Hip-Hop icon LL COOL J is preparing to unveil The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip-Hop Greatness, a visually striking new book destined to become a collector's item, celebrating the genre’s monumental journey.
In collaboration with Vikki Tobak, a notable author, journalist, and curator of music photography, and Alec Banks, Rock The Bells' editorial director, the book marks the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop and honors the influential culture, unique sound, and leading voices that have defined it, making it an incredible addition to any collector’s repertoire.
“I’d write a rap in my grandparent’s basement in Queens, finish it, and start right back over again," LL COOL J explains in one passage in the book. "I’d get an idea, find whatever I could get in my hands to write on, grab a pen or pencil, and repeat the process. I wrote rhyme after rhyme after rhyme and practiced consistently for years. I eventually filled up a whole bunch of garbage bags, suitcases, shoe boxes, and cardboard boxes with rhymes. I dreamed daily of making it big. I used to stare at the vinyl spinning and wonder what it was like on the other side of that magical world."
The comprehensive work commemorates the evolution, rise, and ongoing impact of Hip-Hop’s culture on the music scene over the past five decades, bringing to life the essence of the genre through a plethora of rarely seen photographs, capturing everything from the earliest block party performances to candid street shots, lively parties, and behind-the-scenes sessions at recording studios.
