One of hip-hop’s founding fathers will reminisce about his career, from Bronx block parties to the world stage, in new book
Grandmaster Flash will revisit his journey through hip-hop — from Bronx block parties to the world stage — in his upcoming memoir Birth of a Culture.
The book, due out in the fall of 2026 via HarperCollins imprint Amistad, will chart one of the founding fathers of hip-hop’s rise, as well as look back at the birth of the genre.
“This story has been on my mind for a very long time. It depicts the early history and many subject matters that pertain to the culture called hip-hop,” Grandmaster Flash said in a statement. “I talk about my come-up, I express my thoughts and opinions with others. I reminisced about what it was and what it has become. It entails joy, pain, real life, fun, drama, math, and science.”
Grandmaster Flash collaborated with journalist Robert “Scoop” Jackson on the memoir, with the DJ himself delivering the audiobook for Birth of a Culture.
The book marks Grandmaster Flash’s second memoir following 2008’s The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats. “[Birth of a Culture] is completely different because it includes interviews from the people along his journey. And he highlights how their relationships shaped the culture,” HarperCollins’ Paul Olsewski tells Rolling Stone. “[The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash] focused on his childhood trauma, addiction, and incorporated life lessons learned. This book isn’t that at all. It doesn’t discuss his childhood trauma or incorporate life lessons. It discusses the culture of hip-hop and the historical aspects.”
Amistad added of Birth of a Culture, “With unflinching honesty and electric storytelling, Flash reflects on his innovations, struggles, and the groundbreaking collaborations that helped shape the sound of a generation. From spinning records to spinning the narrative of hip-hop itself, his memoir is a testament to creativity, resilience, and cultural revolution.”
