Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

I've been waiting for this book to come out, bought it as soon as it did and read it in a weekend. Admittedly, I just wanted to tie up all the bits and pieces that i read in the media. i was looking for a clean and clear cut time-line and story of what happened to this successful editor-in-chief and the ultimate demise of hip-hop's bible. I got that and so much more. This story is an honest tale of a true lover of hip hop, raised on those exciting and optimistic days when hip hop was young and fresh (pun intended) only to be worked over like the rest of us by the ugliness and ultimately staleness of ego, power and greed. While Ms. Osorio's story is an insider's industry tale, what is ultimately so great about this novel, is she is just like the rest of us, just a true fan of the music.

great read for all hip hop fans.

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....

Considering myself an "outsider" to rap/hip hop post 1990, I never gave The Source more than a cursory flip through and didn't know that Kim Osorio was the EIC until after I heard about her lawsuit. In fact, the only thing I HAD heard about the magazine regarded "Benzino's" ego-driven vendettas against certain artists so I was pretty eager to read this book to get the real story.

The flow of the book is excellent, she doesn't waste time detailing her personal relationships but admits to them without the sometimes tasteless sensationalization that others have used in recent tell-alls. As a woman who also grew up on rap & hip/hop, I truly felt her pain and the pain of other women who initially loved the artists, music & lifestyle of hip hop but then gradually got worn down due to the mysogyny & abuse perpetuated by so many males who've also grown up on this genre.

Kim's attempts to remain professional in the face of the kind of madness she worked in was admirable - I probably would've quit long before she did but on the other hand, why should she have to quit such a lucrative position and more importantly, one that she loved because of a crazy boss?!

This is a very entertaining & addictive read told in a matter-of-fact style that will have you laughing out loud at some of her observations and is a book that I'd highly recommend to those immersed in hip hop news as well as the curious (like me) who just wanted to get some insight into how such a popular & influential magazine imploded.

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.

Well I must say from the minute I started reading Ms. O's book, she had me. I could not put this book down. It was well written, actually her writing skills are excellent. It was captivating, clever, witty, and just down right "REAL"! Ms. O's story inspired me. I too work in the entertainment industry and know all too well how it's a "man's world". I'm glad Ms O. rose to the top and didn't let anyone shut her down when it was time to fight for what was "right"!!! I recommend this book to EVERYONE. You don't have to be into Hip Hop to enjoy this book. I look forward to the next book by Ms. O.!!! This is one talented young lady.

This is a great read for anyone who loves hip hop, thrives off drama and wants to know what really goes on behind the scenes in the music industry. But more importantly, it is an Erin Brokovich type story of a woman who fought against the injustices of a corrupt organization and won.

Finally!!!!! A story about a woman in hip-hop that has a purpose. This book was such an awesome read, I couldn't put it down. Kim tells the reader all that you wanted to know and then some about her fight in the male dominated world of Hip-Hop! The story is exciting yet inspirational and keeps you turning the pages because you want to know what happens next. I want to send a special shout out to Kim for sharing her story with us, women who face the same type of obstacles in the workplace. This is one brave lady!!!! I look forward to reading the next book telling us all the stories that she must have held back....

I think the book is good for anyone to read but it's mostly geared to women and not just any woman- a woman on the come up of her career. Men will see the background bashment it takes to run a magazine and the minuet beefs that can get started in the entertainment industry in a New York minute if you're not paying close attention. Women, on the other hand, will get lots more from it if they really sit down and read it. They will understand what it's like to be a woman in a male dominating industry and how lots of times if something went wrong, it would be automatically be blamed on your emotions. It will also show you how petty the entertainment industry is and why you shouldn't deal with these cornballs in the industry because one moment you're enjoying nice love sessions in your favorite telly, the next you know your dessert of choice is blowing you up on the radio. Sad but true, there is a double standards when it comes down to men, women, and sexuality.

Ms. Osorio works hard to show you her personal journey during the maniacal days at the Source and under the rule of Dave Mays (wanna-be-black behind) and Benzino. I think it's a good read if you're interested in getting in the industry or was a avid reader of the Source during her tenure, 2000-2005. I give this book 8 out of 10 stars respectively because everyone knows that Kim Osorio is a legend in modern-day Hip Hop in her own right.

I just finished reading this book and I feel empowered as a woman. But even a powerful woman who reports to certain men with chauvinistic beliefs can't help but feel helpless on the job. As women in the workplace, we work so hard to prove ourselves to the men in positions of power, but it will always be different for us.

Kim had a great job, and she loved it. Throughout her time at the Source, she made some mistakes and she admits her flaws, albeit in a comical way sometimes. It's entertaining. Still, day in and day out she worked hard to prove to her bosses and the industry that she had what it took to be a female in a high-powered position in a male-dominated world. Ultimately, what happened to her was that she was a victim of the double standard. In a weird twist of events in this story, Kim ended up in bed with the men she had once covered in the magazines. It happens, but if she were a man, it would have been different.

In fact, it was different for the men. The men at the magazine admittedly dealt with women in the industry, and they even gave them favorable reviews. Still, when her demons came back to haunt her, it was Kim that got criticized. Her integrity was questioned, not being she did anything wrong...no favorable coverage to anyone she dated...but because as a woman, she was simply not allowed to do what men could.

So the story ends up in court, a gender discrimination case. Gender discrimination doesn't get as much play as racial discrimination, so the case winds up being reduced to her former relationships. And even though one had nothing to do with the other, Kim still had to justify her position when a man never would have.

Simply put, you don't have to like Kim, and she does things that she admits was downright evil, but you will respect her. Standing up to these men all alone was a courageous thing, and women will admire this story for just that. And maybe it will inspire women to tell the men who abuse the power in their positions to take their jobs and shove it.