Hiding in Hip Hop: On the Down Low in the Entertainment Industry—from Music to Hollywood

Hiding In Hip Hop: On The Down Low In The Entertainment Industry-From Music To Hollywood is one of several books published within the last several years about being black , gay, closeted in an environment that is hostile towards openly gay men. Closeted masculine black gay, bisexual and straight identified black men who have sex with other men is referred to as Down Low.The marketing ploy with this autobiography is to name celebrities in the entertainment industry who are Down Low. Anyone who is familiar with Hip Hop; The Culture, Celebrities and The History, will be able to identify some of the people described. Terrance Dean do not give the real name of any down low celebrities. He do describe in titillating detail his sexual experiences with other down low men, some of who are, or were, Hip Hop Celebrities. In depth and plenty of details, Dean describe the Down Low lifestyle and the types of Men whom inhabit such a lifestyle such as a thuggish Hip Hop rappers who bottom in bed. Dean write about rappers, actors, and comedians who like to hang out and have sex with Drag Queens too.So well written is Hiding In Hip Hop... at times I can almost feel Dean self hatred ooze off the page. Terrence Dean is the oldest of five children. Dean was raised by his grandmother, Grandma Pearl, with unconditional love and support but his mother was a heroin addict and a prostitute who, along with two of his brothers, died from AIDS. Dean was molested as a child and spent eight months incarcerated for auto theft. But instead of writing a Down Low Torch Song, this autobiography is about reclaiming your self mentally and spiritually by helping others. Despite his down trodden circumstances, Dean struggled to earn a college degree and get employment in the entertainment industry. After having a break down, Dean founded a successful black men empowerment organization and eventually cease to hate himself and others for being gay.Black men are not the only men who are on the Down Low in the entertainment industry. In Hollywood, the white equivalent of the Down Low is the Velvet Mafia. The Velvet Mafia is a successful and powerful group of usually married gay and bisexual white male Hollywood agents, producers, directors actors and other industry insiders who are publicly straight identified. Also, Dean book is similar in theme with another recently published biography, My Life in Porn: The Bobby Blake Story . Both autobiographies deal with masculine black gay men in the entertainment industry and their struggle to coincide their race and sexuality with their spirituality. Hiding In Hip Hop: On The Down Low In The Entertainment Industry-From Music To Hollywood is one of the best written and insightful autobiography I have read.

Terrance Dean is a confused man who as a little boy was sexually abused. He thinks he likes men but has been told all his life that its a sin and wrong. He pretends to be a straight man who is into women but cant stop his attraction towards men. He struggles to behave, dress, talk and walk like a straight man and prays to god to make him straight.In this book the author writes about a "down Low" culture that most people don't think can exist. He uses code names for his suitors but gives little clues that make you think you might know who he is talking about. One example of a clue is "a music hip hop star who owns his own clothing line".In this book you will read about his sexual accounts with men and women. He writes about the heartbreak, his lies, how he mislead people, and the scary side of being gay in hiding.Overall his story was interesting enough to make me finish the book. I was simply amazed and curious of the "down low" lifestyle men like him live. Having wives and children but meeting with men for sex.If your not bothered by the gay culture then its a good read. Like everyone else I have my ideas of who these men are. Its interesting how he wrote a tell all but yet still found a way to keep the identities a secret.

Very interesting!!! It has opened my eyes up to a world that I knew existed but never thought I had encountered. After reading certain stories, I realized that the guy I am talking to has said or has certain characteristics of the anonymous characters, as well as the author. He vehemently denies it but I've had my suspicions before reading this book. The author does a great job of taking you into the thought processes of the down low mind. The why, the struggles, the ups and downs, and sometimes brutal honesty allow you to at least understand the down low perspective even if you don't agree. I love the way the author reiterated that gay doesn't look or always act the way most would expect! I had hoped he would have revealed more names but I understand why. Overall this was definitely a great book.

This book was really a great and well written book. You'll hurt your brain trying to figure out whose the down low rappers. Damn I wish he could name names, but I understand lawsuits and defamation of characters. Terrance Dean was very honest about his sexual appetite, whew chow. Keep this book away from children, THIS IS ADULT BOOK...But yeah Tee, I need part 2...

The author is very candid as well as very graphic in describing his personal experiences. On more than one occasion, he mentions that he had prayed to God to remove certain unwanted desires. In other words, his attraction for the same sex. He even mentioned that a couple of relatives said that they, "already knew" about his sexuality while he was still young. What does that mean when they knew what he was-so to speak-before the experiences actually happened? Was it that which was in his heart influenced his behavior? Also, he seems to have replayed some of that which he observed as a child and adolescent while growing up. Even his mother's behavior may have influenced his own. I believe that his prayers were answered during several turning points in his life. It is up to the individual to choose their own behavior.

I would say that this book is a definite good read. It kind of reminds me of Superhead's Video Vixen book without the use of names because it reads a bit like a list of stories about these down low celebrity men with parts of his personal life story woven in around the down low experiences. I enjoyed it mainly because it got me thinking about the different celebrities through the clues he gives. Anyway, if you want an interesting read give it a go.

A well written book. I began reading it and couldn't stop. I found myself up at three in the morning because I wanted to know what he was going to do next. While he doesn't name names, there are a few little hints that let you know who some of them are. Would read something from this author again.

Alles super, schnell, kundenfreundlich, Preis-Leistung stimmt! Gern wieder, vielen Dank