An exuberant recounting of how a culturally omnivorous kid from Brooklyn willed himself into the wider, shinier world—like Moss Hart’s Act One, but with beatboxing and cans of Krylon spray paint.
Captivating, fast-moving ... The language in Everybody’s Fly (written with the Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Rozzo) is plain-spoken, no-nonsense, with a feel for the speed and action of the time ... A reminder that cultural transformation doesn’t just happen — that hip-hop’s radical energy, creativity and perspective also required leaders with the dreams and determination to push it forward, often in the face of resistance to art that was so Black and so strong.
An impassioned, engaging account of the influential 1980s New York art world and the emergence of hip-hop culture that will appeal to anyone interested in today’s popular culture.
Brathwaite is a sharp writer, and he (along with collaborator Rozzo) might have done more critical thinking about what made that era so special. But it’s a fine snapshot of a pivotal moment for street—and American—culture. A rich, gritty remembrance of an artist’s journey.
A rollicking memoir of the downtown art and music scenes of 1970s and ’80s New York City ... For readers interested in the birth of hip-hop, this is a must.
