The World Is Mine by Lyah B. LeFloreMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a great picture of what hip hop youth culture is really like.
If you're tired of reading the stories that glorify only the violence or profane worlds of hip-hop and the urban music scene, then this series may be perfect for you.
Blue Reynolds is a young, hip 17 year-old who doesn't necessarily want to make his mark on the world by attending Howard University and becoming a lawyer the way his father has. He's more interested in the P.Diddy/Berry Gordy school of fine hustling. His best friend Collin, also the son of a lawyer, is feeling that he doesn't want to attend Georgetown and practice law just to please his dad. Together with their friend Whiteboy, a graphic and tattoo artist, the three friends embark on pulling together their own entertainment company, Blue Up.
On the path to stardom in the music scene there are a lot of ups and downs as romance, parental clashes and the struggle to get away from the streets, tries to catch up to them. For Blue, the appeal of being the hottest promoter in DC could lead to making some pretty shady choices in the eyes of his father and his girlfriend Jade. Collin, desperate to please his dad, may be biting off more than he can chew when he decides to helm the business end of Blue Up instead of pursuing Georgetown fame. And Whiteboy can't seem to get far enough of way from the violence and gang life that lurks around his growing tattoo business.
The best thing about this book was that it had a tendency to not even feel like a work of fiction. There was a feeling as though a good friend was just telling us all what happened to some friends of hers. There was a real working knowledge of what it takes to get "on" in the music business and the ups and downs that come with the life. There were surely some big things left uncovered, but for what it was worth, there was a small crash course available in music business and music business management.
Stylistically, the chapters were all written from a different character's perspective and began with the character's name and image, as well as a a rap lyric. I didn't lose my place in the different voices, but they were each done with their own respect for the characters they portrayed. Jade's chapters felt like Jade, Blue's felt like Blue, etc.
The book is short in stature but packed to the brim with great action and detail.
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