It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him by Tinsley, Justin

Culture journalist Justin Tinsley's It Was All a Dream is "a deeply reported saga of the ephemeral, yet colorful, life of The Notorious B.I.G." (USA Today).

The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life: young trouble, drug dealing, guns, prison, a giant hit record, the wealth and international superstardom that came with it, then an early violent death. Biggie released his first record, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only 22. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second record, Life After Death.

A fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend, It Was All a Dream is based on extensive interviews with those who knew and loved Biggie, including neighbors, friends, DJs, party promoters, and journalists. And it places Biggie's life in context, both within the history of rap but also the wider cultural and political forces that shaped him, including Caribbean immigration, the Reagan-era disinvestment in public education, street life, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and the booming, creative, and influential 1990s music industry. Justin Tinsley's biography is the story of where Biggie came from, the forces that shaped him, and the legacy he has left behind.

Author: Justin Tinsley
Publisher: Abrams Press
Published: 05/10/2022
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.10h x 5.90w x 1.40d
ISBN: 9781419750311

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 02/01/2022 pg. 71
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2022

About the Author
Justin Tinsley is a senior sports and culture reporter with ESPN's The Undefeated. In his six years with the company, Tinsley has written thought-provoking commentary and journalism on a range of subjects including Marvin Gaye, Malcom X, James Baldwin, Serena Williams, Kendrick Lamar, and Cardi B, with a focus on the intersection of sports, race, and culture. He is a regular panelist on ESPN's daily sports debate talk show Around the Horn. A graduate of Hampton University and Georgetown University, he lives in Washington, DC.