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: a loving mother, young giant hit record and the wealth and international superstardom that came with it, then a tragic, violent death. Biggie released his first album, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only twenty two. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second trouble, drug-dealing, guns, prison, album, Life After Death.
Journalist Justin Tinsley's 'It Was All a Dream' is a fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend. It is based on extensive interviews with those who knew and loved Biggie, including neighbours, friends, DJs, party promoters, and journalists. And it places Biggie's life in context, within both the history of rap and the wider cultural and political forces that shaped him, including Caribbean immigration, the Reagan era disinvestment in public education, street life, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and the booming, creative, and influential 1990s music industry. This is the story of where Biggie came from, the world that made him, and the legacy he has left behind.
Size: 158 x 236mm
Pages: 336
Publisher: Abrams
