Angie Martinez- "My Voice" Book Review
If you are feeling like you are stuck in a situation and in need of inspiration, this could be a good read for you. "My Voice" is not just about music or radio, it's relatable because Angie Martinez vividly describes all the ups and downs of life and defines success in her own way.
Along with the rise of Martinez's life, "My Voice" takes the reader through a timeline in music and radio, with the change in technology's effect on album sales and online downloads, the rise social media, iTunes and everything else in between. Martinez gives you her perspective as "The Voice of New York" but even though I'm 19 years younger and a Georgia native, I can't help but to relate. She writes it on a level for every generation.
The foreword is done by J. Cole. It's short and to the point, being it's only two pages. He says, "She [Martinez] is cut from the original cloth" - basically stating she was there when hip hop was an adolescent interviewing along the way.
I love how she starts the book with her last day at Hot 97. Don't you like when movies start at the end of the story and then rewind to show you how they got to that point?! I got that, "ooh this is going to be good" feeling when I started reading.
Like a typical autobiography, she starts with where she comes from Martinez gives you insight of how she grew up in Brooklyn and fell in love with hip hop. I love the quote,
"By the time I got to high school... I was like a human Shazam app who could name that tune just by hearing a few beats of the intros drum track," (p 28)
Personally if anyone says that, it is impressive and gives them the credibility to be in the business of hip hop.
Martinez's next few chapters describe her advancement at Hot 97. Drake's "Started From The Bottom" comes to mind because that is literally how it worked out for her. She began as an intern to being offered her own middle of the night show to being offered prime midday shift. As a reader you gain a sense of happiness and are genuinely proud of Martinez, because she really is humble in the way she tells her story.
The most profound and insightful part of the book was Martinez's first hand relationships and interviews with Tupac and Biggie. At the time when they were big, I was just six or seven years old and all I know was that they were (and some consider they are still) the best rappers. But Martinez really gives the readers the best insight into the feud and who Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace were as people.
"My Voice" goes on in eloquent descriptions of her rapping career to her feud with former co-worker Wendy Williams to the dramatic impact September 11th had on New York and her listeners. As a reader, I felt like a fly on the wall in all of her impactful situations. Just because Martinez's narration didn't miss a detail without being long-winded.
Life goes on and Martinez finds herself in the middle of the infamous Nas and Jay-Z beef. Along with having competition for the first time from new hip hop station Power 105.1 (which she ends up working at.)
Ultimately we grow up with Angie Martinez in "My Voice" through her relationships- personal and business- to her mishaps, mistakes and successes. The best part through out was her authenticity and her fearlessness to recount her story the only way she could. It contains positive and captivating moments that will leave you inspired.
"Sometimes you have to get past the fears and insecurities that may actually hold you back from being great..."-Martinez