Dimensions
132 x 202 x 21mm
When 12-year-old Jensen Karp got his first taste of rapping for crowds at his friend's bar mitzvah in 1991, little did he know that he was taking his first step on a crazy journey-one that would peak in his late teens with an Interscope Records recording contract and publishing deal worth a combined million dollars but unexpectedly fizzle out in a few years. Now, in Kanye West Owes Me $300, Karp finally tells the true story of his wild ride as oHot Karl,o the most famous white rapper you've never heard of. Chronicling his path to (almost) celebrity, Karp shares his childhood run-ins with rock-listening southern California classmates, who tell him that orap is for black people,o and then recounts his record-breaking winning streak on popular radio rap battle contest the Roll Call-a run that caught the eye of a music industry hungry for rhymers of a certain race. He also introduces his rap partner, Rickye, who constitutes the second half of their group XTra Large; his supportive mom, who performs with him onstage; and the soon-to-be-household-name artists he records with, including Redman, Fabolous, Mya, will.i.am, and a young producer named Kanye West (who, yes, has some unfinished business with Jensen). Finally, he reveals why his album never saw the light of day (two words- Slim Shady), the downward spiral he suffered after, and what he found instead of rap glory. This hilarious memoir is the ultimate fish-out-of-water story about a guy who follows an unlikely passion despite what everyone else says. It's 30 Rock for the rap set, 8 Mile for the suburbs, and quite the journey for a white kid from the Valley.
