Kanye West Owes Me $300

And Other True Stories from a White Rapper Who Almost Made It Big

By: Jensen Karp

Narrated by: Jensen Karp, Chris MacDonnell

“Kanye West Owes Me $300 might be the funniest rap memoir ever.” (LA Weekly)

After Vanilla Ice, but before Eminem, there was "Hot Karl", the Jewish kid from the LA suburbs who became a rap battling legend - and then almost became a star.

When 12-year-old Jensen Karp got his first taste of rapping for crowds at his friend's bar mitzvah in 1991, little did he know that he was taking his first step on a crazy journey - one that would end with a failed million-dollar recording and publishing deal with Interscope Records when he was only 19. Now, in Kanye West Owes Me $300, Karp finally tells the true story of his wild ride as "Hot Karl", the most famous white rapper you've never heard of.

On his way to (almost) celebrity, Jensen shares his childhood run-ins with rock-listening Southern California classmates who tell him that "rap is for black people" and then recounts his record-breaking rap battling streak on popular radio contest The Roll Call - a run that caught the eye of a music industry hungry for new rap voices in the early '00s. He also introduces his rap partner, Rickye, who constitutes the second half of their group, XTra Large; his supportive mom, who performs with him onstage; and the soon-to-be-household-name artists he records with, including Kanye West, Redman, Fabolous, Mya, and will.i.am. Finally he reveals why his album never saw the light of day (two words: Slim Shady), the downward spiral he suffered after, and what he found instead of rap glory.

Full of rollicking stories from his close brush with fame, Karp's hilarious memoir is the ultimate fish-out-of-water story about a guy who follows an unlikely passion - trying to crack the rap game - despite what everyone else says. It's 30 Rock for the rap set; 8 Mile for the suburbs; and quite the journey for a white kid from the valley.

©2016 Jensen Karp (P)2016 Random House Audio

Awesome book!

What a great story. I grew up around the same time frame and area. I recognized a lot this hip hop references as I too was a very big hip hop head. The whole story was very well articulated and having it read by Jensen gave it a more personal feel. And I too would agree that Canibus should have never done a song with Wyclef.

Jensen is a good storyteller.

Great, fun, and honest. You can't ask for more. The book was well read by the author, and the secondary narrator for the rap lyrics was a nice touch.

loved it

entertaining as can be. i feel so bad for the guy . he's talented. amazeballs

A fun listen

perfect story to listen to for two back to back 6 hour flights. well told and easy to listen to.

I liked it a lot

Fun ride and relatable even if you're not that Into hip-hop. I liked it a lot

Totally amazing!

Great stories with incredible in site into the music and rap business, definitely worth it.

Fantastic audio book!

Jensen does a great job in the telling of a story that is equal parts comedy and tragedy. I was unfamiliar with his story, but could immediately hear an honesty and passion in his reading.

Highly recommended!

Great Story

I loved the honesty of this story. At the end of the day this was a kid who loved hip hop and had some talent.

Great Storyteller

What made the experience of listening to Kanye West Owes Me $300 the most enjoyable?

Amazing stories. Funny, dated pop culture references. Clever battle rap punch lines.

What other book might you compare Kanye West Owes Me $300 to and why?

Gasping for Airtime by Jay Mohr

What about Jensen Karp and Chris MacDonnell ’s performance did you like?

Nailed it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

So glad Jensen read the book. I laughed throughout.

Any additional comments?

Hey Jensen, where can I hear that late 90's demo? Can't wait for the movie.

Hilarious, gut-wrenching, triumphant!

What a fantastic book! Honest, intelligent, laugh-out-loud funny, eye-opening and true to the author's voice. Much more heartfelt and, at times, sad than I expected but it tells a real story that ends with Jensen in a good place. I was already a fan from his radio appearances on my favorite morning radio show (Kevin & Bean on KROQ in Los Angeles) but now I feel like he and I could be friends. Buy this book!