Have Gun Will Travel

Rating:
Summary: have gun will travel the review
Review: "Have gun will travel" written by Ronin Ro is about the infamous Death row records and the rise and fall of the most talented company at the time. The book takes place in the early 1990's after the break up of the world's most dangerous group "N.W.A". It all started with the departure of ice cube. Ice cube was upset because he wasn't getting paid enough for his contributions to the group. After the leave of ice cube Dr. Dre was soon to follow. He hooked up with ex- bodyguard and ex unlv football player Marion "suge" knight to build the best record company of its time. The company started out the label with Dr. Dre's solo album "The Chronic." The record became an instant classic. It was the birth of a new era and it was called "G- funk" A funky new sound that got heads bumping' everywhere you went and go. The labels second release snoop doggy dogg's "Doggy style" proved to all the critics that death row wasn't no quitters and they could make better music than acts of the east coast. It proved that death row could hang with big boys and make outstanding music. It had an all star line up: Dr.Dre, snoop doggy dogg, nate dogg, dr. dre's half brother warren g, singers Jewell and michel'le and lady rapper lady of rage, it also included rappers rbx, kurupt, daz dillinger, and later dj quick and the late great rapper tupac.

The book is basically about death rows days as the top record label and it's ups and downs. The company was so street like that the labels and hip hops top producer Dr. Dre wasn't having it. He wanted to be around a positive environment and death row was the total opposite. Dre left label in March of 1996. Snoop dogg was soon to leave the label after the death of his label mate and friend tupac shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas after a boxing match. After the death of tupac and two of it's biggest stars leaving the label death row was officially over. The record company still exists today but is not as successful as it once was. They come out with old recordings of tupac and make money off him and come out with soundtracks insulting Dre, snoop, and ex death row in mates. It's kind of hard to run a label when your ceo is behind bars for violation of his parole. He is due out in May of 2001. And when Suge Knight does come out there's no telling what's going to happen. All I got to say is that hell is going to break lose and something bad might happen. The book ends with the author talking about court dates and death row being sued by everyone involved with the company at the time. Over all it's a good book especially if you want to read about a record company going from successful to going to being nobody's. I rate this book a 9 out of 10.in my opinion it's a good book with a lot of detail of the company and it's artists with a lot of events that you wouldn't know even happened.

Later.

Rating:
Summary: Ronin Ro rocks the house!
Review: I have been a fan of Ro's since his days at The Source, when he was the first writer in America to speak with Dre about Death Row, right before Dre formed it. Then he tackled the Death Row issue in his book Gangsta. But nothing he's written compares to this book. It's good to see Ro complete the Death Row story: he goes where no other music writer has gone before, and offers us facts about Death Row no one else in the media could get. Those who speak out against this book must be gangsta rap fans, or upset with Ro's accurate depiction of the life of Tupac Shakur. For anyone interested in the real story, and in reading for the first time anywhere, the secret history of Death Row (when it was called Future Shock Records), this is the book to read. Ro's book Have Gun Will Travel is one you'll never forget. I can't wait to see the movie!

Rating:
Summary: Ganster's trying to be respectable
Review: Ronin Ro spins out an interesting tale of beat-downs, scare tactics, murder and other crimes and misdemeanors. This book details the rise and fall of Death Row, but in particular Marion "Suge" Knight. It details his brilliant move to get into the rap business by becoming an intermediary into the dispute between Andre "Dr. Dre" Young and Eric "Easy E" Wright. Once he gains the trust of Dr. Dre, he convinces him to form a company with him named "Death Row". The rest, shall we say, is history. Death Row went on to gross millions and millions of dollars with artists such as Snoop Doggy Dog, Da Dogg Pound, Tha Lady of Rage, and others. All the while, you had Suge ruling over this vast empire with an iron and thuggish hand. Many, many tales of people not being paid for work on albums that grossed millions; senseless beatings and public humiliations are detailed throughout the book. It also details the violent fall of Suge, which included the senseless death of Tupac Shakur (perhaps the most intellectually sound rapper of all-time). Many of the "lucky" ones were able to escape unharmed but not necessarily unscathed. Dr. Dre is still riding high on the success of The Chronic 2001 and his successful label Aftermath records. However, Suge continues to spread vicious rumors about Dre being gay. Snoop Dogg engineered a slick defection to No Limit Records in New Orleans. Suge, who is still serving time for violating probation, insists that Snoop is a complete "sellout" and can never show his face again in the ghetto. For fans of the golden era of gangsta rap (1988-1994) this is an excellent read. Given the pending release of Suge, one can't help but wander what await those who crossed Suge during his incarceration. It could get ugly folks.

Rating:
Summary: Ganster's trying to be respectable
Review: Ronin Ro spins out an interesting tale of beat-downs, scare tactics, murder and other crimes and misdemeanors. This book details the rise and fall of Death Row, but in particular Marion "Suge" Knight. It details his brilliant move to get into the rap business by becoming an intermediary into the dispute between Andre "Dr. Dre" Young and Eric "Easy E" Wright. Once he gains the trust of Dr. Dre, he convinces him to form a company with him named "Death Row". The rest, shall we say, is history. Death Row went on to gross millions and millions of dollars with artists such as Snoop Doggy Dog, Da Dogg Pound, Tha Lady of Rage, and others. All the while, you had Suge ruling over this vast empire with an iron and thuggish hand. Many, many tales of people not being paid for work on albums that grossed millions; senseless beatings and public humiliations are detailed throughout the book. It also details the violent fall of Suge, which included the senseless death of Tupac Shakur (perhaps the most intellectually sound rapper of all-time). Many of the "lucky" ones were able to escape unharmed but not necessarily unscathed. Dr. Dre is still riding high on the success of The Chronic 2001 and his successful label Aftermath records. However, Suge continues to spread vicious rumors about Dre being gay. Snoop Dogg engineered a slick defection to No Limit Records in New Orleans. Suge, who is still serving time for violating probation, insists that Snoop is a complete "sellout" and can never show his face again in the ghetto. For fans of the golden era of gangsta rap (1988-1994) this is an excellent read. Given the pending release of Suge, one can't help but wander what await those who crossed Suge during his incarceration. It could get ugly folks.

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for all Death Row/Rap fans!
Review: Ronin Ro's "Have Gun, Will Travel" chronicles the metoric rise and tragic fall of the top rap label of the '90s. In this compelling page-turner, Ro charts the label's very beginnings, from Suge Knight's college days as a football player/drug dealer at UNLV through it's untimely demise mired in legal troubles and federal inquiries. This book is must for Death Row fans. Ro's writing style has been criticized as "repetitive" by some, and while he does repeat a few anecdotes, it doesn't make this book any more difficult to follow. In addition, Ro shies away from making judgements about his subject matter. Instead, he lets their (alleged) actions speak for themselves. For example, Suge Knight appears to earn his reputation as a violent thug, first, businessman second, while the late Tupac Shakur comes across as a wanna-be gangsta in search of street acceptance. The most unflattering portrayal is saved for R&B crooner, Danny Boy, whose relationship with Suge Knight is called into question. All of the acts that the label's fans love are given equal time. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Lady of Rage, etc. In addition, there are numerous questions that longtime Death Row fans have wanted answered and they'll find them here. Including the NWA reunion that nearly happened while Eazy-E was still alive, the truth behind the departures of Warren G, Dr. Dre and Sam Sneed, and the story of Gina Longo, who was Death Row's first (and only) white singer. The only criticism I had is that Ro relies on a few too many "un-named sources". While it's understandable, given Suge Knight's feared reputation, it makes a few of the stories seems a tad far-fetched. As a longtime Death Row fan, however, I give this book my highest recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for all Death Row/Rap fans!
Review: Ronin Ro's "Have Gun, Will Travel" chronicles the metoric rise and tragic fall of the top rap label of the '90s. In this compelling page-turner, Ro charts the label's very beginnings, from Suge Knight's college days as a football player/drug dealer at UNLV through it's untimely demise mired in legal troubles and federal inquiries. This book is must for Death Row fans. Ro's writing style has been criticized as "repetitive" by some, and while he does repeat a few anecdotes, it doesn't make this book any more difficult to follow. In addition, Ro shies away from making judgements about his subject matter. Instead, he lets their (alleged) actions speak for themselves. For example, Suge Knight appears to earn his reputation as a violent thug, first, businessman second, while the late Tupac Shakur comes across as a wanna-be gangsta in search of street acceptance. The most unflattering portrayal is saved for R&B crooner, Danny Boy, whose relationship with Suge Knight is called into question. All of the acts that the label's fans love are given equal time. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Lady of Rage, etc. In addition, there are numerous questions that longtime Death Row fans have wanted answered and they'll find them here. Including the NWA reunion that nearly happened while Eazy-E was still alive, the truth behind the departures of Warren G, Dr. Dre and Sam Sneed, and the story of Gina Longo, who was Death Row's first (and only) white singer. The only criticism I had is that Ro relies on a few too many "un-named sources". While it's understandable, given Suge Knight's feared reputation, it makes a few of the stories seems a tad far-fetched. As a longtime Death Row fan, however, I give this book my highest recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: umm
Review: THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MASTERMIND SUGE KNIGHT AND HIS DEATH ROW RECORDS. IT'S 372 PAGES OF CONSPIRACY, THRILLS, AND CHILLS ALL INTO ONE. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE THAT LOVES HIP HOP AND SUSPENSE .

Rating:
Summary: This book was nonstop action
Review: This book was great.I can't understand how anyone would not like it. It tells the truth behind a record company where in public, everyone was smiling-- but behind closed doors, it was horror. This author's book kept me up all night- I could not stop turning pages. His descriptions of the street gangs right outside my window were frighteningly correct. He's the only "rap writer" to get the story right.

Rating:
Summary: Major disappointment
Review: What should have been a fascinating book, at the very least as a voyeuristic experience, fails to deliver largely due to its poorly written pages. The text stumbles along from incomprehensible link to allusive derailment, making the mistake of huge chunks of repetitive material which inevitably detract from the fascinating subject matter. Perhaps more of an editng disaster than an author's failure.....at the heart of which lies a story deserving a more coherent telling.

Rating:
Summary: A Poor Attempt at Journalism
Review: What should have been a tremendous book about the astonishing rise and fall of Death Row, ended up being nothing more than heresay and curse words. How on earth anyone could like Mr. Ro's writing style is totally beyond me - maybe it works in magazines - but clearly not in a 300 page book. He jumps from topic to topic, he introduces WAY too many characters with barely any flow at all and most of his info is either taken from sources who refuse to be identified or from other prewritten accounts. He repeats himself in at least 15% of the book. I had really high expectations on this book - and it fell flat on it's face. Out of the 50 or so business books I've read over the years - this one rates dead last. If you've followed Death Row over the years - you've already read at least half of this book.........