08-09-19
By: Tim Brennan, and others
-
E.A.R.L.
- The Autobiography of DMX
- By: DMX
- Narrated by: Beresford Bennett
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
His real name was Earl Simmons. As a child, he placed higher on tests than his fellow students and liked to spend mornings with his mother and sisters playing games and making pancakes. But for young Earl - a boy growing up on the streets of Yonkers, New York - that kind of childhood didn’t last long. Beatings, abuse, and neglect very soon had him moving on to other things, like robbing, stealing, drugs, and, eventually, jail. Along the way, however, he found a talent and a passion for rhyme.
-
-
Not a good listen
- By Ty on 03-24-22
By: DMX
-
The Killing of Tupac Shakur
- By: Cathy Scott
- Narrated by: Elise Black
- Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Poet, movie star, revolutionary - Tupac Amaru Shakur was the most popular rapper in the world. No one symbolized the violence at the heart of gangsta rap more than Tupac, and he ultimately fell victim to that violence, gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas at the age of 25. This raw, no-holds-barred account discloses new information about the unsolved murder of Tupac: the failed investigation, the rap wars, the killing of Biggie Smalls, the Bloods-Crips connection, and the many possible motives leading to the murder that rocked the music world.
-
-
Dead of alive, Tupac lives on.
- By Maria Becker on 10-11-18
By: Cathy Scott
-
The Autobiography of Gucci Mane
- By: Gucci Mane, Neil Martinez-Belkin
- Narrated by: Guy Lockard
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time, Gucci Mane tells his story in his own words. It is the captivating life of an artist who forged an unlikely path to stardom and personal rebirth. Gucci Mane began writing his memoir in a maximum-security federal prison. Released in 2016, he emerged radically transformed. He was sober, smiling, focused, and positive - a far cry from the Gucci Mane of years past. Born in rural Bessemer, Alabama, Radric Delantic Davis became Gucci Mane in East Atlanta, where the rap scene is as vibrant as the dope game.
-
-
Loved it
- By Dee on 12-09-17
By: Gucci Mane, and others
-
Not Afraid
- The Evolution of Eminem
- By: Anthony Bozza
- Narrated by: Peter Vellios
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1999, a former dishwasher from Detroit named Marshall Bruce Mathers III became the most controversial and polarizing musical artist in the world. He was an outlier, a white artist creating viable art in a black medium, telling stories with such verbal dexterity, nimble wit, and shocking honesty that his music and persona resonated universally. In short, Eminem changed the landscape of pop culture as we knew it. In 2006, at the height of his fame and one of the biggest-selling artists in music history, Eminem all but disappeared.
-
-
Boring
- By Heath R. on 12-03-19
By: Anthony Bozza
-
Freeway Rick Ross
- The Untold Autobiography
- By: Rick Ross, Cathy Scott
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Freeway Rick Ross: The Untold Autobiography is an intimate look at the day-to-day dealings of a drug kingpin in the heart of the ghetto. It's also the story of a boy born in poverty in Texas who grew up in a single-parent household in the heart of South Central, who was pushed through the school system each year and came out illiterate. His options were few, and he turned to drug dealing. This untold autobiography is not only personal, but also historical in its implications.
-
-
Life as a Drug Kingpin.
- By pixledust on 12-09-15
By: Rick Ross, and others
-
Comfortably Numb
- The Inside Story of Pink Floyd
- By: Mark Blake
- Narrated by: Graeme Malcolm
- Length: 17 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Blake draws on his own interviews with band members as well as the group's friends, road crew, musical contemporaries, former housemates, and university colleagues to produce a riveting history of one of the biggest rock bands of all time. We follow Pink Floyd from the early psychedelic nights at UFO, to the stadium-rock and concept-album zenith of the '70s, to the acrimonious schisms of the late '80s and '90s.
-
-
This book is Everything!
- By Dana on 11-22-18
By: Mark Blake
-
When Giants Walked the Earth
- A Biography of Led Zeppelin
- By: Mick Wall
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They were the last great band of the '60s and the first great band of the '70s. They rose, somewhat unpromisingly, from the ashes of the Yardbirds to become one of the biggest-selling rock bands of all time - and eventually paid the price for it, with disaster, drug addiction, and death.
-
-
Very annoying but tolerable for serious fans.
- By M. Allen on 08-14-19
By: Mick Wall
-
My Infamous Life
- The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy
- By: Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, Laura Checkoway
- Narrated by: Albert "Prodigy" Johnson
- Length: 13 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this often violent but always introspective memoir, Mobb Deep’s Prodigy tells his much anticipated story of struggle, survival, and hope down the mean streets of New York City. For the first time, he gives an intimate look at his family background, his battles with drugs, his life of crime, his relentless suffering with sickle-cell anemia, and much more.
-
-
"P" is forever...
- By Anonymous User on 09-22-19
By: Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, and others
-
Sweat the Technique
- Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius
- By: Rakim
- Narrated by: Rakim
- Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The musician and hip-hop legend - hailed as “the greatest MC of all time” and compared to Thelonious Monk - reimagines the writing handbook in this memoir and guide that incorporates the soulful genius, confidence, and creativity of a master artist.
-
-
Solid
- By Troy on 09-27-19
By: Rakim
Critic reviews
"I trust Ben Westhoff. I trust him to report a story and I trust him to tell a story, and that's exactly what he's done here in Original Gangstas. He's taken what's always felt like an almost impossibly knotted string of storylines and plot points in gangsta rap, the most turbulent version of the most popular music on the planet, and turned them into an airtight and unflinching book. Original Gangstas is as resolute as the people and ideas it sets out to profile, and that is no small feat."—Shea Serrano, New York Times bestselling author of The Rap Year Book
"Scrupulously researched with many incisive revelations, this may be the best book ever written about the hip hop world."—S. Leigh Savidge, Academy Award nominee and co-writer of Straight Outta Compton
"A provocative, multifaceted portrait of essential rap pioneers who ushered the hip-hop music scene to greatness.... As raw, authoritative, and unflinching as the music his narrative chronicles, Westhoff comprehensively uncovers the factual roots of the gangsta rap movement and admirably credits those whose footprints paved the way for the younger rappers emerging today.... An elaborately detailed, darkly surprising, definitive history of the LA gangsta rap era."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Tupac Shakur
- The Authorized Biography
- By: Staci Robinson
- Narrated by: Jamal Joseph, Staci Robinson
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest and most controversial artists of all time. More than a quarter of a century after his tragic death in 1996 at the age of just twenty-five, he continues to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated, and prolific figures in modern history. Drawing on exclusive access to Tupac’s private notebooks, letters, and uncensored conversations with those who loved and knew him best, this estate-authorized biography paints the fullest and most intimate picture to date of the young man who became a legend for generations to come.
-
-
The Biography we’ve been waiting for
- By carl zayas on 02-24-24
By: Staci Robinson
-
LAbyrinth
- The True Story of City of Lies, the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. and the Implication of the Los Angeles Police Department
- By: Randall Sullivan
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan follows Russell Poole, a highly decorated LAPD detective who in 1997 was called to investigate a controversial cop-on-cop shooting, eventually to discover that the officer killed was tied to Marion “Suge” Knight’s notorious gangsta rap label, Death Row Records. During his investigation, Poole came to realize that a growing cadre of black officers were allied not only with Death Row, but with the murderous Bloods street gang. And incredibly, Poole began to uncover evidence that at least some of these “gangsta cops” may have been involved in the murders of rap superstars Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.
-
-
Racist And Inaccurate Trash
- By T Spencer on 12-25-19
By: Randall Sullivan
-
The History of Gangster Rap
- From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form
- By: Soren Baker, Xzibit - foreword
- Narrated by: James Shippy, Soren Baker
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into one of the most fascinating subgenres of any music category to date. Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture.
-
-
Brilliant chronicle
- By R. C. DeJesus on 03-12-21
By: Soren Baker, and others
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
The Marathon Don't Stop
- The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle
- By: Rob Kenner
- Narrated by: Landon Woodson
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Nipsey Hussle, “The Marathon” was more than a mixtape title or the name of a clothing store; it was a way of life, a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of excellence and the willpower required to overcome adversity day after day. Hussle was determined to win the race to success on his own terms, and he wanted to see his whole community in the winner’s circle with him.
-
-
Proflic
- By Norris on 08-27-21
By: Rob Kenner
-
Alice in Chains
- The Untold Story
- By: David de Sola
- Narrated by: Sebastian York
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alice in Chains was the first of grunge's big four - ahead of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden - to get a gold record and achieve national recognition. With the charismatic Layne Staley behind the microphone, they became one of the most influential and successful bands to come out of the Seattle music scene. But as the band got bigger, so did its problems.
-
-
Disappointing!!!!
- By Rob on 12-23-16
By: David de Sola
-
Tupac Shakur
- The Authorized Biography
- By: Staci Robinson
- Narrated by: Jamal Joseph, Staci Robinson
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest and most controversial artists of all time. More than a quarter of a century after his tragic death in 1996 at the age of just twenty-five, he continues to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated, and prolific figures in modern history. Drawing on exclusive access to Tupac’s private notebooks, letters, and uncensored conversations with those who loved and knew him best, this estate-authorized biography paints the fullest and most intimate picture to date of the young man who became a legend for generations to come.
-
-
The Biography we’ve been waiting for
- By carl zayas on 02-24-24
By: Staci Robinson
-
LAbyrinth
- The True Story of City of Lies, the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. and the Implication of the Los Angeles Police Department
- By: Randall Sullivan
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed journalist Randall Sullivan follows Russell Poole, a highly decorated LAPD detective who in 1997 was called to investigate a controversial cop-on-cop shooting, eventually to discover that the officer killed was tied to Marion “Suge” Knight’s notorious gangsta rap label, Death Row Records. During his investigation, Poole came to realize that a growing cadre of black officers were allied not only with Death Row, but with the murderous Bloods street gang. And incredibly, Poole began to uncover evidence that at least some of these “gangsta cops” may have been involved in the murders of rap superstars Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.
-
-
Racist And Inaccurate Trash
- By T Spencer on 12-25-19
By: Randall Sullivan
-
The History of Gangster Rap
- From Schoolly D to Kendrick Lamar, the Rise of a Great American Art Form
- By: Soren Baker, Xzibit - foreword
- Narrated by: James Shippy, Soren Baker
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into one of the most fascinating subgenres of any music category to date. Sixteen detailed chapters, organized chronologically, examine the evolution of gangster rap, its main players, and the culture that created this revolutionary music. From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the era of gangster rap is one that fascinates music junkies and remains at the forefront of pop culture.
-
-
Brilliant chronicle
- By R. C. DeJesus on 03-12-21
By: Soren Baker, and others
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
The Marathon Don't Stop
- The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle
- By: Rob Kenner
- Narrated by: Landon Woodson
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Nipsey Hussle, “The Marathon” was more than a mixtape title or the name of a clothing store; it was a way of life, a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of excellence and the willpower required to overcome adversity day after day. Hussle was determined to win the race to success on his own terms, and he wanted to see his whole community in the winner’s circle with him.
-
-
Proflic
- By Norris on 08-27-21
By: Rob Kenner
-
Alice in Chains
- The Untold Story
- By: David de Sola
- Narrated by: Sebastian York
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alice in Chains was the first of grunge's big four - ahead of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden - to get a gold record and achieve national recognition. With the charismatic Layne Staley behind the microphone, they became one of the most influential and successful bands to come out of the Seattle music scene. But as the band got bigger, so did its problems.
-
-
Disappointing!!!!
- By Rob on 12-23-16
By: David de Sola
What listeners say about Original Gangstas
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Siobhan Ricci
- 06-27-21
Best rap history book on Audible
Original Gangstas is a great book and the best choice on this platform for hip hop history. I’ve read ones I’ve liked more that aren’t on Audible, such as, Have Gun Will Travel, as well as documentaries like Welcome to Death Row, or Murder Rap, if you’re interest is in the Biggie and Pac killings. That being said this book delivers on what it promises, the history of west coast rap, from the birth to the downfall, everything is covered. The NWA portion was sluggish at times though. Legit book!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 02-05-19
Epic.
I absolutely love this! I was just telling a friend about this and how Shakespearean this whole tale is. If This Were to be presented as a lost work, people would absolutely clamor to the storyline and characters. Sadly, many who would enjoy such a tale, will dismiss this based off of cultural biases where the stigma of gangster rap is concerned. I would strongly recommend that anyone who enjoys a fantastic Tale of Triumph and tragedy give this book it's due and your undivided attention.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Josh
- 10-08-18
Dense, fun book about Rap History.
To start off, I am not a huge fan of rap. Never have, Never been. I was actually requested this by the Last Podcast on the Left. It does a very good job of helping you understand what was going on with the rap scene before, during and after Gangsta Rap. It also gives every artist it can (including Shug) some form of humanity. Come for the stories of Bigge and Pac, stay for the conspiracy theories.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Clayton Burton
- 09-04-20
great book, check out fentanyl inc
this is a great book and captured my attention like a movie. ben wrote fentanyl, inc. READ IT TOO
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 08-21-20
Would listen again.
really cool hearing the back story on this group. All have done some bad things but, I really gained a whole new respect for Eazy E. already recommended to a friend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rob
- 11-20-18
Outstanding!
Very much enjoyed the behind the scenes trip back down memory lane. The Narrator did an excellent job of keeping me engaged throughout the entire story. I really enjoyed this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 05-07-22
Absolutely fantastic.
A fantastic story told incredibly vividly. Was interested to learn more about Tupac but the entire book was highly interesting and I found myself soaking everything up about things I kinda already knew but also things I knew next to nothing about. Fantastic.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- JPALJ
- 05-14-22
it's about time . . .
this art form, and these artists, the underlying culture, and the incredible contributions not just to american, but worldwide culture, begin to get their due.. this book is a good start
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SHANE CLAY
- 09-09-17
GREAT
5 STARS I really enjoyed this book. I'll definitely listen to it again in the future.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Morgan Benson
- 08-21-18
Well researched and compelling
This book provides a well researched and compelling look at gangster rap on the west coast as it came about in the mid to late 80s up to mid to late 90s. This book really excels at cutting through the media narrative about who these people are and tells the straight facts. A lot of people in the gangster rap scene are artists who have very little or none legitimate claim to being gangsters, criminals, and gang members but often have to embody that persona for their music.
You get to learn about the real lives and people behind the music in both a sympathetic but also critical way. The writer doesn't moralize about the genre at length but largely provides an unbiased prospective and allows the reader to draw their own conclusions. If this genre of music in an interest of you I would highly recommend this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!