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Diary of a Madman
Scarface is the celebrated rapper whose hits include “On My Block,” “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” and “Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta” (made famous in the cult film Office Space). He is the iconic frontman of the seminal rap group Geto Boys, the former president of Def Jam South, and has had many solo hits such as “Guess Who’s Back feat. Jay-Z” and “Smile feat. Tupac” (plus collaborations with everyone from Kanye West and Eminem to Ice Cube and Nas). But before that he was a kid from Houston in love with rock-and-roll, listening to AC/DC and KISS.
Brad was a ‘70s baby growing up in Houston when two new things swept into town—hip-hop and crack—that would change him and kids like him forever. The son of a singer and a DJ, and the cousin of star Johnny Nash (”I Can See Clearly Now”), music was in Brad’s blood, and he became heavily involved in it. And in hustling. What emerges in DIARY OF A MADMAN is not only Brad’s story but the whole story of the rise of Southern rap. Akin to a Southern version of Decoded, Scarface’s book reads ultimately not only as dynamic lens into a lifetime in music but also as a powerful articulation of the whole genre as an art from, from someone who has been there from the beginning.
Brad was a ‘70s baby growing up in Houston when two new things swept into town—hip-hop and crack—that would change him and kids like him forever. The son of a singer and a DJ, and the cousin of star Johnny Nash (”I Can See Clearly Now”), music was in Brad’s blood, and he became heavily involved in it. And in hustling. What emerges in DIARY OF A MADMAN is not only Brad’s story but the whole story of the rise of Southern rap. Akin to a Southern version of Decoded, Scarface’s book reads ultimately not only as dynamic lens into a lifetime in music but also as a powerful articulation of the whole genre as an art from, from someone who has been there from the beginning.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2015
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919 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 13, 2015
I started and finished this book in a few very focused hours because it was entertaining and conversational. Scarface has loomed large in hip hop for me for as long as I can remember and I was surprised to find out about this book.
He opens up about a very personal issue right off the bat and seems to be very open throughout. There were points where I kind of side-eyed his "lessons" on life and death, and he flat out lost me at the very end, but overall, I enjoyed it.
That said, 3.5 stars.
If you're a fan of hip hop, definitely give this a read.
He opens up about a very personal issue right off the bat and seems to be very open throughout. There were points where I kind of side-eyed his "lessons" on life and death, and he flat out lost me at the very end, but overall, I enjoyed it.
That said, 3.5 stars.
If you're a fan of hip hop, definitely give this a read.
August 10, 2016
The early 1990s are responsible for making me more receptive to other regional representations of Hip Hop outside of New York City. Ice Cube’s departure from NWA, and his subsequent solo albums deserve credit for that change. This prepared me for the Geto Boys in 1991. “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” really came out of nowhere. One minute it wasn’t there, and the next I was hearing it in regular rotation on R&B radio. I was struck by Scarface’s opening verse – “At night I can’t sleep/I toss and turn/Candle sticks in the dark/Visions of bodies bein burned/Four walls just starin at a n*gga/I’m paranoid/Sleeping with my finger on the trigga/My mama’s always stressin I ain’t livin right/But I ain’t goin out without a fight/See, every time my eyes close/I start sweatin/And blood starts comin out my nose.”
“Diary of a Madman” has a very conversational style. It’s clear that co-writer Benjamin Meadows-Ingram conducted a series of interviews with Scarface and compiled the majority of the book’s content through dictation. The candor of Face’s recollections of his life and music career allow for instant accessibility for the reader. Through his music, he’s always been raw and real, whether his aim was to evoke emotion or create an ominous mood, he did so with unshakable truth. The same can be said about the telling of his life story.
Having been a fan since the early days, I particularly enjoyed learning the backstory surrounding solo and group albums, and the inner workings of Rap-A-Lot, the Texas based label Face recorded the bulk of his music for. There’s definitely some revelatory bombs along the way. First-rate memoir.
“Diary of a Madman” has a very conversational style. It’s clear that co-writer Benjamin Meadows-Ingram conducted a series of interviews with Scarface and compiled the majority of the book’s content through dictation. The candor of Face’s recollections of his life and music career allow for instant accessibility for the reader. Through his music, he’s always been raw and real, whether his aim was to evoke emotion or create an ominous mood, he did so with unshakable truth. The same can be said about the telling of his life story.
Having been a fan since the early days, I particularly enjoyed learning the backstory surrounding solo and group albums, and the inner workings of Rap-A-Lot, the Texas based label Face recorded the bulk of his music for. There’s definitely some revelatory bombs along the way. First-rate memoir.
May 16, 2015
Scarface/Face/Brad Jordan is noted for his honesty, humility, and vulnerability. Watch him squirm in an interview when the interviewer suggests he's in the top 10 or 15. It's not an act or false modesty. He is genuine, the real deal, which is why he's wicked on the mic and beloved by fans and fellow rappers not named Lil Troy. He was one of Pac's closest friends. Jay-Z and Nas adore him. As the back jacket reads, he's "your favorite rapper's rapper."
"Diary of a Madman" does not disappoint. The Scarface you see in public is the Scarface you see on the page. For instance, most fans of hip hop already know he was locked up in a Houston mental ward as a youth. You will encounter expanded bits of this story and others you've heard in Jordan's raw, conversational voice. Complaints? Not many. It accomplishes its mission as a celeb bio. The book could use more developed scenes. Sometimes, the chapters rely too much on exposition, but overall this is an engaging read for fans of hip hop.
"Diary of a Madman" does not disappoint. The Scarface you see in public is the Scarface you see on the page. For instance, most fans of hip hop already know he was locked up in a Houston mental ward as a youth. You will encounter expanded bits of this story and others you've heard in Jordan's raw, conversational voice. Complaints? Not many. It accomplishes its mission as a celeb bio. The book could use more developed scenes. Sometimes, the chapters rely too much on exposition, but overall this is an engaging read for fans of hip hop.
September 12, 2016
Funny how you can actually hear his voice telling the story as you read. one the my favorite artists!!
May 31, 2015
As I have grown older and seen the icons of the musical genre I grew up on start to age and begin to reflect I have been especially interested in reading the stories of their rise and dealing with fame. This was a very interesting book because it is timed to be way more reflective than a lot of others which exist more to take advantage of current popularity and cash in a lot of times if you look at them. (DMX's early memoir, Mase, and Snoop all did autobiographies over a decade ago) This seemed like a great opportunity to really have a lot of self reflection.
Now to be honest, there is a decent amount of reflection and admissions by Brad Jordan aka Scarface, whether it is talking about his battles with depression and time spent in the hospital system or use of drugs and pills later on to cope. However, the insights often stop just short of being truly informative. That is the largest issue I have with this book just because there are more chances to talk about life growing up in Houston and we kind of don't get those. For instance when Scarface talks about the differences between North and South Houston they are all superficial and he never really drops in any anecdotes or stories to further illustrate the divide and it's affects other than to say his family members were upset he signed to the North Side's Rap-a-lot records.
Part of this has to do with how Face presents himself, and it's not to say it's a fabrication, but the fact there are stories he can't or won't tell because they in effect 'belong to someone else' is limiting and an issue I can see cropping up in more hip-hop or rap memoirs to come. I totally understand 'minding your business' but there are times when these things affect you and some insight is needed from your personal perspective.
One thing I will say I liked is that he was pretty truthful about his relationships with others like J. Prince and Tupac whom every rapper has to include in a story it seems for credibility but while Face says they had a close relationship at times when they were together he also admits he couldn't be too close because Pac had a tendency to be unpredictable and it wasn't good for his individual life. We don't normally hear that about Pac though we pretty much all see it.
Overall this book was good but it really kind of scratched the surface in some areas where I feel like it could have possibly pushed a little bit further just to really dig in like some of Scarface's classic rap verses. For rap fans you have to read it because this is one of the biggest icons in rap.
Now to be honest, there is a decent amount of reflection and admissions by Brad Jordan aka Scarface, whether it is talking about his battles with depression and time spent in the hospital system or use of drugs and pills later on to cope. However, the insights often stop just short of being truly informative. That is the largest issue I have with this book just because there are more chances to talk about life growing up in Houston and we kind of don't get those. For instance when Scarface talks about the differences between North and South Houston they are all superficial and he never really drops in any anecdotes or stories to further illustrate the divide and it's affects other than to say his family members were upset he signed to the North Side's Rap-a-lot records.
Part of this has to do with how Face presents himself, and it's not to say it's a fabrication, but the fact there are stories he can't or won't tell because they in effect 'belong to someone else' is limiting and an issue I can see cropping up in more hip-hop or rap memoirs to come. I totally understand 'minding your business' but there are times when these things affect you and some insight is needed from your personal perspective.
One thing I will say I liked is that he was pretty truthful about his relationships with others like J. Prince and Tupac whom every rapper has to include in a story it seems for credibility but while Face says they had a close relationship at times when they were together he also admits he couldn't be too close because Pac had a tendency to be unpredictable and it wasn't good for his individual life. We don't normally hear that about Pac though we pretty much all see it.
Overall this book was good but it really kind of scratched the surface in some areas where I feel like it could have possibly pushed a little bit further just to really dig in like some of Scarface's classic rap verses. For rap fans you have to read it because this is one of the biggest icons in rap.
March 7, 2016
Diary of a madman was vary inspirational. I love Scarface music, I recommend anybody that's trying to make it in this music industry, to read this book.
May 14, 2017
Off the Bat Caveat: His whole deal with drugs, dealing them, women and child support is bedrock stereotype and though there are complexities, ultimately reads as a copout. (He tried it with the master/slave/court thing, which is shades of true while ignoring a key point and absolving the non-absolvable.) And yet...this was a great read because there is so much more to it and him. I'm not a hip-hop head like some, but "The Diary" is in my Top 5 and it was intriguing to explore the mind behind it. Face does NOT hold back. It seems he "wrote" this book at a turning point and I'm glad he did as the level of reflection and perspective makes reading this a true experience. Beyond that, I share a lot of his perspective on "regional" rap and though you shake your head at times reading this (for a variety of reasons - neither his come up nor his upbringing would lead most to greatness), he has a shifting balance of bravado, self-confidence and humility that is rare. What's more, he's hilarious without trying to be - which I think anyone who is a fan of his work knows. Finally, he's a true artist and lyricist and this is more than anything a self portrait of an artist as he sees himself and all things. It's not literary, but rather literal and the ghost writing is well done. Face is so up front about his struggles, deficiencies and poor decision-making, without begging to be understood. Actually, he doesn't have to - man, he's had some raw deals, but he's handed them out too. It's lowkey masterful. And then there's the fun stuff - what he thinks of Cube, his perspective on Southern rap that predated him, being a record label exec, his experiences of Tupac, and what he really thinks of all his albums. The book actually reads like a written LP, which is by design. The chapters are arranged and titled by his song and album titles, which permits him to tell his story in a largely, but not strictly, sequential manner while also traveling back in time when most needed. So - I enjoyed it, but it was a needless stretch to have the subtitle include the roots of "Southern" rap when it's really Houston or Texas rap in terms of his experience and perspective. But hey, books are like albums - ya gotta get 'em sold.
Read
February 20, 2020Can't say this was really my thing, in content or in prose style, but I learned some things about the music industry for a black artist, and parts of this book read like a love letter to Houston, which I will always appreciate. I would recommend only if you're a serious listener of hip-hop or gangster rap because the flaws become more pronounced when you aren't interested in the content.
December 24, 2023
The story about recording Smile with Tupac and playing it for Stevie Wonder and having him cry a few days after Pac’s death was one of those stories that you gotta go to the source for.-
May 30, 2017
Diary of a Madman by Brad "Scarface" Jordan provides an excellent insight into the influences and roots of the Southern rap culture. While it does an excellent job of exploring the world of hip-hop, covering both the music itself, as well as the business end of the evolution of Southern rap, the strength of the book lies in the personal revelations into the life of Brad Jordan. Jordan tells his story without excuses and never tries to do anything other than to present the facts of his life. It tells the story of a child growing up in Houston, Texas, who dropped out of school in the 9th grade and began selling crack and rapping at a very young age. The book also addresses in an honest and compelling way some of the problems and inequities in society. This is one quote that I feel explained this quite well: "America is always looking for something to blame for the reason why it's destroying itself. First it was jazz that was destroying America, then it was rock and roll, then it was disco, then it was rap. But you know, I think America is destroying America. Our country is built on a foundation of rules and laws and belief systems that date back to the 1700's and 1800's .... It's breeding hate. It's deeper than a record. Hate goes way deeper than that." Diary of a Madman tells a compelling story that will be enjoyed by those interested in the music industry and the musicians who are a part of it, will be enjoyed by those who enjoy an exploration into the inner life of a person who has made some mistakes in life, but who embraces who and what he was and is and faces his inner demons, and will be enjoyed by those who are willing to take an honest look at society.
Read
June 13, 2015I've been a Scarface fan for ages, so when I heard that he had a book about his life I jumped at the chance to read it. All in all, it's a very entertaining book--the chapters are short and Scarface's narration is more conversational than your traditional autobiography. At times I wish he had gone a little bit more deeper with certain personal details, but he sticks to the facts and just moves it forward, perhaps a little too quickly. He did have a lot of interesting things to say, I liked this book.
November 20, 2015
Fast-paced, down and dirty look at the dark side of the author's early life and music career. The details leave little to the imagination, so readers looking for the harsh reality of the business will be riveted. The author's refusal to give up in spite of the circumstances of his youth and the many roadblocks to success and happiness he encounters ("I don't know no quit" "failure was not an option") will inspire those in similar circumstances to keep working towards their goals and believe in themselves.
May 19, 2021
Scarface is probably one of the biggest rap acts to come out of the South who's unapologetic, raw, and open approaches to life make the book much satisfying to read. He gets into his life dealing with mental health, suicide, and depression during his earlier years before Geto Boys and details the good and bad in the music business. I highly recommend this for hip-hop heads who have an open approach to looking at the insights of unique rappers like Scarface.
August 3, 2025
Walk the walk with the Hip-Hop G.O.A.T. as he journeys from the hood of South Houston to the status of Legendary Rapper. I really loved this book and some of the crazy stories inside. Fans of Tupac or Bushwick Bill will like some of the tales he tells too. Always the realest with a pen in hand, Scarface doesn't know what it is like to not deliver greatness. Rather it be an album, or an autobiography, you know when it's coming from the Geto Boy camp, you're in for a hell of a ride!
June 10, 2015
Probably more like 3.5. I really liked this and Scarface has lots of cool things to say... Just wish he would have gone into things a bit more. The best moments are when you feel him talk about vulnerabilities, where he is opening up and going to that deeper level. I definitely liked this just found myself wanting a bit more of What Jordan thought or felt or more of each story, more detail.
June 25, 2017
I received this book from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review...
A very quick read, leaving you hungry for more details and information. He goes into a lot of personal depth, but loses you at the end with his "life lessons". Fantastic read for anyone who is a true Scarface fan.
A very quick read, leaving you hungry for more details and information. He goes into a lot of personal depth, but loses you at the end with his "life lessons". Fantastic read for anyone who is a true Scarface fan.
May 28, 2016
A very unfiltered and bitter memoir. Man's had some serious ups and downs, and he doesn't excuse himself. Doesn't quite reach to last year's DEEPLY ROOTED.
April 5, 2024
If you love hip hop, you know SCARFACE IS EVERYTHING. He is a story teller, a wordsmith, a musician, a poet, a scholar… and so much more. He embodies the beauty of the south, the grittiness of the ghetto, the realness of the nineties, and the intelligence and creativity of an artist. He’s overall talented, so of course he’s a great author, too.
This book, which breaks down his roots and his rise in the game, is an important insight into one of the greatest embodiments of rap MUSIC. 👑👑👑 It reiterates his passion for, and dedication to quality music while outlining the oppressive nature of the music industry, and how it mimics the oppression of minorities in the United States. No matter how many records he sold, or how popular he was among peers and fans, the industry kept him down, while others benefited from his genius. However, due to his savvy and authenticity, Scarface successfully positioned himself to prevail despite the constant underhandedness he encountered. Throughout it all, this book gives us a glimpse into his mind in regard to his mental health, his beliefs, and his creative processes.
One of the most noteworthy parts of this book was the discussion of Kanye. Off the top of my head, I can think of three Scarface/Kanye collaborations, and let me tell you, there is nothing better. “Guess Who’s Back” is the greatest song of all time and I could write a dissertation on why that is. 😂 So, when Scarface said there are several unreleased Face/Ye songs, my heart fluttered. I NEED TO HEAR THEM!
The one thing that would make this audiobook even better is if Scarface was the reader. He has the absolute most beautiful and iconic voice, as well as the most dynamic inflection. Imagine his story coming straight from his mouth. 🥰🥰🥰
This book, which breaks down his roots and his rise in the game, is an important insight into one of the greatest embodiments of rap MUSIC. 👑👑👑 It reiterates his passion for, and dedication to quality music while outlining the oppressive nature of the music industry, and how it mimics the oppression of minorities in the United States. No matter how many records he sold, or how popular he was among peers and fans, the industry kept him down, while others benefited from his genius. However, due to his savvy and authenticity, Scarface successfully positioned himself to prevail despite the constant underhandedness he encountered. Throughout it all, this book gives us a glimpse into his mind in regard to his mental health, his beliefs, and his creative processes.
One of the most noteworthy parts of this book was the discussion of Kanye. Off the top of my head, I can think of three Scarface/Kanye collaborations, and let me tell you, there is nothing better. “Guess Who’s Back” is the greatest song of all time and I could write a dissertation on why that is. 😂 So, when Scarface said there are several unreleased Face/Ye songs, my heart fluttered. I NEED TO HEAR THEM!
The one thing that would make this audiobook even better is if Scarface was the reader. He has the absolute most beautiful and iconic voice, as well as the most dynamic inflection. Imagine his story coming straight from his mouth. 🥰🥰🥰
May 13, 2022
One of the fastest and most incomplete memoirs I've read. Every chapter just felt fast-paced and lacked the detail needed for me to get into the book and it felt like it was missing something at the end of each chapter. Even the last part of the book ended so abruptly I wasn't sure if I was missing something or not. Scarface's creative process isn't even really delved into that much which was disappointing considering his standing as one of the best in the industry. He even glossed over the history and his contributions to Southern rap and downright dismissed even having a category for Southern rap (if I remember correctly????).
I was hopeful for this book to see things from Scarface's perspective since he's one of the originals of the great era of 80's-90's hip-hop but overall it was just a quick and pieced together memoir so I guess it at least lived up to being a diary of sorts.
I was hopeful for this book to see things from Scarface's perspective since he's one of the originals of the great era of 80's-90's hip-hop but overall it was just a quick and pieced together memoir so I guess it at least lived up to being a diary of sorts.
January 10, 2020
I was so entertained by Scarface’s story about some of the origins of Southern hip hop, because he gave so much insight into his life before he became famous, as well as background on some of his biggest hits.
The only reasons I’m giving this book 4 stars is because the writing became redundant in some places. I also felt like he spent a lot of time talking about his work, and very little time addressing his personal life. Unless you knew beforehand, you wouldn’t know anything about his wife or kids until the second to last chapter of the book.
The only reasons I’m giving this book 4 stars is because the writing became redundant in some places. I also felt like he spent a lot of time talking about his work, and very little time addressing his personal life. Unless you knew beforehand, you wouldn’t know anything about his wife or kids until the second to last chapter of the book.
December 24, 2021
“I thank the Lord for every morning he allows me to diss and though the sun is shining there’s a cloud in the Sky letting me know that any moment there can be rain and as beautiful as life is there still can be pain”
I once heard jay z say one time Scarface was one of his favorites and I started listening more and I can agree. This story is pretty good. He went through a lot of bull with J Prince and rap a lot which I thought they had a better relationship. He talks a-lot about his come up and different albums and how they came to be. I can hear him tell this story in his voice. Solid read
I once heard jay z say one time Scarface was one of his favorites and I started listening more and I can agree. This story is pretty good. He went through a lot of bull with J Prince and rap a lot which I thought they had a better relationship. He talks a-lot about his come up and different albums and how they came to be. I can hear him tell this story in his voice. Solid read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2025
Scarface je jeden z mých nejoblíbenějších raperů, takže se to četlo samo. Pozadí vydání některých jeho desek mě docela překvapilo. Konečně taky chápu, proč kdysi řekl, že žádnou desku s Geto Boys už rozhodně nenatočí. Nějak jsem nepochopil pasáž, kdy nakládá J Princovi za to, že ho celou dobu drbal na penězích. A po tom co se vrátil k Rap-A-Lot ho odbal znovu. A on nakonec napíše, že mu vděčí za všechno, což se dá pochopit, a že budou vždy přátelé a rodina. Bych spíš čekal, že ho pošle do řiti. Což teda udělal až na závěr knihy.
Škoda taky, že jsem knihu nečetl předtím, než jsem v roce 2004 psal profil Geto Boys pro časopis BBarák. Mohl jsem tam mít míň nepřesností.
Mimochodem, kdyby kdyby ta kniha neobsahovala slova typu MF a sh**, tak by byla asi o třetinu kratší ;).
Škoda taky, že jsem knihu nečetl předtím, než jsem v roce 2004 psal profil Geto Boys pro časopis BBarák. Mohl jsem tam mít míň nepřesností.
Mimochodem, kdyby kdyby ta kniha neobsahovala slova typu MF a sh**, tak by byla asi o třetinu kratší ;).
October 25, 2017
Although I grew up listening to Scarface and a few other Rap-A-Lot artist, I never considered myself a Scarface fan. He had some great hits that I knew word for word, but his music was really before my time. This book offered some really good insight into his life and what he was going through when he made his greatest hits. He also confirms some of the “rumors” we’ve heard about the industry “top people”.
July 6, 2020
On my block we've provably seen it all homie beleive me
I really enjoyed reading this side of it. I know ive heard he's doing politics in houston these days but I completely feel him on a lot of the things he says. It's pretty awesome to hear how he came up from such low points but he keeps going and one of the realist to ever do it. The stories with Pac and luda are worth hearing as well. Highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed reading this side of it. I know ive heard he's doing politics in houston these days but I completely feel him on a lot of the things he says. It's pretty awesome to hear how he came up from such low points but he keeps going and one of the realist to ever do it. The stories with Pac and luda are worth hearing as well. Highly recommend this book.
January 17, 2021
I would have given it a 5 star but throughout most of this book, he was bragging about how much of a tough guy he is and how he is the best rapper but I disagree with it and I thought all of that bragging was unnecessary and immature.
However I liked how he spoke about his early life and his struggles, institutional racism and what he experienced in the music industry. I learnt more about life and the music industry and I gained more respect for him due to his wisdom and life experience.
However I liked how he spoke about his early life and his struggles, institutional racism and what he experienced in the music industry. I learnt more about life and the music industry and I gained more respect for him due to his wisdom and life experience.
February 12, 2019
Gritty,raw and gangster. Its written the way I imagine he talks. Quite a personal account,made me feel like I know him personally, he admits to a lot of his mistakes and tries to justify some of them too. Its not everyday that you hear a hardcore rapper admit to being depressed, there are certain dark parts of the book that got me down.
January 11, 2021
A quick and easy read. I finished it in a day.
Here is a Spotify mix that I made that highlights some of the hits from his career as a solo artist and a few of the popular Geto Boys tracks. Enjoy!
scarface diary of a madman playlist
Here is a Spotify mix that I made that highlights some of the hits from his career as a solo artist and a few of the popular Geto Boys tracks. Enjoy!
scarface diary of a madman playlist
September 26, 2020
Worth reading if you’re a Geto Boys or Scarface fan; as another review here said it often stops just short of being as revealing or detailed as it could have been, but it’s still a fun, illuminating read that’s left me with a decent list of records I need to track down and listen to...
September 4, 2022
Scarface is one of the biggest legends in Hip Hop so I knew his book would be good. It’s full of great stories telling the ups and downs of his career. I never expected the parts about Rap-A-Lot, but it’s definitely worth it for any Hip Hop fan.
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