It's No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, from Seduction to Scandal--a Hip-Hop Helen of Troy Tells All

by Carmen Bryan

The former girlfriend of rap star Nas and mother of his daughter discusses their relationship, her part in his famous feud with rival rapper Jay-Z, and her struggle to maintain independence and find love as a single mother in the projects.

Genres: Memoir, Celebrity, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, African American, Nonfiction, Hip Hop

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh Carmen, how you annoy me. Hip Hop Helen of Troy? Girl, sit down...

She dedicates this book to "all the single mothers who have struggled." As a single mother, I feel NO kinship with this woman.

I never understood why women want to air their dirty laundry, especially when they don't appear to have changed, become enlightened, or learned a damn thing throughout their 'journey.' After reading this book, I'm still at a loss for why Miss Bryan fills 259 pages with bad decisions, three abortions, an std, and back and forth unprotected sex with dudes who could give a damn less about her. All while leaving her daughter with relatives, of course. In between these events, she manages to find 'amazing clarity' and God. Oh yes, and time to bitch about how Nas won't pay her rent and car note. Last time I checked child support was for children. How about getting a real job, Carmen??

I do admit I picked this book up in a bit of a rush at the library, wanting to pass my time away on the last couple of days before school let out with a quick, easy, and somewhat cheap read. I laughed throughout most of it, reading it like some hastily written middle school quality confession. This book meets all of the above expectations. Anyone reading this book for anything more than that is crazy.

[Chele · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s really aggravating to have to keep reading books about woman that don't value themselves. I can't believe that as a mother with a daughter that she would publicize her scandalous ways. This is not the message to send to our young girls... All in all if you like drama, this will entertain you..

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is TERRIBLE. I'm not sure how this even came to be a book. This book just told nothing over and over. I learned that Nas is "only" average in size (but she stuck around for nine years and some change). that Jay-Z really cared for her and wanted to marry her (yet her dogged her in his songs) but she didn't want to marry him, that she was content with sitting around the house, sleeping with numerous men right after one another and somehow trying to make it seem okay. There were a couple points where I really laughed out loud because she's so see through, I'm surprised she and everyone else involved even let this go to print. I'm so glad I didn't spend any money on this. Definitely would NOT recommend.

[Mrs Tupac · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like Carm but the book was okay

Good read sounded more like fiction she made both Nas & Jay Z seem soft and Jay Z gay as heck especially the shower scene. She sure through hella shade like she was the finest b*tch walking in the 90's. It's like every dude she came across said she had some bomb but they got what they wanted and bounced. Her life outside of Nas was dull I see why she tolerated his BS..... She mentions God but kept on sining she made Nas seem like such an asshole. Her story was a drag but the sh~t she was doing was interesting she should've had pics with Jay z

[Vanessa Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

To my surprise/dismay it's actually worse than the Karrine Stephans book. Both ladies have confused being used by men with being LOVED by them.

If you want to learn more about who Nas is as a person or how Jay washes his ass (not literally his ASS) in the shower...go for it. I'll even let you borrow it.

[Diane Rembert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave the readers an inside look into the lives of Queensbridge’s finest…Nasty Nas, his baby mama Carmen and their daughter Destiny.I was floored to find out how many times Nas gained notoriety, fame and money…only to lose it all again. The author gave explicit details about her involvement in his marriage to Kelis.
I highly recommend this series.?

[Precious Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a dirty book. Not dirty in the sexual sense - in fact Carmen is not graphic at all about her sexual antics with Nas, Jay-Z, Iverson et al. But the premise of this book is so sordid that it's unclear why she decided to write it. There are details about her multiple (three, I think) abortions. She writes in detail about how a 'discharge' turns out to be Chlamydia and how she is not even clear about which of the men she's screwing at the time has given her the disease.

I first saw the author, Carmen, interviewed on the Wendy Williams show several years ago. I was outraged by the disrespectful way Wendy treated her. During the interview Wendy actually sprayed Lysol at and around Carmen. She then said: "What a whore!" Carmen seemed well-spoken and well-presented and I became mildly curious about what she had to say in her book.

I'm also a big Nas fan. I was slightly interested in finding out about the woman Nas had chosen to get engaged to and have his first child with. It was actually fairly interesting to read about Nas's early years, the days before his first album had dropped, his life in Queensbridge in his mother's cramped apartment.

I wasn't expecting the book to be well-written and....it's not but it's not shockingly badly written either. In the book, Nas comes across as being married to his art more than anything. I feel Carmen was trying to depict him as an untrustworthy, bad person but instead he just comes across as a dedicated artist who is perhaps not the most involved father or boyfriend. Jay-Z comes across as reptilian and completely amoral. Wood Harris is in the book. It's not quite clear whether Carmen is claiming to have shagged him or not. He comes across as a really nice person. Kelis comes across in the book as an absolute bitch from hell but - hey - Carmen's unlikely to be unbiased on this one!

After reading this book I felt baffled as to why Nas dated Carmen in the first place. I felt utterly confused as to why Jay dated her for so long and I had no idea about why Carmen decided to write this book. Perhaps she just felt that the world needs to know that she's had three abortions, she's had Chlamydia, she never insists on guys using condoms and that, according to her, Jigga's penis is much bigger than Nas's.

Carmen should feel quite ashamed herself for writing this book and I feel ashamed of myself for reading it!

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book not knowing who Carmen Bryan was. I had never heard her name; had to google her to figure out who she was. Now that I have read the book, I really wish I had not.

Truthfully, I am not sure why Carmen was given a book deal, other than to write sex tales about the musician's she has slept with. I do not even understand the title used, "Hip-Hop Helen of Troy". Whoever named this book does not know their history well because, I did not see anything similar to the real story of Helen of Troy and Carmen Bryan. Other than who she has dated, slept with, and had a child with, there was not reason for this book. Carmen talks a bit about her childhood, growing up, and then getting involved with musicians. In the beginning, I was almost interested in her early life and expected a transition between home and her future life. I think I expected that she was some kind of music executive and that was how she met all these Hip-Hop singers but, no. This book literally read like she just walked down the street, met these Hip-Hop guys and they all stood in line to be with her. Not quite. In many cases, I feel like Carmen sought these guys out, did not care if they were in relationships, or she was, and did whatever she wanted to do. You could almost respect the "don't give a shit" attitude but this book read like, I was this one, then an hour later this one. Then it was abortion after abortion, because she could not figure out (or cared) about birth control or sexually transmitted diseases. This book felt like it was only written to expose the sexual histories, and secrets of some of the biggest Hip-Hop artists around.

This book was a complete waste of time, in my opinion. I made it almost to the end; I even skipped through two chapters to get to the end so I could finish it. I just wanted it done. I wasted my money and time on a book that help no interesting stories, and was very poorly written.

[Annie.k · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you can get past revenge motivations and the large amount of "TMI" about sexual encounters with Nas, Jay-Z, and Allen Iverson this book is a worthwhile (QUICK) read to further consider the transformation of hip-hop from its origins to it's glamorous West Coast castrated form. The books dwells in some of hip-hop's gritty origins, from an alternative street movement to crack dealers delight. Admittedly, even early hip-hop mc's, bboys and girls had get-rich and famous hopes in many ways; but this book reveals the small steps that made it impossible to preserve origins and financial success. Carmen Bryan isn't a great writer, but she does document hip-hop's journey to a "holy-crap hip-hop actually made it and now it's West Coast-ified and not as good, and not as hip-hop" status. Whether she intended to or not.

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This scandalous girl wrote this book that was all bragging about her uncouth behavior and just straight up wrong actions and had the nerve to write about it. With pride.

I love Nas' music but to think that this broad was 'holding him down' makes me mad because she did him wrong. Straight up.

The book is lite, i read it in one, maybe two, sittings. Its kind of written like she's telling the story to one of her girls so it's hella casual. The only thing its good for is to get the back story on the old war between Jay-z and Nas. Too bad it was over this broad.

[Erica · Rating 1 out of 5]

WHATEVER!!!!! This book was a sad imitation of Superheads book that explored her sexual escapades with some of hip-hops biggest names.

Carmen basically told her side of an on-again-off-again relationship with Nas. Blah, Blah, Blah. There was not enough meat to the story and honestly it was BORING as hell. Nobody cares about Carmen and it is so sad how she tried to gain some notoriety this way.....TRY AGAIN CARMEN!!!!!!

[Kimberly Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this book was good! Gave it five stars. And Carmen tells it all in this book. Her life with Nas, her life after Nas, etc. Like Faith Evans, she really goes into her background and life, and I felt she was very honest and genuine. She didn't lead a perfect life, and then again, who the heck does? I really enjoyed this book and was quite shocked at some things she revealed.

The glam life is not all it's cracked up to be, that's for sure!

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I shouldn't like this book much but it was a bit of a guilty pleasure. I don't have much respect for carmen after reading this and I do wonder how much is true. Being a big nas fan it changed my view on him slightly but then I think that was her main aim in writing it really.

I enjoy reading about hiphop and New York in general so I stayed interested throughout and found it a nice easy read.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

She deserves to get slapped for coming out with this book

[Kiyanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like she was going for the Superhead/Karrine Stephans novel. However, her life wasn't all that interesting and neither was the book.

[Nathan Rabin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Briskly readable trash. Spectacularly unedifying.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a poorly written book. I felt that it promised much more but it failed to deliver.

[Dre · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rolled my eyes so much reading this book, they almost got stuck.

*insert Stanley from The Office making faces here*

2.5 stars

[Diego · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected it to be at all. I choose this book because I wanted to learn more about Nas and Jay-Z in the music industry from Carmen's perspective, which I did a little. Carmen dedicates this book to single mothers and their struggles but that's clearly not the focus point. It was more about her past sexual relationships with men throughout her life. The book was a little weird for me when it came to the physical activity she was involved in; but maybe if I was a female I would have liked it more, who knows?

[April Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

The entire book is about her relationship with Nas (boring) and her 5 year affair with Jay Z. I quickly grew tired of her calling Jay Z “SC” (her pet name for him) every other sentence. The book has no real substance and it’s not really a tell all because outside of being Nas’s baby’s mother she has no identity. The book also ended abruptly and left a lot of unanswered questions. Overall, it was a 2.5. I like celebrity memoirs and that’s the only reason it was mildly enjoyable. I’m glad I only paid like $3 for it. Can’t say I would recommend it to anyone. It’s pretty dull.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the kind of book I like to read. I have been trying to read a historical fiction novel that takes place curing the Revolutionary War. I read like two pages and fall asleep. 'It's No Secret', I finished in about a day. Any gossip, but especially celebrity gossip is all I care about and I'm not ashamed.

[Jasmine Tuttle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was A very Good Book. It gave me a perspective from Carmen and her Relationship with Jay-z and Nas . It also gave me a perspective on the infamous Beef that went on for years ! I absoloutley Loved this book !

[Crystal Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun and tea spilling read!

[Kendra Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good, she didn't hold anything back. The reader was great also.

[Provocative Gent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool book. I'm huge Nas fan so only right I read it

[Hasana · Rating 3 out of 5]

She did a pretty good job.

[mona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scandalous

Great quick read. I enjoyed the brutal honesty .The rap life is something folks get into knowing the outcome but still chose to go along the ride.

[Asia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read that was filled with a lot of tea. There were many times where the book just kind of jumped to another subject rather quickly making something’s a little difficult to follow.

[Jeri Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome book

It was a great read. It explained a young woman's journey dealing with men in the industry. I really enjoyed this book.

[Sophia ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A juicy, quick read. As a lover of 90s hip hop and r&b culture this was fun. Carmen lived one hell of a life.