Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur Audiobook

Quotes

• “Paints a nuanced picture of his subject while illuminating the effect hip-hop has had on America.”

  — New Yorker

• Without question, Michael Eric Dyson is among the most dynamic teachers that I have ever met. His insights are deeply rooted in an understanding of history, and our people’s place in it, as is abundantly clear in Holler If You Hear Me. These qualities appear in all of his writing, which not only make his work enjoyable but vital. He is remarkably informed and equally approachable. And on top of that, he ain’t no square. You gotta love that.”

  — Mos Def, rap artist

•  “This book should be an instant classic—not because it is above criticism, but rather because it provides the most profound analysis of the significance of Tupac Shakur and the most sophisticated understanding of the complexity of today’s hip-hop culture and the plight of its major creators—black young people.”

  — Cornel West, New York Times bestselling author

• “At last, one of our most talented critics and writers, Michael Eric Dyson, explains the myth and meaning of Tupac. Holler If You Hear Me is a riveting read that brings together the wisdom of people who knew, loved, and thought about his lost talent. Miss this book and you’ll lose a chance to understand the enduring creativity and power of black youth, those roses that grow from concrete and that flower in even the most harrowing circumstances.”

  — Quincy Jones, composer and producer

• “Holler If You Hear Me not only analyzes the conflicted workings of a young man gone too soon but considers how Shakur’s life and spirit, in ways good and bad, continue to challenge popular culture and inform the world he left behind.”

  — Boston Globe

• “Riffs with speed, eloquence, bawdy humor, and startling truths that have the effect of hitting you like a Mack truck.”

  — San Francisco Examiner

• “A major American thinker and cultural critic.”

  — Philadelphia Inquirer

• “In this elegantly written and extremely well-researched book, Dyson…helps To illuminate the internal struggles of Tupac that were manifested in such spectacular fashion. It is a sympathetic, but not sentimental, look at a young man who although only twenty-five years old when murdered left a legacy…that will undoubtedly live on for a lifetime.”

  — Detroit Free Press

• “An earnest attempt to explain the ever-growing appeal of ‘the black Elvis’ to fans’ parents, and even more so, to cultural critics and academics…It is worth reading.”

  — Atlanta Journal-Constitution

• “A well-written, intelligent, and energetically investigative work.”

  — Library Journal

• “[Dyson] makes a distinctly substantial contribution to deconstructing the mystique of Tupac Shakur…By focusing sincere academic attention on significant aspects of Tupac Shakur’s life and art, Dyson has provided an indispensable text for the university courses on Pac that have already cropped up nationwide.”

  — Village Voice

• “More than a music bio, the book will draw the attention of socially conscious readers who are interested in how hip-hop affects society.”

  — Publishers Weekly

• “In literate and streetwise style, Dyson describes and dissects Shakur’s world…Piquant and analytical, Dyson’s is arguably the best 2pac bio 2 date.”

  — Booklist

• “Perceptive, informative, and certainly timely.”

  — Kirkus Reviews