This past month my focus and attention has been on reading the powerful memoirs of LA Reid's "Sing to ME". After watching a few promo interviews for this book including watching Power 105.1 Breakfast Club interview featuring LA Reid himself, I had to step out out and purchase the book. I've always been a major Hip Hop and RnB fan. So when I heard this book explains the creation and beginning of these two music genres I had to scratch my itch.
To be completely honest the beginning of the book was boring. I'm a 90s baby, so reading about La Reid's musical inspirations and who he admired growing up was good to know but I didn't have the knowledge of the artists that he spoke of. The introductory chapters of the book explain La Reid's uprising and journey of becoming a music artist. He was born and raised in Cincinnati and ultimately joined many different bands in pursuit of music. Reid would fail as a music artist but his different experiences of touring and getting a band together would ultimately help him in his career as it continues on.
Besides the beginning the book really had my attention. I gave up a Friday night out to continue reading this book. Without spoiling the book, Reid would fail many times and overcome his failures on numerous times when creating the legendary story that he now holds. But, we are talking about the same man that discovered the legendary group TLC! La Reid is the same man that produced legendary song "The End of the Road" in the 80s. In Dj Khalad terms La Reid is the "MAJOR KEY" to success. #iconalert La Reid is responsible for the many successful music careers of Toni Braxton, Outkast, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Pink, Kanye West, Usher, Justin Beiber, and many more. Do I even have to continue on!?! Just re-read that catalog I just listed.
La Reid was one of the first CEOs to cross musical genres and create superstar artist in each genre. I liked that he shared personally pictures taken throughout the years of his many friends and artist. For example, he has pictures with music greats Micheal Jackson and Whitney Houston. He shares inside stories about Micheal Jackson joking on Prince, Left Eye of TLC reaching out to him after burning her house down, and Rihanna reaching out to him after her incident with Chris Brown. Reid was apart of the many stories that flooded our magazines and news outlets for weeks. My favorite inside story is when La Reid and his wife Erika hung out with Jay Z, Beyonce, and Usher one night in the mountains. The group sat around a fire, listened to music, and smoked weed. I like to hear when successful people do normal everyday activities it puts me on the same level as them lol In this great memoir, La Reid tells all and doesn't disappoint his reader.
This book was so great that I went out and attempted to purchase a piano! lol I always told myself that I will learn how to play the piano and become a musician. This book inspired me to begin my musician journey but the store didn't have any pianos available lol. I will learn how to play before my time on this earth is taken.
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