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Marvin DeBose

@marvindebooks

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Read publicly, privately, performatively… idc, just read.
Reader & Writer
Philadelphia, PA
Main: @marvindebose

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Pre-Eclipse weekend, Indiana. Don’t look directly at the sun, but do look directly at the books. taken in Indianapolis Central Library by @marvindebooks

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2 years ago

This year, I’ve been reading some interesting books. These are just a few of the standouts for me. Check out the full list on my Substack by @marvindebooks

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2 days ago

I wrote abt Diddy, check it out. by @marvindebooks

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15 days ago

Jay-Z is dissing rappers to kick off the summer (again), The Knicks are in the Finals… what year is it again?
Check out my substack. Link in bio. Culture, books, music, etc. by @marvindebooks

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4 months ago

A few nonfiction reads that dive into the old New York City. Before Times Square was family entertainment, before Brooklyn was trendy, when Studio 54 was active and parties in the parks introduced us to hip-hop.

Let’s go back in time for a bit… by @marvindebooks

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5 months ago

Arsenio, The Greatest Songwriters List, What I’ve been reading…. Check out all of that and more in my “Things Worth Sharing” post.

Link in bio by @marvindebooks

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5 months ago

Revisiting this topic… Most biopics aren’t good movies, they just have fun moments. So when some of these negative reviews of the new Michael biopic come along, Im not surprised.

Full piece at link in bio by @marvindebooks

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5 months ago

It’s almost a wrap for 2025, so here is the first annual Most Anticipated Books List (According to Me). Congrats to all who made the list, your certificate will come in the mail (jk). I suppose the next step is actually reading the books.

See the full list at 🔗 in my bio

What books are you looking forward to? Share in the comments! by @marvindebooks

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9 months ago

I read 7 books in 2025, which is low for bookstagram but high for the average American. So, a win is a win. (My goal was 5 anyway). The lesson here is aim low.

Read more at the 🔗 in my bio. by @marvindebooks

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9 months ago

Journalism often goes beyond what information is most easily accessible. Yes, many fans know much of what Tupac did or said but writer/journalist Jeff Pearlman’s brilliant biography “Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur” asks the important questions like, “Why?”, “Is that what really happened?”, and “What part of this story is being left out?”

“Only God Can Judge Me” is not a work of hagiography, it doesn’t present tupac as a nearly perfect, always brilliant, yet-misunderstood artist. It goes deeper to highlight that, like us, Tupac was multidimensional, he had insecurities, immense gifts, mistakes, fears, flaws, strengths, weaknesses, triumphs, and traumas.

There are parts of this book which may come off as controversial (especially in an outrage-bait, celeb-worship, soundbite era) but that’s to be expected for any well-researched work on a beloved figure.

This also book feels fresh because it gives voice to some of the most important people in his life; the women in his family. Pearlman interviewed Tupac’s sister Sekyiwa Shakur, and his godmother/close family friend, Yaasmyn Fula and of course we get a lot of detail about his late mother, Afeni Shakur.

It’s an amazingly well-researched book that works to separate the man from the myth and shows why writing and real hip hop journalism are so important.

(Shout out to @marinerbooks hook me up with some more good books 😁) by @marvindebooks

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a year ago

Nobody Can Give You Freedom: The Political Life of Malcolm X is a sharp examination and analysis of Malcolm X’s views and thoughts. Kehinde Andrews takes us beyond the myth and legend of Malcolm, and brilliantly walks us through Malcolm’s politics on subject such as internationalism, gender equality, and whiteness while dispelling common myths about him and his views.

One of my few gripes with this books was how the author tended to lean heavily into “Here’s what Malcolm would probably think/say about this”. Certain parts seemed to reflect more of the author’s thoughts/views than Malcolm’s. Yet, it is a solid, well-researched read and thoughtful analysis on Malcolm X’s legacy. by @marvindebooks

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a year ago

The Tragedy of True Crime by John J. Lennon (not that John Lennon) is a captivating, heavily reflective book that explores that violent crime of four incarcerated men as well as their lives, the trauma that shaped them and, in some cases their road to redemption. This was a book, written by an incarcerated author, forces us to ponder on a number of social phenomenon’s such as prison system, the growth true crime as entertainment, masculinity, mental health and so much more. What I especially appreciate is the author’s intent to de-sensationalize the violent crimes which he writes about in order to honor the victims, their families and to leave room for those who committed the crime to grow and seek redemption. An introspective book that will give readers a lot to think about. by @marvindebooks

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a year ago