Description
Book SynopsisDVS Mindz might be the greatest rap group you’ve never heard of. Geoff Harkness takes readers on a unique two-decade journey alongside the members of DVS Mindz, chronicling their childhoods, their brush with success, and what became of them in the years that followed.
Trade ReviewIn
DVS Mindz, Harkness
tells the birth, life, and afterlife of a musical group in a way that is uncommon in hip hop studies, touching on some of the same narrative arcs that animate the biographies of successful musicians, but from the perspective of a group who was poised for a kind of success that never came. It's a remarkable project. -- Justin D. Burton, author of
Posthuman RapWeaving together compelling and absorbing stories, Harkness presents a vastly understudied aspect of aspirational culture in the United States—the idea that hard work, in and of itself, does not guarantee or lead to success. And failure isn't always a step towards success, as it is often pitched. -- Joseph Ewoodzie Jr., author of
Getting Something to Eat in Jackson: Race, Class, and Food in the American South, winner of the 2021 C. Wright Mills Award
Readers interested in Midwest hip-hop should enjoy this book. * Library Journal *
The moments that happen pre- and post-band — stories of family, heartache, substance abuse and redemption — prove just as compelling as the backstage antics. * Kansas City Star *
Harkness chronicles the rise, fall, and reemergence of this Topeka group. * Topeka Magazine *
DVS Mindz is a book that we need a lot more of, in hip hop and other genres. Yes, we need to document and discuss the huge musical acts in big cities who reach millions of people and become part of the pop lexicon that we all share, but we also need to document the overlooked stories in pop music in smaller cities. * Scratched Vinyl *
[A] treasure trove of regional rap storytelling. * The Pitch *
Table of ContentsCast of Characters
Preface
Introduction: “U-God Outshined by Topeka Group”
Part I. 1970–19991. The Genesis
2. A Pirate Poet
3. Daymond Pulling Chains
4. 1137 Washburn Avenue
5. Unsigned Hype
6. Dark Thoughts, Lovely Lyrics
Part II. 2000–20037. Real MCs
8. The Crew
9. Heat
10. Killa Bees
11. Hatersville
Part III. 2004–202012. The DVS Story
13. United States of America versus De’Juan Knight
14. Dallas
15. A Pirate Looks at 40
16. Respect
17. Modern Warfare
Conclusion: 5105 Virginia Avenue
Acknowledgments
Where Are They Now?
Research Methods
A Beginner’s Guide to DVS Mindz
Discography
Notes
References
Index
