Customer Reviews

Die Nigger Die!: A Political Autobiography of Jamil Abdullah al-Amin

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When H.Rap Brown's classic autobiography was first published, he was former chair of SNCC, the leading Black liberation group in the United States. Back then, I used this book as an introduction to the Black Power movement. Rap Brown was a grassroots leader, and he spoke the language of the grassroots community. In my estimate, H. Rap Brown was one of the most successful political agitators of the black revolt. With the exception of Malcolm X, there were few that could match his effectiveness of moving people in the streets. For that precise reason, Brown, now Imam Jamil Al-Amin, has been a key victim of repression, for fighting for black liberation.

While rightfully cited as an articulation of Black anger in the 60s, there are portions of this book that are difficult to take seriously. Rap/El-Amin's hilarious descriptions of pilfering items in Lyndon Johnson's White House, the story of his being stopped by the Louisiana cops for wearing ragged clothes, his refusal to eat or drink anything in prison for 43 DAYS (last time I checked in biology class, no human could go that long without water) etc. come off like wild tall tales told by one of Richard Pryor's characters. Even when the book is serious, there is never a dull moment. His observations on Ebony magazine, poor whites, and the explaination of the book's title, will make you laugh as well as think. Oh yeah, check out his "Rap" early on in the book, the contents of which would make NWA blush!

The recent noteriety of Rap/El-Amin adds a somber note to the proceedings, but in the meantime, read this. You can see why this wild, controversial, and colorful book was so popular in the late 1960s. A cross between Richard Pryor and Malcolm X! Certainly one of the most entertaining of the Black Power manifestos.

I haven't finished book yet but I remember a sentence when H.Rap Brown stated that he believed there'd come a time when he would be able to get bailed out of jail. The sad thing is that it came to pass. Great book written by a great and courageous man!

This is the autobiography of the type of man who has long gone out of style in the black community--an original man. While down-to-earth in manner, H. Rap Brown had a understated intelligence that served him well. But it's his ability to translate thoughts into words that make this book worth reading. From issues like skin color to class divisions, Brown outlines many issues that still face the black community today.

A lot of political works get caught in the trap of trying to reflect the intelligence of the writer, Brown does the best job of effectively communicating from the black street perspective.
I'm sure he would like for everyone who reads this to read his Revolution by the Book, and when you compare the two you can chart the evolution of an original man, from street scholar to religious cleric. Read it for yourself and make up your own mind.

Written in the late 1960s there isn't any real political rhetoric in this. Its more or less H Rap Brown recalling and bragging about times in his life where he was belligerent with white people. He likes to say he was always "black" and never a "negro". Brown obviously has a real hatred for white people. I actually have no problem with this because he takes a militant black seperatist stance. Blacks can hate me all they want to if they aren't near me.

Brown is actually pretty funny. Just the title of the book in itself is quite humorous. His story about appearing before the draft board and the antics he pulled to get out of going to Vietnam is hilarious. Another thing I like about this is I believe he actually wrote this book for black people. I believe that some of these so called black militants write books to thumb their nose at or get attention from white people who will listen to them more than anything. Even though there is no political rhetoric in this the social climate has changed so drasticly that its outdated. His target audience, which I would say was along the lines of 20 year old ghetto blacks, even the one in a thousand that will actually read a book on occasion isn't going to be able to relate to this and isn't going to be bright enough to take it within the context of the time.

An interesting but not surprising tidbit in this for those in the know is he fleetingly mentions that the Ford Foundation has been "trying to build up the movement for years". Its also known that the Ford Foundation founded La Raza and dumped huge amounts of money into the womens liberation movement. Its so funny how a lot of these movements who claim to be anti-establishment are funded and even out and out created by the highest levels of the establishment. H Rap Brown ended up changing his name to Jamil Al-Amin and sits in the Supermax prison in Florence Colorado for shooting two cops so even if his "movement" may not have always been what it seemed he kept it real.

H. Rap Brown has been called the african-american Jim Goad. In Mr. Brown's case, however, his screed is directed not at women and liberals but instead at "honkeys," "crackers" and, of course, "THE MAN!" This autobiography gives the reader insight into the anger that fueled one man's efforts to bring down "the system." Overall, though, the book is kinda insubstantial and considering the darn thing cost nearly 15 bones, there are much better books on the subject.