Arts & Events: Books & Talks - Washington City Paper

Reviewed: Diamonds in the Raw
A look at the D.C. rap scene beyond Wale

Book Reviews By Andrew Noz

D.C. hip-hop is bigger than just Wale. The prevailing narrative behind the rising star is that he is the city’s first notable rap act and its great hip-hop hope. But this is far from the case: Over the past 25 years, D.C. has produced a mixed bag of major label near-stars, local heroes, and quiet successes both nationally and internationally. Diamonds in The Raw is a patchwork of those untold tales. In it, author Sidney “DCSuperSid” Thomas traces local hip-hop from the era when go-go held such a tight hold on the city that even thinking about rapping was considered “bama” to its current incarnation as a burgeoning creative and commercial force. Because of the sporadic and fragmented nature of the scene, Thomas works in short vignettes. He relays stories like those of Toni Blackman’s U Street open-mic workshop, Freestyle Union, major label signee turned minister Black Indian, and murdered go-go rap legend Fat Rodney (“he was like B.I.G. before B.I.G.,” remembers D.C. production hero Chucky Thompson, who worked with Biggie on Ready to Die). Dozens of current day rappers that followed in their footsteps are profiled as well. Like most of the fine DMV music that it chronicles, Diamonds in the Raw is a self-released affair. As such, it suffers from some minor structural and editorial flaws, but Thomas more than makes up for these with raw reportorial arts. He conducted more than 100 interviews over the last two years; even the most minute voices of the scene are represented here. If anything, Diamonds might be a little too comprehensive, the sheer depth of information could prove overwhelming to the D.C. rap neophyte. (The book would especially benefit from an audio companion—most of... Continued

Reviewed: Diamonds in the Raw
A look at the D.C. rap scene beyond Wale
Book Reviews By Andrew Noz
Reviewed: Amy Bach's Ordinary Injustice: How America Holds Court
Bach pondering whether or not to let sleeping lawyers lie
Book Reviews By Eve Ottenberg
Power Trip
Todd Tucker's Atomic America chronicles the nuclear history of the United States.
Book Reviews By Mike Kanin
Bond Girls
The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund looks at the rich and shameless
Book Reviews By Eve Ottenberg
Yawn of the Dead
Reviewed: Seth Grahame Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Book Reviews By Amanda Hess
Kindle in the Wind
Who needs agents and traditional publishing houses when there are e-books?
Arts By Ted Scheinman
Naughty but Nice
Andrew Hudgins' poetry amuses adults, scares small children.
Book Reviews By Mike Riggs
Between Rock and a Really Hard Place
Andrew Mueller goes from rock critic to conflict correspondent
Book Reviews By Justin Moyer

Books Picks

Ralph Nader at Borders L Street
Wednesday, November 25
Ralph Nader may be the most hated man in American politics, more so than even establishment types Sarah Palin and George W. Bush, or fellow outsiders Lyndon LaRouche and Louis Farrakhan. Nader,...
Ralph Nader at Borders L Street
Wednesday, November 25
Ralph Nader may be the most hated man in American politics, more so than even establishment types Sarah Palin and George W. Bush, or fellow outsiders Lyndon LaRouche and Louis Farrakhan. Nader,...

Event Calendar: This Week in Books

Fri. Nov. 20, 2009 - Thu. Nov. 26, 2009

JULIE ANDREWS AND EMMA WALTON HAMILTON
Discuss and sign copies of Julie Andrews’ Collection Of Poems, Songs And Lullabies.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Thu., 11/19, at 4 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
JOAN BISKUPIC
Discusses and signs copies of American Original.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Thu., 11/19, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
JAMES BRADLEY
Discusses and signs copies of The Imperial Cruise.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Tue., 11/24, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
CONTRIBUTORS
Discuss and sign copies of The Poet’s Cookbook.
Writer's Center,, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda. Sun., 11/22, at 2 p.m. Free. (301) 654-8664.
TINESHA DAVIS
Discusses and signs copies of Holler at the Moon.
Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Sat., 11/21, at 5 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
STEPHANIE DUCKWORTH-ELLIOTT
Discusses and signs copies of Poneasequa, Goddess of The Waters.
Busboys & Poets 5th & K,, 1025 5th St., NW. Sat., 11/21, at 4 p.m. Free. (202) 789-2227.
ANTHONY HOROWITZ
Discusses and signs copies of Crocodile Tears.
Borders Fairfax,, 11054 Lee Hwy. Tue., 11/24, at 7 p.m. Free. (703) 359-8420.
KEVIN WAYNE JOHNSON
Discusses and signs copies of Give God The Glory.
Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Fri., 11/20, at 5:30 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
DWAYNE JOSEPH
Discusses and signs copies of Betrayal.
Borders Largo,, 931A Capital Centre Blvd. Sat., 11/21, at 2 p.m. Free. (301) 499-2173.
BRAD LEITHAUSER
Discusses and signs copies of The Art Student’s War.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sun., 11/22, at 1 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
JAMIE MACVICAR
Discusses and signs copies of The Advance Man: A Journey Into the World of the Circus.
Arlington Public Library,, 1015 North Quincy St. Mon., 11/23, at 7 p.m. Free. (703) 228-5990.
THOMAS MALLON
Discusses and signs copies of Yours Ever.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sat., 11/21, at 1 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
NEVIN MARTELL
Discusses and signs copies of Looking for Calvin and Hobbes.
Borders Baileys Crossroads,, 5871 Crossroads Center Wy. Thu., 11/19, at 7:30 p.m. Free. (703) 998-0404.
DENNIS MCCULLOUGH
Discusses and signs copies of My Mother, Your Mother: Embracing "Slow Medicine."
Library of Congress,, 101 Independence Ave., SE. Thu., 11/19, at noon. Free. (202) 707-5000.
RALPH NADER
Discusses and signs copies of Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!
Borders L Street,, 1801 K St., NW. Tue., 11/24, at 6:30 p.m. Free. (202) 466-4999.
JAYNE O'DONNELL
Discusses and signs copies of Gen BuY.
Borders Tysons Corner,, 8027 Leesburg Pike, Vienna. Sat., 11/21, at 2 p.m. Free. (703) 556-7766.
ORHAN PAMUK
Discusses and signs copies of The Museum of Innocence.
National Museum of Natural History,, 10th & Constitution Ave., NW. Mon., 11/23, at 6:45 p.m. $25. Members $15. (202) 633-3030.
DAVID PLOUFFE
Discusses and signs copies of The Audacity to Win.
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue,, 600 I St., NW. Mon., 11/23, at 7 p.m. $8. (202) 364-1919.
ROBERT M. POOLE
Discusses and signs copies of On Hallowed Ground.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sat., 11/21, at 6 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
CARMEN REINHART AND KENNETH ROGOTH
Discuss and sign copies of This Time Is Different.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Fri., 11/20, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
STEVEN V. ROBERTS
Discusses and signs copies of From Every End of This Earth: 13 Families and the New Lives They Made in America.
Shirlington Public Library,, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Mon., 11/23, at 7 p.m. Free. (703) 228-6545.
PATRICIA SULLIVAN
Discusses and signs copies of Lift Every Voice.
Politics and Prose,, 5015 Connecticut Ave., NW. Sun., 11/22, at 5 p.m. Free. (202) 364-1919.
CHARLES TOFTOY
Discusses and signs copies of It's In The Eyes.
Barnes & Noble Arlington,, 2800 Clarendon Blvd. Sun., 11/22, at 1 p.m. Free. (703) 248-8244.
MELVIN UROFSKY
Discusses and signs copies of Louis D. Brandeis: A Life.
National Archives,, 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. Thu., 11/19, at 7 p.m. Free. (202) 357-5400.