{"product_id":"original-gangstas-tupac-shakur-dr-dre-eazy-e-ice-cube-and-the-birth-of-west-coast-rap","title":"Original Gangstas: Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and the Birth of West Coast Rap","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Raw, authoritative, and unflinching ... An elaborately detailed, darkly surprising, definitive history of the LA gangsta rap era.\" -- Kirkus, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmid 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBen 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeaturing 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Roots Bookstore \u0026 Market","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48192988512423,"sku":"9780316344852","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0689\/8312\/8231\/files\/9780316344852.jpg?v=1774377556","url":"https:\/\/rootsbookstore.com\/products\/original-gangstas-tupac-shakur-dr-dre-eazy-e-ice-cube-and-the-birth-of-west-coast-rap","provider":"Roots Bookstore \u0026 Market","version":"1.0","type":"link"}