"Legends of Hip-Hop": "It's The First Time It's Ever Been Done"

1. For The People

Historically, painters have always painted important people of their time, whether it was the popes, kings, [people of nobility], and that's what I'm doing now. One of the top reasons why you should buy the book is because these are the people of our time. These are the people who dictate culture whether it's the way we think, talk, act or vote. So this is really a compilation of those important people of the 21st century.

2. Back For The First Time

This has never been done before. This is a comprehensive, visual, articulate representation of the legends of this culture that's never been done before. So I'm painting everybody from James Brown, Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali all the way up to Kool Herc, Melle Mel, Afrika Bambaataa; all the way to the 1990's with Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest and all of these people who have been so influential. I go all the way up to Jay-Z and President Barack Obama. It's the first time it's ever been done and the most comprehensive, in a visual way, of understanding the lineage of hip-hop.

3. All Eyez On Me

It's a beautiful book and there's nothing like it. It is a book of art. It's one of those things where it's just gorgeous, the presentation is beautiful. Tupac Shakur is on the cover. Let's say you lose the cover or spill something on it. No worries, 'Legends of Hip-Hop' are in all gold on the canvas of the book. So it's a goregous book to have. 'Pac was the quintessential embodiment of the hip-hop culture. He was what it was all about. He was a creative thinker who was outside of the box.

4. Children's Story

Another reason is because it's one of those things that you need to have not only if you love hip-hop but if you love culture. Forget about the individual artists. Think about the culture relevance that they have for the time. I never learned history through taking classes on World War I and World War II. Where I really learned the history is through the art that I studied. This is what this is.

5. Marcy To Hollywood

Another reason is to listen to my stories. I'm born and raised in New York City, I've watched the birth of hip-hop unfold and consequently I've painted the birth of hip-hop. I am really a documentarian of the hip-hop culture in a lot of ways. The hip-hop culture really birthed my style and my voice. My voice is really not my voice but the voice of everyone in this generation. So my voice doesn't belong to me, it belongs to the people. I don't paint to live, I live to paint and I live to paint for the people.

You Decide. Will you buy Legends of Hip-Hop?

To preview/purchase the new book, just click here.

Be sure to check for Justin Bua at the following locations:

THURS, NOV. 10, 2011, SAN FRANCISCO The Independent 628 Divisadero St. San Francisco, CA 94111 Doors @ 9pm, 21+ Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.ticketfly.com BUA hosts DJ Qbert and MixMaster Mike and presents his new book, The Legends of Hip Hop.

FRI, NOV. 11, 2011, SAN FRANCISCO Booksmith, Admission FREE 11644 Haight St. San Francisco, CA 94117 415.863.8688 > 6pm BUA and DJ Qbert sign The Legends of Hip Hop.

SAT, NOV. 12, 2011, BERKELEY West Coast LIVE! Interview with BUA Listen in online or be part of the live audience broadcast at: Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison Street Berkeley, CA 94704 510.644.2020 > 10-12 noon PST Ticket can be purchased online at www.wcl.org

THURS, NOV. 17, 2011, HOLLYWOOD BUA Booksigning ft. performance by Mix Master Mike Amoeba Records, Admission FREE 6400 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028 323.245.6400 > Time TBD