Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible (Kindle Edition)

by Kim Osorio (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Kim Osorio had a front-row seat for the biggest beefs, battles, and blow-ups in hip-hop. As the first female editor-in-chief of The Source, she had come up.

From her corner office, Kim got the goods on hip-hop's hottest names: Jay-Z, Nas, 50 Cent, Lil' Kim. She developed close -- sometimes intimate -- relationships with the artists she exposed to the public. But The Source couldn't hide its own dirty laundry for long.

Behind the scenes, the magazine's volatile owners puppeteered every issue -- even coveted honors like the 5-mic album rating and the Power 30 list of industry heavy-hitters. Then The Source declared war on Eminem and began the notorious assault that would send the magazine into swift decline.In a culture dominated by men, Kim rose to the top, and after years in the magazine's pressure cooker, she hit "send" on a two-sentence e-mail that would thrust her from the sidelines of the scandalous world she reported on to the center of one of the most explosive scandals in hip-hop history. Straight From the Source is the Book of Kim, the tell-all memoir only she could write about her influential years at the Bible of Hip-Hop.

About the Author

Kim Osorio, a native of the Bronx, New York, was the first female editor-in-chief of The Source magazine. She led the publication to some of its highest-selling issues ever before suing for sexual harassment. She lives in New Jersey with her fiancé and two daughters.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 269 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 1st MTV Books/Pocket Books Hardcover Ed edition (April 8, 2008)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001HCRU12
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #103,995 in Kindle Store (See Bestsellers in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring (and Funny!!!), September 30, 2008

By	Laura Morgan (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible (Hardcover)

Knowing little about hip-hop, this book was referred to me from a friend of a friend who actually knows the author. Having gone through some crazy things with the men at my own job, what I initially became interested in was finding out how Kim triumphed in her case. But there was little about the actual trial, which probably would have bored the crap out of me anyway (i have a very short attention span).

But I didn't have to read too far to understand how she was able to be victorious in her case. Throughout the course of the book, I kept wondering why the behavior of the men in this book had not been questioned by others at work (or by anyone in hip hop for that matter). It was almost always acceptable for Banzino to come on to her, or for her boss to tell her she couldn't be a part of a woman's right conference, or for them to tell her that rape was a woman's issue. All of this was okay and i even think it was okay to Kim up until a certain point, until she got a stark wake up call that made her grasp the bigger picture.

The press on this book has mostly been around 50 Cent and Nas who she was involved in brief relationships with. I've heard of them, but in twenty years will they really matter? Probably not. This book will be on the shelves and can easily be used as a reference of how women were treated in hip-hop. I'm glad she told her story by using these artists to exemplify just how much of a double standard there is in hip hop. I think the press reaction has only mirrored the issues that are presented in this book.

The other thing about this book that I really enjoyed was the tone. There was a lot of sarcastic, witty humor that made me laugh out loud. Not that the issues weren't serious, but I think to show her personality and how over dramatized things are in hip hop. It was great to read about hip-hop and how the characters all played a role in her story. It was actually quite interesting to know what these artists act like behind the scenes. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to others, especially women with chauvinistic bosses.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING, September 3, 2008

By	Veronica Cannao "Veronica" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible (Hardcover)

It's was an excellent book....It just amazes me how Kim had to fight so hard to stay on top and how a dedicated mother fought for a great life for her daughter. As an ex- single mom I have put up with some crazy things at my job so I could put food on my table...I give Kim a lot of credit and look up to her....I would recommend this book to Oprah....

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars loved it!, September 18, 2008

By	MD (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible (Hardcover)

This book was a great read! I have been waiting for it to come out and as soon as the book arrived I picked it up and couldn't put it down.
The "real" hip-hop world is not something I know a lot about beyond what I read in magazines or on blogs. I love the music, but have always known there is more to hip-hop than the music. Ms. Osorio let me in to "her" hip-hop world to see it from the inside.
I don't need to read about video girls and their drama or about woman sleeping to get to the top. I am a professional woman and I want to read about other real professional women. In this book, I read of the struggles and conflicts that Ms. Osorio had and how she dealt with them. The same things may not have happened to me, but I can really relate.
It took a lot of courage to fight The Source, but she did and she WON! I am happy Ms. Osorio shared her story and I hope that she will share more in the future.