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THE ART OF SAMPLING: HOW A CASSETTE TAPE STRUCTURE AND HIP-HOP CLASSICS SHAPED "CHANGE THE GAME"

Writer's picture: T.M JeffersonT.M Jefferson

Updated: Dec 18, 2024

In the golden age of hip-hop, before playlists and streaming, there was the cassette tape. Side A and Side B – two distinct halves forming a complete story. In my memoir "Change The Game," I adopt this classic format, turning my life story into a literary mixtape that pays homage to the culture that shaped me.

THE STRUCTURE: A TALE OF TWO SIDES


Like a carefully curated mixtape, my memoir is split into two distinct parts: A-Side and B-Side. This isn't just a nostalgic nod to hip-hop culture; it's a masterful storytelling device that mirrors the duality of my journey.

A-Side chronicles the rise and fall, the fast life and hard lessons. It's the origin story, the raw and unfiltered narrative of a young man caught in the streets' gravitational pull. Chapter titles like "Start of Your Ending" (referencing Mobb Deep) and "99 Problems" (Jay-Z) serve as more than just clever references – they're emotional timestamps, marking pivotal moments through the soundtrack of my life.


The B-Side represents transformation and redemption. Here, chapters like "Streets Is Watching" (Jay-Z) and "Rather Unique" (AZ) signal the shift from street hustler to published author. It's the flip side of the tape, where the bass-heavy beats of the streets give way to the melodic sounds of change.


THE ART OF SAMPLING: CHAPTER TITLES AS BEATS


The use of hip-hop song titles as chapter headings isn't just clever wordplay – it's literary sampling at its finest. Each title works on multiple levels:


"Mind Playing Tricks on Me" (Geto Boys)

- Original context: Paranoia and mental stress of street life

- Memoir context: Internal struggles with identity and change


"Cash Rules Everything Around Me" (Wu-Tang Clan)

- Original context: The pursuit of money in urban America

- Memoir context: The allure and consequences of fast money


"Feel It in the Air" (Beanie Sigel)

- Original context: Street intuition and impending danger

- Memoir context: The tension before my arrest


THE SOUNDTRACK OF TRANSFORMATION


What makes my approach powerful is how the music references evolve with my story. Early chapters draw from harder street anthems, while later chapters sample tracks about growth and reflection. It's as if the memoir has its own DJ, carefully mixing the soundtrack to match the narrative's energy.

My memoir proves that sometimes the best way to tell a new story is through the rhythms of the past…

Key moments are anchored by specific songs:


- My father's death: "Life's a Bitch" (Nas)

- My arrest: "Streets Is Watching" (Jay-Z)

- My publishing success: "Started from the Bottom" (Drake)


BEYOND THE REFERENCES: A DEEPER CONNECTION


The memoir's structure reveals something profound about hip-hop's influence on storytelling. Just as hip-hop artists sample from their musical predecessors, I sampled from my life experiences, creating something new and powerful from familiar elements.


The use of the A-Side/B-Side format also speaks to the duality many face in urban communities – the constant pull between the streets and legitimate success, between past and future, between who you were and who you're becoming.


THE LEGACY TAPE


What I’ve created isn't just a memoir – it's a literary mixtape that future generations can study and learn from. By structuring my story through the lens of hip-hop culture, I’ve made my journey accessible and relatable to anyone who understands the power of music to shape our lives.

Like any great mixtape, "Change The Game" isn't just about the individual songs (chapters); it's about how they flow together to tell a larger story. My memoir proves that sometimes the best way to tell a new story is through the rhythms of the past.


The Final Track


In an era of endless playlists and algorithmic suggestions, my memoir reminds you of the artistry involved in crafting a narrative that flows as smoothly as a well-mixed tape. My story, like the hip-hop classics I reference, shows us that true transformation is possible, but only if we're willing to flip the tape and listen to the other side.


As Nas said, "Life's a bitch and then you die," but my memoir suggests an alternative: life's a mixtape, and you can always record over the parts you don't like with something better.


Get a copy of Change The Game: A Memoir


For more information visit: www.tmjefferson.org


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2件のコメント


thomasgreene216
2024年12月19日

Great intake out take on your life bro. Great showmanship & continue to grow as an artist

いいね!
T.M Jefferson
T.M Jefferson
2024年12月27日
返信先

Preciate you bro! Thank you!

いいね!
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