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3.0 

I Would Die 4 U

By Touré
I Would Die 4 U by Touré digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

An expansive and insightful exploration of one of the most iconic and electrifying artists ever, this book reveals the stunning, multi-generational influence and appeal of Prince and his revered music—from celebrated journalist, author, and host of the popular podcast The Touré Show.

Infused with Touré’s unique pop-culture fluency, I Would Die 4 U is as passionate and radical as its subject matter. Building on his lifelong admiration for Prince’s oeuvre and interviews with those closest to the late artist, including band members, his tour manager, and music and Bible scholars, Touré deconstructs the life and work of the enigmatic icon who has been both a reflective mirror of and inspirational force for America.

By defying traditional categories of race, gender, and sexuality, but also presenting a very conventional conception of religion and God, Prince was a man of profound contradictions. He spoke in the language of 60s pop and soul to a generation fearing Cold War apocalypse and the crack and AIDS epidemic, while simultaneously being both an MTV megastar and a religious evangelist. He creatively blended his songs with images of sex and profanity to invite us into a musical conversation about the healing power of God and religion. By demystifying Prince as a man, an artist, and a cultural force, I Would Die 4 U shows us how he impacted and defined a generation.

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15 Reviews

3.0
“A light biography of The Artist that mixes Touré's (occasionally overreaching) interpretations of Prince's lyrics with broad attempts to connect the musician's rise to, say, the cultural specifics of MTV, and Americans' fascination with apocalypse and salvation. Some of these efforts work well, and this isn't necessarily a poorly done book, but more stories along the likes of Prince's destruction of the song "Wally," and a sharper eye for the man himself would have turned "I Would Die 4 U" into a must-read about our Dearly Beloved rather than the guilty pleasure for ultra-fans this feels like. The author focuses on Purple Rain, 1999, and a smattering of music afterward -- it reads like a fan's notebook as they play these albums lovingly again and again, lost in the music -- but a deeper look into the seemingly endless catalog of rarer recordings is probably what is needed to give Touré's writing more heft, making this book only a passing glance at a gigantic figure.”

About Touré

Touré is an author who has published six books, including I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon and Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now, a New York Times and Washington Post Notable Book. He was a TV host at MSNBC, MTV, and BET, and a correspondent at CNN. He hosts the podcast Touré Show. He has written for The New York TimesThe New YorkerRolling StoneThe Washington PostThe NationVogue, and many other publications. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children. Follow his Instagram @Toure.

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