Dan Charnas Livres

J Dilla wasn't known to mainstream audiences: in his lifetime he never had a pop hit. Since his death he has been revered by jazz musicians and rap icons for a new kind of musical time-feel that he created on a drum machine, which changed the way "traditional" musicians play. Charnas chronicles the life of James DeWitt Yancey, from a childhood in Detroit, to his rise as a Grammy-nominated hip-hop producer, to the rare blood disease that caused his premature death; and follows the people who kept him and his ideas alive. Along the way Charnas rewinds the histories of American rhythms, a story of Black culture in America and of what happens when human and machine times are synthesized into something new. -- adapted from jacket

“There has never been a better book about hip-hop…a record-biz portrait that jumps off the page.”—A.V. Club The perfect read for music lovers and business aficionados alike, The Big Payback reveals the secret histories of the early long-shot successes of Sugar Hill Records and Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC’s crossover breakthrough on MTV, the marketing of gangsta rap, and the rise of artist/entrepreneurs like Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs. THE INSPIRATION FOR THE VH1 SERIES THE BREAKS The Big Payback takes readers from the first $15 made by a “rapping DJ” in 1970s New York to the multi-million-dollar sales of the Phat Farm and Roc-a-Wear clothing companies in 2004 and 2007. On this four-decade-long journey from the studios where the first rap records were made to the boardrooms where the big deals were inked, The Big Payback tallies the list of who lost and who won. 300 industry giants like Def Jam founders Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons gave their stories to renowned hip-hop journalist Dan Charnas, who provides a compelling, never-before-seen, myth-debunking view into the victories, defeats, corporate clashes, and street battles along the 40-year road to hip-hop’s dominance. INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS

Inspired by culinary principles, this organizational guide teaches readers how to apply the concept of mise-en-place—organizing and preparing before action—to various aspects of daily life. By drawing parallels between cooking and personal organization, it offers practical strategies for creating order, enhancing productivity, and achieving a balanced lifestyle. The book encourages a systematic approach to tasks, making it easier to manage responsibilities and reduce stress.

"In Work Clean, Dan Charnas reveals how to apply mise-en-place outside the kitchen, in any kind of work. Culled from dozens of interviews with culinary professionals and executives, including world-renowned chefs like Thomas Keller and Alfred Portale, this essential guide offers a simple system to focus your actions and accomplish your work."--Book jacket.