Preeminent rap journalist Ronin Ro exposes Death Row Records: an empire built on greed, corruption, murder, and exploitation. 16 photos.

Colin Campbell Cooper's (1858-1937) career was defined by two periods: his education and maturity as an East Coast artist, and his relocation, in later years to the West Coast. 79 colour illustrations

Ted Gioia tells the story of jazz as it has never been told before, in a book that brilliantly portrays the legendary players, the breakthrough styles, and the world in which it evolved. Gioia provides readers with lively portraits of great musicians, intertwined with vibrant commentary on the music they created. 9 photos.

Exploring this iconic Cape coastline (the West Coast of South Africa) and the people who call it home, West Coast Wander takes readers – travellers and home cooks alike – on a culinary caper from Yzerfontein to Doringbaai, documenting each delicious detour along the way. From heerboontjies to harders, the book encapsulates recipes both well known and newly discovered. Using a, uncluttered approach to cooking, author Georgia East highlights the unique ingredients cultivated along this coastline, transforming them into dishes filled with local flavour. Seeking out the best place to buy bread in Hopefield, discovering what sets a Sandveld Sauvignon Blanc apart and learning how the plumpest oysters in the country are farmed in Saldanha Bay are just a few of the corners covered. Combining Mediterranean simplicity with a dash of nostalgia, West Coast Wander is the definitive guide to sustainable seaside fare and a valuable addition to any South African kitchen.

No photographer until David Freese has explored the various and wondrous landscapes along the Pacific Ocean in such depth, making this the first book to look comprehensively at what makes the natural beauty of this particular coast so memorable.

"Raw, authoritative, and unflinching ... An elaborately detailed, darkly surprising, definitive history of the LA gangsta rap era." -- Kirkus, starred review A monumental, revealing narrative history about the legendary group of artists at the forefront of West Coast hip-hop: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur. Amid rising gang violence, the crack epidemic, and police brutality, a group of unlikely voices cut through the chaos of late 1980s Los Angeles: N.W.A. Led by a drug dealer, a glammed-up producer, and a high school kid, N.W.A gave voice to disenfranchised African Americans across the country. And they quickly redefined pop culture across the world. Their names remain as popular as ever -- Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Dre soon joined forces with Suge Knight to create the combustible Death Row Records, which in turn transformed Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur into superstars. Ben Westhoff explores how this group of artists shifted the balance of hip-hop from New York to Los Angeles. He shows how N.W.A.'s shocking success lead to rivalries between members, record labels, and eventually a war between East Coast and West Coast factions. In the process, hip-hop burst into mainstream America at a time of immense social change, and became the most dominant musical movement of the last thirty years. At gangsta rap's peak, two of its biggest names -- Tupac and Biggie Smalls -- were murdered, leaving the surviving artists to forge peace before the genre annihilated itself. Featuring extensive investigative reporting, interviews with the principal players, and dozens of never-before-told stories, Original Gangstas is a groundbreaking addition to the history of popular music.