Thank you to DK and BookishFirst for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Life Lessons from Hip-Hop by Grant Brydon is a collection of stories and advice from someone who has interviewed plenty of rappers and hip-hop artists as part of his many jobs. The artists featured here are each famous and successful in their own right. I particularly enjoyed the sections about Lil Peep and Pharrell. In addition to the text, each artist was beautifully-drawn and depicted by the illustrator. I'm sure this book will be inspiration and motivational to many readers.

Here's an interesting excerpt from the pages of J. Cole:

""What does success look like to you?”
I’ve asked hundreds of artists the same
question, and the answers vary
massively. The most common responses
make reference to core values such as
happiness and security, particularly in the
context of friends and family.
Interestingly, a large percentage of the
responses I’ve received begin with a
qualifying statement that success is not
about money. After asking so many
successful people for their definition of
success, my main takeaway has been
that it is different for everyone, and when
setting off on a quest for self improvement,
it’s worth asking: how do
we achieve success if we don’t yet know
what it is?"

Overall, Life Lessons from Hip-Hop is an amazing compendium of interviews with the world's hottest hip-hop stars. One highlight of this book is how it centers Black experiences and serves to motivate and inspire readers. The only reason I took off 1 star is because I'm not personally a huge fan of rap or hip-hop. I'm sure that if I recognized more of these names or had heard their music before, I would appreciate this book a lot more. That's not the book's fault. I'm just explaining why it wasn't a 5-star read for my personally. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're looking for a gift for the hip-hop lover in your life, I recommend that you check out this book, which is available now! ( )

Grant Brydon has spent years interviewing hip-hop artists and clearly has love and respect for the music and culture of hip-hop. Life Lessons from Hip-Hop is a compilation of 50 fantastic essays focused on advice from various artists. This book feels like it is geared towards young people, but as an adult reader, I found a lot to reflect on.
Hip-hop fans will love this book, but the advice here is solid and relevant for anyone. It is like a guide to life. The section on mental health and work-life balance was particularly important, especially since so many people have been negatively affected by the pandemic. There is a lot to learn here about the history and influence of hip-hop, and many artists to discover. Ketu's illustrations are amazing and life-like.
This book belongs in every school library and in the home of every hip-hop fan. ( )

This fun collection of self help stories is a great book to keep handy. I loved reading through a few stories at a time giving myself time to appreciate the narratives that were written on each page. I think the collection is truly captivating and there is something to take away from each and every artist portrayed. I think the purpose of the book is to connect with these unique people that have made such a big splash in our culture and our generations. I love having this book out on our coffee table and I find it very a awesome that people can pick it up and skim for their favorite artist. Getting that glimpse at their story of success and getting some advice all of the way makes a fun read. I like that it doesn’t take itself to seriously when it comes to its delivery and we can see the artist true personalities on each page. I am very glad to have gotten the chance to get this book! ( )

These 50 Interviews deliver a Rap Range from plain speaking fun to eloquence.

Readers will be inspired to return to the original creative artists, from JadaKiss to Wiki
and Illmatic. This inheritance is as impressive as Creative New Music was to JAZZ.

LIFE LESSONS offers Hip Hop as a guide to life, something that can touch you with new approaches every day and night. Opening with the "What is success?" question, inspiration moves from the predictable: happy, know and accept yourself, be different,
stay authentic and pursue a creative path to therapy, Family, and taking a long break.

Painter Ketu is a major highlight - each portrait completed with care and passion!

Takeaways: once you've got The Money, Be a Force for Good, go to Nature for silence, love and comfort, Be Kind...

(Got to wonder if anyone can come up with a new word to replace "shit?"
And "screaming?" Well, it works for babies... Advice not to make "judgments" no longer
works for those of us who value Democracy after the onslaught of January 6th.) ( )