“All respect to Chris Schwartz. He is a great visionary.”—Nas

"Fans of these artists will love the insider information."—Library Journal

Before he started one of the most pivotal labels in hip-hop history, Chris Schwartz was a musician struggling to catch a break in 1980s Philadelphia. Ruffhouse divulges how he navigated the crime-infested, morally bankrupt music industry to found and build one of the world’s most successful hip-hop labels and debuted some of its biggest stars. Ruffhouse Records launched the careers of Nas, The Fugees, Wyclef Jean, Cypress Hill, Kris Koss, and others, dominating the charts and generating global revenues of over one billion dollars.

A saga of money, greed, envy, betrayal, violence, addiction, loss, and redemption, not to mention a whole lot of music, Ruffhouse reveals the inside story of the record companies, recording studios, tour buses, private jets, mansions, radio stations, and concert halls at the height of hip-hop's 1990s heyday while also uncovering the industry’s darker side, from police stations to rehab clinics, courtrooms to prisons. Narrated in Schwartz's own candid, searing prose, Ruffhouse is a gripping portrayal of hip-hop culture at its tipping point, as it transitioned from urban curiosity to a global commercial platform.

"Schwartz's insider tale will appeal."—Publishers Weekly