Hey, gang. This post is just to let BBI hip-hop fans know that Ruffhouse Records co-founder Chris Schwartz's book,
Ruffhouse, dropped yesterday. It's got an introduction by Questlove (who interned at Ruffhouse as a teen) and a foreword by Ms. Lauryn Hill, plus endorsements from Kool Keith, Wyclef, and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell. If you're a fan of Schoolly D, Nas, Cypress Hill, The Fugees, or Kriss Kross, you won't want to miss this book. Edited by yours truly.
In the book, Schwartz describes in his own words how he and his partner, Joe Nicolo, built Ruffhouse from one desk and a phone to one of the world's most successful record companies--generating global revenues of over one billion dollars--while simultaneously struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism.
Here's a link to a short review of the book that ran in
Insomniac magazine yesterday:
https://insomniacmagazine.com/review-ruffhouse-from-the-streets-of-philly-to-the-top-of-the-90s-hip-hop-charts/?fbclid=IwAR3RCCjTfu_ViEb7gPf_YuBvk21ZU4a74flOxHNX1_g3lzOF8gSRzb8gLv8
Chris is doing a launch event at The Strand Bookstore in New York City next Monday (6/24) and another one at the Barnes & Noble in Rittenhouse Square in Philly next Wednesday (6/26). Hope to see some of you there.
Amazon Link - (
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