A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
This “beautiful tribute to a legendary artist” (Quincy Jones) is the first in-depth biography of Nipsey Hussle, the hip-hop mogul, artist, and activist whose transformative legacy inspired a generation with his motivational lyrics and visionary business savvy—before he was tragically shot down in the very neighborhood he was dedicated to building up.
For Nipsey Hussle, “The Marathon” was more than a mixtape title or the name of a clothing store; it was a way of life, a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of excellence and the willpower required to overcome adversity day after day. Hussle was determined to win the race to success on his own terms, and he wanted to see his whole community in the winner’s circle with him.
A moving and powerful exploration of an extraordinary artist, The Marathon Don’t Stop places Hussle in historical context and unpacks his complex legacy. Combining on-the-ground reporting and candid interviews, “Rob Kenner has given us the book the world—and hip-hop and pop culture—has been waiting for…one that should be celebrated alongside the best biographies ever about iconic figures we have loved—and lost” (Kevin Powell, author of When We Free the World).
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“Kenner’s narrative is raw and unfiltered, the language of the streets of South L.A. unedited…Born into poverty, Hussle was a straight-A student who built his own computer from scratch but became a member of a local gang and the target of harassment by local police…Kenner provides a behind-the-scenes look at the rap business and a musical genius. Rousing and powerful.”
— Library Journal
“A beautiful tribute to a legendary artist.”
— Quincy Jones, award–winning music, film, and television producer“A well-executed recognition of the dynamic presence and unrelenting impact of a hip-hop legend gone too soon.”
— Kirkus ReviewsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Rob Kenner is one of the most prolific and influential voices in hip hop publishing. A founding editor of Vibe, he joined the start-up team of Quincy Jones’ groundbreaking hip hop monthly in 1992. During a nineteen-year run at Vibe he edited and wrote cover and feature stories on iconic cultural figures ranging from Tupac Shakur to Barack Obama as well as writing the acclaimed column “Boomshots.” His writing has appeared in Poetry magazine, the New York Times, and Billboard, among others. He has also produced and directed documentary shorts on the likes of De La Soul, Nas, and Post Malone. As an editor at Vibe Books, he worked on the New York Times bestseller Tupac Shakur and contributed to The Vibe History of Hip Hop. He went on to co-author VX: 10 Years of Vibe Photography and produced the book Unbelievable, a biography of The Notorious B.I.G. by Cheo Hodari Coker Jr., which was optioned for the motion picture Notorious.