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The Come UpBy: Jonathan Abrams The essential oral history of hip hop, from its origins on the playgrounds of the Bronx to its reign as the most powerful force in pop culturefrom the award winning journalist behind All the Pieces Matter, the New York Times bestselling oral history of The Wire The Come Up is Abrams at his sharpest, at his most observant, at his most insightful.Shea Serrano, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hip Hop (And Other Things) ONE OF
By: Jonathan AbramsThe essential oral history of hip-hop, from its origins on the playgrounds of the Bronx to its reign as the most powerful force in pop culture—from the award-winning journalist behind All the Pieces Matter, the New York Times bestselling oral history of The Wire
“The Come Up is Abrams at his sharpest, at his most observant, at his most insightful.”—Shea Serrano, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hip-Hop (And Other Things)
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Boston Globe, The Guardian, Spin
The music that would come to be known as hip-hop was born at a party in the Bronx in the summer of 1973. Now, fifty years later, it’s the most popular music genre in America. Just as jazz did in the first half of the twentieth century, hip-hop and its groundbreaking DJs and artists—nearly all of them people of color from some of America’s most overlooked communities—pushed the boundaries of music to new frontiers, while transfixing the country’s youth and reshaping fashion, art, and even language.
And yet, the stories of many hip-hop pioneers and their individual contributions in the pre-Internet days of mixtapes and word of mouth are rarely heard—and some are at risk of being lost forever. Now, in The Come Up, the New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Abrams offers the most comprehensive account so far of hip-hop’s rise, a multi-decade chronicle told in the voices of the people who made it happen.
In more than three hundred interviews conducted over three years, Abrams has captured the stories of the DJs, executives, producers, and artists who both witnessed and themselves forged the history of hip-hop. Masterfully combining these voices into a seamless symphonic narrative, Abrams traces how the genre grew out of the resourcefulness of a neglected population in the South Bronx, and from there how it flowed into New York City’s other boroughs, and beyond—from electrifying live gatherings, then on to radio and vinyl, below to the Mason-Dixon Line, west to Los Angeles through gangster rap and G-funk, and then across generations.
Abrams has on record Grandmaster Caz detailing hip-hop’s infancy, Edward “Duke Bootee” Fletcher describing the origins of “The Message,” DMC narrating his role in introducing hip-hop to the mainstream, Ice Cube recounting N.W.A’s breakthrough and breakup, Kool Moe Dee recalling his Grammys boycott, and countless more key players. Throughout, Abrams conveys with singular vividness the drive, the stakes, and the relentless creativity that ignited one of the greatest revolutions in modern music.
The Come Up is an exhilarating behind-the-scenes account of how hip-hop came to rule the world—and an essential contribution to music history.
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4.8 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
A must buy for animators/animation students
Format: Hardcover
This book spares no detail. I've had my fair share of art books before and this one is a gem, it gives you a lot for a low price, get it!!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2025
★★★★★ 4
Good news, everyone! The Art of Futurama is here!
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
I always thought Futurama was simple and fun! However, after reading this book, I now understand that beneath its apparent simplicity lies an entire universe of complex experience, research, innovation, hard work, and talent.
★★★★☆ Art
Unlike many other artbooks that rely heavily on production stills, this one is 90% sketchbook and finalized line art designs—a rare and delightful find. You'll not only discover the initial designs for all the main characters but also learn how to draw them. Each curve and line in the characters' designs is intentional, contributing to their unique personalities.
The book also features three fold-out sections: New New York's buildings and junkyard, the Nimbus ship in orbit, and the Planet Express. While these offer detailed designs for enthusiasts, I didn’t find them particularly necessary, as there’s little in them that demands close study.
★★★★☆ Text
The story of Futurama's creation is a joy to read. The book is divided into a few intros and nine chapters, each featuring two pages of text that include quotes from interviews with the show’s creators about their memories of its production. Additionally, there’s a wealth of quotes accompanying the images.
I especially enjoyed learning how the team found inspiration for New New York by purchasing reference books in New York City bookstores. The integration of 3D and 2D animation—which was revolutionary at the time—is also well-documented.
However, the advertised Futurama episode guide feels redundant. It offers nothing beyond episode titles and omits seasons 8 and 9 entirely, with no explanation given for their exclusion.
★★★★☆ Book Design
The book's design features a creative transparent front cover case, a landscape layout, well-placed text and images, and a large, easy-to-read font. The page numbers are conveniently placed at the center of the page edge, making navigation effortless.
Despite its strengths, I still feel the fold-outs are unnecessary and could have been omitted without any loss of value.
★★★★★ Price
This book offers excellent quality for its price! Released in November 2024, it’s available as of January 2025 for $25. To paraphrase one of Futurama's opening chyron jokes (the texts below the show's logo at the beginning of each episode): "If you don’t buy it, someone else will."
★★★★☆ Overall Impressions
It took me two relaxed sessions to fully read this book, and I can confidently say it’s impossible to get bored with it (or is that just nostalgia talking?). The hundreds of well-crafted line art illustrations of characters, assets, and backgrounds showcase the creators’ immense talent.
The accompanying text is both engaging and informative, and the early sketches of the main characters provide a fascinating narrative of their development.
That said, I was left wanting more. At 176 pages, the book feels a bit short, especially since it doesn’t include a single chapter dedicated to seasons 8 and 9, which aired after a ten-year hiatus.
Nevertheless, The Art of Futurama is an excellent addition to any home library or a thoughtful gift for fans who grew up watching this iconic show in the late 1990s and 2000s.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2025
★★★★★ 5
The book every Futurama fan should have
Format: Hardcover
Wonderful book on the behind the scenes making of Futurama. Lots of great concept art with commentary on the making of this outstanding series. If you love Futurama then you need this book. Highly recommended!!!! A++++++
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Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Great for Futurama fans!
Format: Hardcover
Really good quality of prints and pictures. Bought it on sale just for 13$, totally worth the price!!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2025
★★★★★ 5
Awesome!
Format: Paperback
Really funny, great artwork, perfect for Simpsons fans of any age!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2025