{"product_id":"2940170379149","title":"Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"Raw, authoritative, and unflinching ... An elaborately detailed, darkly surprising, definitive history of the LA gangsta rap era.\"---\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\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\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\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. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeaturing extensive investigative reporting, interviews with the principal players, and dozens of never-before-told stories, \u003ci\u003eOriginal Gangstas\u003c\/i\u003e is a groundbreaking addition to the history of popular music.","brand":"Hachette Audio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47102395973872,"sku":"2940170379149","price":25.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940170379149_p0.jpg?v=1763708721","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940170379149","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}