Diary of a Madman ─ The Geto Boys, Life, Death, and the Roots of Southern Rap

For fans of Jay Z’s Decoded and DMX’s E.A.R.L., an eloquent, passionate, and entertaining memoir from the legendary godfather of Southern rap and front man of the Geto Boys about growing up in Houston, the roots and influences of Southern hip-hop, and how he rose to the top of the burgeoning rap scene.

Scarface is the celebrated rapper whose hits include “On My Block,” “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” and “Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta” (made famous in the cult film Office Space). He is the iconic front man of the seminal rap group Geto Boys and the former president of Def Jam South, and has had many solo hits such as “Guess Who’s Back feat. Jay-Z” and “Smile feat. Tupac” (plus collaborations with everyone from Kanye West and Eminem to Ice Cube and Nas). But before that, he was a kid from Houston in love with rock-and-roll, listening to AC/DC and KISS.

Diary of a Madman is the story of how Scarface’s world changed when he heard Run DMC for the first time; how he dropped out of school in the ninth grade and started selling crack; and how he began rapping as the new form of music made its way out of New York and across the country. It is the account of his rise to the heights of the rap world, as well as his battles with his own demons and depression.

Featuring 20-40 photos, Diary of a Madman eloquently and passionately unpacks and explains the roots and influences of Southern rap culture. It is the story of hip-hop—the music, the business, the streets, and the South.