The first-ever book on the band will revisit their cultural impact and the historic battle over censorship that went all the way to the President of the United States≥
Set for a September 7th release date, LA metallic hardcore OGs Body Count will be the focus of a comprehensive self-titled book – the latest addition into publisher Bloomsbury’s prestigious 33 1/3 series. The album specific series nearing a diverse 200 entries already, includes deep dives into the likes of Slayer’s Reign In Blood and Sabbath’s Masters of Reality to Dead Kennedys’ Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables and Fugazi’s In on the Kill Taker – just to list a few.
The book was researched and written by Ben Apatoff and features exclusive interviews and first-person accounts and quotes from Ice-T, Ernie C, Jello Biafra, Max Cavalera, Chuck D, Gary Holt, Duff McKagan, Bob Merlis, producer Will Putney, Vernon Reid, Henry Rollins, Jean-Claude Van Damme and more.
The book explores how gamechanging rapper Ice-T introduced his hardcore iteration Body Count on his seminal 1991 release, O.G. Original Gangster. During that era, Ice would enlist lead guitarist Ernie C, rhythm guitarist D-Roc the Executioner, bassist Mooseman, drummer Beatmaster V and hypemen Sean E. Sean and Sean E. Mac for the first-ever Lollapalooza tour and quickly garnered widespread acclaim for their highly volatile shows.
The following year, Body Count delivered their self-titled debut and changed the landscape counter culture. Anchored with antagonistic tracks like “There Goes the Neighborhood” and the incendiary “Cop Killer”, the album sparked controversy and was labeled as obscene by the highest office in the US government. Inciting boycotts and protests, Body Count’s impact resulted in the band earning a spot on the FBI National Threat list and ultimately led to the album being pulled from shelves and forever linked as a watershed moment in the ongoing battle between artistic freedom and creative censorship.
Body Count, the book, details the band’s turbulent ride and amid unprecedented circumstances that saw the world of rock and hip hop make national headlines and confront the status quo with insightful, unflinching social commentary.
Pre-order Body Count by Ben Apatoff – HERE
