First published 2019
Chris Schwartz sits at his single desk with one phone in 1980s Philadelphia, determined to break into the corrupt music business despite his struggles as a failed musician. He partners with Joe Nicolo to create Ruffhouse Records, signing unknown artists who will become legends. Nas, The Fugees, and Cypress Hill transform from street performers into chart-topping stars under Schwartz's guidance. The label generates over a billion dollars in revenue and dominates the hip-hop world throughout the 1990s. But success comes with a price. Schwartz battles drug addiction and alcoholism while navigating an industry filled with violence, betrayal, and greed. Police stations and rehab clinics become as familiar as recording studios and concert halls. The story follows Schwartz through mansions and private jets, then courtrooms and prisons, as he fights to maintain his empire while hip-hop evolves from urban music into a global phenomenon.
Genres: historical-fiction, business, african-american, crime, music, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, rise-and-fall
Setting: Philadelphia
Period: 1980s, 1990s
224 pages · Kindle Edition · Diversion Books
Content warnings: addiction, drug-use, violence