Gone 'Til November: A Journal of Rikers Island

by Lil Wayne

From rap superstar Lil Wayne comes the long-awaited GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER, a deeply personal and revealing account of his time spent incarcerated on Rikers Island for eight months in 2010.

Genres: Memoir, Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

176 pages, Hardcover

First published November 27, 2012

About the author

Having sold millions of albums worldwide and garnered four Grammy Awards, Lil Wayne is one of the most successful and critically lauded artists in hip hop. He released his first project at the age of twelve and went on to release his first solo album in 1999 when he was just seventeen. He released his first installment of his legendary Tha Carter series in 2004 before releasing three others, including the landmark Tha Carter III in 2008. Lil Wayne also holds the record for the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by a male solo artist with 109 entries, having surpassed the record previously set by Elvis Presley. His most recent studio album, I Am Not A Human Being II, was released in 2013 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 charts. In 2015, Wayne released FWA (Free Weezy Album) exclusively on Tidal, where it was streamed a staggering ten million times within the first seven days alone. Outside of his iconic music career, Lil Wayne is the CEO of his own Young Money Records, as well as the successful apparel brand Trukfit. He also recently launched his own app, Lil Wayne: Sqvad Up.

Reviews

[Brandon Forsyth · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the surface, there's almost nothing here to recommend: Lil Wayne's prison diary is a repetitive, privileged, and, frankly, dull look at the routines that got him through his eight month stint in Riker's. He prayed. He listened to ESPN. He phoned fans. Then he tried to sleep as much as humanly possible and then did it all again. It makes prison sound like a rainy vacation at a small hotel, and anyone hoping for a commentary on the justice system or the dynamics of rich and poor in a correctional facility are hopelessly optimistic. Mr. Carter's skill at creating clever lyrics ("real Gs move in silence like lasagna" is in the rap hall of fame) doesn't translate to the prose, and it's shocking that there's only one verse included here. Where are the lyrics he talks about scribbling down, late into the night?
But there's a theory of art that proscribes more importance to the negative space than to the subject itself, and, looked at through this prism, readers may just find some value in GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER. It's fascinating what Wayne doesn't say here - there's the odd word or two about scuffles and conflicts in the prison yard, a vague sense that he's learned to accept a gay fellow inmate, and even hints at real personal growth and recognizing what he truly values by the end of his time served. It's also fascinating how little rehabilitation is mentioned: Wayne refuses any mental health conversations and it's never mentioned again, and he tries to take a suicide prevention job at one point, but quits it two days later preferring to "just do (his) time." All of this stuff is a sentence or two in the book, but it starts to create a fascinating portrait of the person in absentia.
It's just not enough to recommend it.

[Bergþór Másson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional writing from the best rapper alive.
Essential reading for an extreme Lil Wayne fan, probably not a good read if you haven't been following his career and life for some years.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was mostly pretty boring tbh. but it was sweet to read firsthand how much Wayne appreciates the people in his life and his fans. He would write or call his fans to surprise them all the time and it made him so happy, that was cute. Best part was the wedding they threw for the only openly gay guy in the block, it was hilarious and adorable.

[Emily Krueger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was honestly not that great. I really wish he would've talked more about how much he was writing and less about the day-to-day in prison. I understand that it is his journal from his stay at Riker's Island, but I wish he would've written more in reflection on these journal entries or at least include lyrics as he wrote them. Nevertheless, as a big Lil Wayne fan, it was exciting to read this. Yeah!

[Sidik Fofana · Rating 5 out of 5]

SIX WORD REVIEW: Kids, listen to this, not lyrics.

[Cameron Bang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr.—also known as Lil Wayne and Weezy—will want to pick up his new journal, Gone ’Til November. The book is presented as a transcription of his actual journal, kept while locked up at the infamous Rikers Island jail complex in New York City.

Lil Wayne was at the height of his career when he was convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and sentenced to a yearlong stay at Rikers Island. He begins his journal on day one of his sentence. The shock of going from the free world to the confines of a jail are clearly felt by Lil Wayne. Maybe more so, given his wealth and notoriety.

For those who have not been to jail or known someone who has, reading this journal is a great way to get a taste of what it's like. The monotony of daily life, the bugs, dirt, blood and shit . . . in short, the reality of jail life comes through Lil Wayne's words quite clearly. By the time you finish reading the journal, you may be tired of reading that the superstar rapper drank coffee, ate jail burritos, and did pushups every single day. You can be sure that he was tired of doing so. And that is exactly what jail life is. Extreme boredom, hunger, and occasional outbreaks of violence are the hallmarks of jail.

Lil Wayne's struggle to remain motivated throughout his ordeal is inspiring. Even though it is clear from his journal that he received VIP treatment, going from music icon to inmate could have been a crushing blow. Instead, Lil Wayne focused his efforts on his fans, his family, and his music, and found inspiration even in the confines of one of the worst jails in America.

Gone ’Till November is also an intimate and personal look into the mind of Lil Wayne. Fans are rarely granted this level of access to the innermost thoughts of musical superstars. In one passage, Lil Wayne reflects on suicide and the reality of mental illness and how it is addressed in American jails.

"I ended up thinking about all types of shit," wrote the rapper. "One thing that stood out was how I've never been this close to suicide before. It's truly a new reality for me. I was actually there when this kid that was in mental isolation tried to hang up. What's really fucked up is that it all could've been prevented if the COs would've just brought him some water."

In the end, Lil Wayne learns that his creativity and spirit cannot be taken from him even when his liberty can. It's a powerful lesson that came at a high price. But one comes away from this journal feeling that it was a price worth paying.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

100 pages of dorito burrito talk.

[Stephanie Spake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up at a book sale! Pretty boring, but a quick read. I know a little more about prison and Lil Wayne from this book- valuable knowledge I guess!

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading for all lil Wayne fans

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, Gone 'Til November, is definitely something you will to want to read if you are a heavy Lil Wayne fan. It can also be used as a deterrent from committing illegal activities, as the way that Wayne describes jail is a boring empty place where people just wait to get out. The journal, possibly without Wayne realizing it as he was writing it, can also get boring and repetitive as you complete it. Many entries are very similar and just describe the food he eats and how he jokes around with his fellow jail-mates. This does a great job of truly placing you in the cell with him, as you can really get the feeling of the monotony of jail. While the book is boring in that sense, Weezy fans will love how he describes his life. Many people solely listen to his music, but those who read this book will find out how he really is. Wayne is just a dude with talent, and it is very interesting to watch how he, a rich celebrity, adjusts to cell life. When he makes calls his family and friends, he describes how he is making hundreds of thousands of dollars while sitting in jail. He uses this repetition (Like describing his night-time ritual as 'Prayer, bible, push-ups, music, and sleep - Another one') to create an almost cozy feeling. I selected the book because I love Weezy, and it did a great job of expanding my view of him. For fellow fans of the rapper, the way he talks and writes work extremely well, but for those who don't enjoy Wayne or his style of writing the book could be disappointing.

[honeybean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wayne is a millionaire, so of course he has privileges others don't, but damn. His lack of empathy for others in jail is crazy. He directly says he won't stay in contact with any inmates - his part about Jamaica was so cold - but he might with a few COs. :/ Correctional Officers? gross dude.

The jail intentionally treats Wayne well - everyone who has some slight altercation with him is shipped off - in which Wayne feels bad for a sec and says he could stop fighting uselessly but fuck 'em :/ . At one point the whole jail gets locked up early just to listen to Wayne on the radio.

Jail is hard for everyone, and Wayne does talk about being close to suicide, but fuck. If it was hard for him with that much privilege and sway over the whole prison establishment - think of all the others.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this book not because I'm a huge Lil Wayne fan but because I came across this book on the library website and it was available. I know a bit about Lil Wayne already because I'm from New Orleans as he is and he grew up less than two miles from where I grew up and live. I was hoping to learn a little more about him but it was not to be. This was just an everyday diary of his time spent in prison so the description of this book was right on. If that's what you are looking for then this won't disappoint you.

[Jordann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tore through this in a few hours but it was not as deeply personal as I'd hoped. There were a few deep cuts among his outlines of his day-to-day activities. My favorite part though was listening to the Carter IV after reading the book. I had never listened to it from his incarcerated perspective. It was like listening to it for the first time all over again.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

The prison diary of a rap star who spent some behind bars.

The first fifty odd pages were OK, but then I lost interest. The writing style and text format were difficult to follow in places plus the star seemed very self centred.

Reading time around ninety minutes.

[Liz Yerby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not that personal but still a quick read, and I still love the dude

[Tim O'Hearn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recall listening to Da Drought 3 and smirking at punchline after punchline. Lil Wayne's hilarious observations are the focal point of this otherwise mundane book.

"Who Wants to be a Millionare was on TV. It made me think, who the fuck don't want to be a fucking millionaire?"

While the monotony of a daily routine is unavoidable when it comes to prison literature, at times it is just too much. For the reader, there's no sense of anticipation. You know that nothing major happened inside. You also know that once he gets out, the book will end. Precisely at the exact moment he steps "into the light" or maybe there will be some type of cliffhanger. You know it won't be particularly interesting. It is clear, almost from the outset, that the book's quality and the quality of Wayne's personal reflections will be one in the same.

So you're stuck in jail with Lil Wayne, which is not a bad thing in and of itself, but immediately you'll take to searching for reasons to justify having purchased the book. There is really no backstory on why he's in jail. He doesn't like jail, but never critiques the prison industrial complex and provides only a few anecdotes on the mindset of career criminals. I was hoping to observe a mounting theme of contrition considering the irony of his situation. Imagine rapping about doing illegal things, no, imagine being the most influential artist of your generation who steered an entire genre toward Gangsta Rap, and then having to spend time in jail for a minor charge.

Toward the end, Wayne really wants you to know how much jail sucks. His deepest reflections of events and relationships in his life, and the growing possibility that jail is changing him, are snapped back to a surficial level with the constant reminders that he enjoys special treatment. His apparent feelings toward worshipping god, living a righteous life, and utilizing one's gifts are uplifting to read from an artist of his stature, but fall flat when considering the reality surrounding the consumption of his music.

[Diego Izaguirre · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book Gone till November, by Lil Wayne was published in 2016, by Plume books. Lil Wayne Is a 4-time Grammy award winner for, best rap album, best song, and other awards. This book was about Lil Wayne's hard time in jail and how he made new friends, learned harsh lessons, and discipline. He had a daily routine, a job, and friends who made his time in jail a little bit easier. This book was ok because it was kinda repetitive and boring because he did the same thing every day and it kinda made it hard for me to enjoy. But yet again he is in jail and there is not much to do.

Something I noticed about how the book was written was that it was in the style of Lil Wayne handwriting and if it was printed straight out of his writing journal / Diary. Something I would complain about is that sometimes the handwriting can get kinda hard to read because it's handwritten. This book reminded me of the Tupac Shakur book because it is unusual to me to see rappers write books. All over the book, we see how Lil Wayne missed his family and very often kept in touch with them by calling them in the jail phones.

This book is for Teens to adults and definitely not for kids due to its cursing and vulgar language. I would give this book 2.5 out of 5 stars because it's kinda repetitive but does show Lil Wayne's true self and heart. This is an ok book due to being repetitive and kinda boring but it shows his heart and love.

[Gia Rossolille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lil Wayne, a famous rapper, decided to go against the grain and made Gone Til November, a book published by Plum that talks about Wayne’s time in prison. Wayne was incarcerated for ‘attempted gun possession’ and documented his daily routine of life in prison in order to pass the time, and have something to look forward to. Overall I enjoyed the book because it expanded my knowledge and perspective of prison, and I was able to learn more about Wayne. The only downside is its repetitiveness as there isn’t much to do in prison, but there is still an aspect of drama induced. Many would assume that Wayne was journaling for an audience of fans, but I argue that he was writing it for himself. He wrote letters to fans while incarcerated, so why write a whole book for them too at the same time? Interviews support this theory as Wayne himself stated that he never thought about publishing it until someone gave him the idea. I think the theory that Wayne was dishonest in his book is mistaken because it overlooks the fact that instead of being dishonest, Wayne just wasn’t telling us the whole truth. At some points when Wayne had a terrible day, all he would note is that the day was bad and not go into specifics. Since he was writing this to himself, he had no reason to lie about anything, but I wish that we knew more about certain occasions.

[Ziyad Azar · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it says in the title, a journal. It's essentially a collection of entries from the rapper Lil Wayne, while he was incarcerated at Riker's island. Lil Wayne spent 242 days at Riker's Island, and the book touches on his daily experiences there. I liked the book, it was interesting to read about his experience, and to gain a better understanding of what it's really like in prison. The problem with this book is that it could get really boring at times. There weren't a lot of big events or elements of suspense to keep you engaged, and at times I found it hard to keep reading. The problem is, the majority of the book is just observations Lil Wayne made about his environment instead of the crazy stories and experiences one might have in a New York prison. There were long paragraphs about what he would get at the commissary, or what hobbies he would pick up and things like that. It was a pretty intimate and personal experience to have with somebody like Lil Wayne, and I think that was a really good aspect. It really felt like you could get inside his head and see things from his perspective. I recommend this book, but only if you have any interest in Lil Wayne as a person. If you're looking for an exciting, detailed experience of being incarcerated at Riker's Island, I suggest you look elsewhere.

[Carl Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book free, through Goodreads Giveaways.

And, in the interest of further full disclosure, I’m an old white guy. My contact with rap music has been as a history teacher when my class explores the history of American music—one of our most significant gifts to the world—and independent student projects. My interest in this book stems from my exploration of systemic racism and white privilege, and making connections with other reading I’ve done, books like Alexander’s _The New Jim Crow_, and Coates’ _Between the World and Me_.

This diary of Lil Wayne’s incarnation at New York’s notorious Rikers Island is directed to fans. Daily entries consist of activities, and connections within and outside of the prison environment. As his prison sentence plays out, his inward tension increases—more frequent migraines, a shorter fuse with frustrations. He seems weighed down by the minor privileges he receives as a celebrity prisoner, and comes to understand his connections and assumptions are entirely different than the other prisoners. Each day ends with a “Push-ups, prayer, ESPN.” Type comments along with “ Another gone” countdown toward his release.

I was able to winnow out some further understanding, but mostly be reading between the lines.

[Konrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave the book Gone 'til November: A Journal of Rikers Island a 3 out of 5. I rated the book a 3 out of 5 because I found the book at times repetitive and boring. The reason for that is because each new day of Lil wayne in jail he would talk about what time he got up at. Getting his coffee and breakfast. And would end off his nights with working out, prayer, bible, and espn. Other nights he would respond to some of the fan mail he would get. That is why I gave the book a 3 of 5 because to me it felt that the same thing was talked about each day. On the other hand, Lil wayne talked about some real shit like how jails not the place you ever want to be at. For instance, he explains that jail is a whole lot of nothing and that he could never do jail again and that not even the laziest of people would like jail. Lastly, he says that he is never been this close to suicide this shows that when lil wayne was in jail he saw lots of stuff that he never wanted to see but there's nothing he could have done about it. This showed how harsh jail can be on the mind with the things that you'd come across while in jail. I would recommend this book to people who are fans of lil wayne and want to read about his experience in jail and to understand more about his life.

[Kelsey Deutsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read if you are a fan of Lil Wayne and wanted to understand more about his thoughts, feelings and experiences while in prison. This book is nothing super special, and as predicted, the passages are usually predictable as he talks about what he is eating (have to love those burritos), sleeping, writing rhymes, etc. However, there were some events sprinkled throughout that were interesting and would give me a chuckle. I also liked reading about his relationships both in and outside of jail. If you are a fan of Lil Wayne and aren’t afraid for a little boring here and there, you will probably appreciate this book.

[Laura Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been such a fan of Lil Wayne for so many years. I have also been in jail and in prison, so this was cool to see him humbled, and being just another regular person. I know a lot of reviews, people were saying well he was just repeating himself over and over and it wasn't much to read about. Yeah, welcome to jail. LOL... you're literally living the same day over, and over, and over. There's nothing more to talk about, other than what you ate for breakfast lunch and dinner, what time you woke up and how many people you talked to on the phone. If you know, you know. And if you don't know, thank God that you don't!

[myra jazmine. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're not much of a Wayne fan, you won't like this. But if you are, I'd say read it. It's not packed with lyrics that he talks about. It's literally what he is experiencing during is time behind bars. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the stuff he wrote -- whether it was a joke with other inmates or his own thoughts.

[Cat Munro · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possibly the most boring book I’ve ever read in my life. Actually proud of myself for finishing it. If you like to hear about Lil Wayne drinking tea in the morning, calling his multiple baby mamas, what muscle groups he worked on at yard time, and how many ruffles burritos he made…this is the book for you.

[Key · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um if you are not a fan of Weezy don’t read it will not hold your attention. Unfortunately I went into the book looking to obtain more info about the case,charges and life in prison. Unfortunately this book did not provide those details.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book if you dearly like lil wayne. For those who don’t like or support him won’t enjoy and will say its repetitive. Explains how he hated to be in there and what he learned from it. He explains his daily life and his wanting to be free. Would definitely recommend if you are a fan of lil Wayne

[Emma Noble · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lil Wayne is a very talented person, but this is a miss for me. It's a lot about the special treatment he got while in prison- choice of jobs, bunks, and cellmates. It's a book for a big Lil Wayne fan, but not for someone interested in reading about life in prison.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weezy kept it a stack all the way through, had me laughing for most of it. Watching American idol in the dayroom with the fellas, hooping in the yard, adding size in the cell, reading scripture, and writing lyrics. He keeps it light but also real at times, nothing hard about doing a stint.

[Heather Monahan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t finish it because it’s literally just a play by play of him drinking coffee (or not), hitting the yard, and naps. I’m a huge Lil Wayne fan so was a little disappointed. Plus it’s all hand written so on the kindle is a little hard to read.