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Pretty Fly for a White Girl: Adventures in Hip-Hop, R&B and Punk
Paperback
Publisher Price: $25.00
Publisher: Trouser Press Books
Published: Jun 15 2027
Pages: 350
Language: English
In the first anthology of her work, groundbreaking New York music journalist Amy Linden shares revealing conversations with some of the biggest names in hip-hop.
In what amounts to a rough draft of musical history, Linden goes deep in features about numerous artists from the worlds of rap and R&B, getting the straight story -- in their own words -- from many of the greats. And she displays the breadth of her work in articles and reviews about punk rock legends and, surprisingly, Barney the Dinosaur and the circus.
As a regular contributor to such leading publications as XXL, The Source, Vibe, Spin, The New York Times and Rolling Stone, Linden was a rarity in early hip-hop journalism: a white woman covering what was then predominately Black music. But, as her frank interviews depict, she became a trusted member of that musical community, a knowledgeable and discerning judge of artists and their music. Her writing about female artists is especially noteworthy.
Among the highlights here:
- An in-depth conversation with Salt-n-Pepa
- A revealing discussion of sexual identity with Queen Latifah
- An entire section of pieces on the late Amy Winehouse, including a rare interview with her
- Painful testimony from rap pioneers Run-DMC about the group's internal crisis
- A frank one-on-three with the members of TLC
- A challenging interview with LL Cool J
- A lengthy monologue from Jay-Z
- Highway to Hell: My Life on the Road With the Dead Kennedys
- Actor Tony Danza explaining his surprising connection to Tupac Shakur
- Liner notes for a Rod Stewart reissue
- Steven Tyler, Chris Martin and Adam Levine detailing their taste in rap music
Amy Linden's writing is loaded with authority, courage and humor. Pretty Fly for a White Girl is an important addition to the literature of hip-hop. But it is also evidence of a great career in journalism by a woman who brushed off the professional barriers that faced her and did the work she wanted to do.
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