Raw | Lamont "U-God" Hawkins

Raw: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang | Lamont "U-God" Hawkins

Gritty urban streets, hip-hop history, and the birth of a legendary rap dynasty. Lamont "U-God" Hawkins shares his raw journey into the Wu-Tang Clan.

A Perfect Companion Read to The Showtime Documentary Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics And Men

Praise for Raw: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang

• Selected as a Best Book of the Year by Esquire

“Couldn't put it down.”
—Charlamagne Tha God

“Mesmerizing.”
—Raekwon da Chef

“Insightful, moving, necessary.”
—Shea Serrano

“Cathartic.”
—The New Yorker

“A classic.”
—The Washington Post

About the Book:

The explosive, never-before-told story behind the historic rise of the Wu-Tang Clan, as told by one of its founding members, Lamont "U-God" Hawkins.

“It’s time to write down not only my legacy, but the story of nine dirt-bomb street thugs who took our everyday life—scrappin’ and hustlin’ and tryin’ to survive in the urban jungle of New York City—and turned that into something bigger than we could possibly imagine, something that took us out of the projects for good, which was the only thing we all wanted in the first place.”
—Lamont "U-God" Hawkins

The Wu-Tang Clan are considered hip-hop royalty.

Remarkably, none of the founding members have told their story—until now. Here, for the first time, the quiet one speaks.

Lamont “U-God” Hawkins was born in Brownsville, New York, in 1970. Raised by a single mother and forced to reckon with the hostile conditions of project life, U-God learned from an early age how to survive.

And surviving in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s was no easy task—especially as a young black boy living in some of the city’s most ignored and destitute districts.

But, along the way, he met and befriended those who would eventually form the Clan’s core: RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, and Masta Killa.

Brought up by the streets, and bonding over their love of hip-hop, they sought to pursue the impossible: music as their ticket out of the ghetto.

U-God’s unforgettable first-person account of his journey, from the streets of Brooklyn to some of the biggest stages around the world, is not only thoroughly affecting, unfiltered, and explosive but also captures, in vivid detail, the making of one of the greatest acts in American music history.

Frequently Asked Questions About Raw: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang

• Q: Is this an official, authorized history of the Wu-Tang Clan?
• A: Yes. This is a definitive first-hand account written directly by founding member Lamont "U-God" Hawkins. It is highly celebrated by music historians as the very first full-length memoir published by an original core member of the hip-hop collective.
• Q: Does the book focus solely on the music, or does it cover his early life?
• A: The book deeply explores both. The narrative splits its focus between a gritty, raw survival story of growing up in project life in 1970s and 1980s Brooklyn and the chaotic, inside-the-studio creation of one of the most iconic acts in music history.
• Q: Is this memoir heavily edited or stylized for a broad audience?
• A: No. True to its title, the writing style matches U-God’s signature conversational, unfiltered cadence. It features an authentic, first-person storytelling perspective that captures the unvarnished reality of the streets and the music industry without holding back.
• Q: Are the other core members of the Wu-Tang Clan featured in the book?
• A: Yes. The memoir details his early childhood relationships, creative collaborations, and personal bonds with RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, and Masta Killa.
• Q: Do I need to be a die-hard rap fan to appreciate this book?
• A: No. While hip-hop enthusiasts will love the behind-the-scenes recording details, the book functions just as heavily as a significant work of American social history, illustrating poverty, the crack epidemic, systemic neglect, and creative resilience in late 20th-century New York City.

Book Data:

• Full Title: Raw: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang
• Author(s): Lamont "U-God" Hawkins
• Publisher & Imprint: Picador (Imprint of Macmillan Publishers)
• Publication Date: March 5, 2019
• Book Binding: Paperback
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 9781250191175
• ISBN-10: 1250191173
• Library of Congress (LCCN): 2017042553
• Condition: Pre-Owned / Very Good
• Edition: Trade Paperback
• Primary Genre (BISAC): BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music
• Sub-Genres (BISAC): MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Rap & Hip Hop; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Cultural, Ethnic & Regional / African American & Black
• Product Dimensions: 6.14 x 0.68 x 9.21 inches
• Weight: 11.6 oz (approx. 0.72 lbs)

Explore the gritty untold history and inner workings of hip-hop royalty. Discover Lamont "U-God" Hawkins' gripping memoir Raw today!