-
Purpose
- An Immigrant's Story
- Narrated by: Sam Jean
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $22.49
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Wyclef Jean is one of the most influential voices in hip-hop. He rocketed to fame in the 1990s with the Fugees, whose multiplatinum album, The Score, would prove a landmark in music history, winning two Grammys and going on to become one of the best-selling hip-hop albums of all time. In Purpose, Wyclef recounts his path to fame from his impoverished childhood in "Baby Doc" Duvalier's Haiti and the mean streets of Brooklyn and Newark to the bright lights of the world stage.
The son of a pastor and grandson of a Vodou priest, Wyclef was born and raised in the slums of Haiti, moving with his family to New York when he was nine. He lived in Brooklyn's notorious Marlboro projects until his father, Gesner Jean, took them to Newark, where he converted a burnt-out funeral home into a house for his family and a church for his congregation. But life in New Jersey was no easier for Wyclef, who found it hard to shake his refugee status. Forced to act as a literal and cultural translator for his parents while still trying to master English himself, Wyclef soon learned that fitting in would be a constant struggle. He made his way by competing in "freestyle" rap battles, eventually becoming the best MC in his school. At the same time, Wyclef was singing in his father's choir and learning multiple instruments while also avidly exploring funk, rock, reggae, and jazz - an experience that would forever shape his sound. When Wyclef chose to pursue a career in music over attending theological school, Gesner, who hated rap, nearly disowned him, creating a gulf between father and son that would take nearly a decade to bridge.
Within a few short years, Wyclef would catapult to international renown with the Fugees. In Purpose he details for the first time ever the inside story of the group: their rise and fall, and his relationships with Pras and Lauryn Hill.
Wyclef also looks back with candor at the catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 and his efforts to help rebuild his homeland, including the controversy surrounding YÉle, his aid organization, and his exploratory bid for president of the island nation. The story revealed in Purpose is one of inspiration, full of drama and humor, told in compelling detail, about the incredible life of one of our most revered musical icons.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Worthy
- By: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Narrated by: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jada Pinkett Smith was living what many would view as a fairy-tale of Hollywood success. But appearances can be deceiving, and as she felt more and more separated from her sense of self, emotional turmoil took hold. Sparing no detail, Worthy chronicles her life.
-
-
Budda
- By Tamiko on 10-18-23
-
Adversity for Sale
- Ya Gotta Believe
- By: Jeezy
- Narrated by: Jay Jenkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To Jeezy’s legion of fans, his name is synonymous with hustle, grit, and the integrity to go out there and achieve your dreams. In his first book, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, Jeezy shares never heard stories of what it took for him to beat the odds and get out of the streets, his mindset he carefully honed to get an edge, and the lessons that changed his life and business.
-
-
Couldn’t turn it off!!
- By Anonymous User on 09-11-23
By: Jeezy
-
Lucky Me
- A Memoir of Changing the Odds
- By: Rich Paul, Jesse Washington - contributor, LeBron James - foreword
- Narrated by: Rich Paul, Dennis Logan
- Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a story about Rich Paul that everyone knows: A twenty-one-year-old kid from Cleveland who sells sports jerseys out of his car meets a high school basketball phenom named LeBron James at an airport—the two become friends and forge a decades-long partnership that reinvents the business of sports. That random meeting might seem like the lucky break that changed Paul’s life. But a moment of good fortune means nothing without the struggle that gets you there. And the truth is, Paul had always been lucky.
-
-
Bad choices made this man
- By Lynn Gibson on 10-18-23
By: Rich Paul, and others
-
Thicker than Water
- A Memoir
- By: Kerry Washington
- Narrated by: Kerry Washington
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question.
-
-
Technical issues are ruining an otherwise good story
- By Lindsay on 09-27-23
By: Kerry Washington
-
The Book of Jose
- A Memoir
- By: Fat Joe, Shaheem Reid
- Narrated by: Fat Joe
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fat Joe is a hip-hop legend, but this is not a tale of celebrity; it is the story of Joseph Cartagena, a kid who came of age in the South Bronx during its darkest years of drugs, violence, and abandonment, and how he navigated that traumatizing landscape until he found—through art, friendship, luck, and will—a rocky path to a different life. This memoir, written in Joe’s own intensely compelling voice, moves with the momentum of pulp fiction, but underneath the tragicomedy and riveting tales of the streets and the industry is a thought-provoking story about a generation of survivors.
-
-
INCREDIBLE AND INSPIRATIONAL STORY
- By Anonymous User on 05-26-23
By: Fat Joe, and others
-
From Staircase to Stage
- The Story of Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan
- By: Raekwon, Anthony Bozza
- Narrated by: Landon Woodson, Raekwon
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are rappers who everyone loves and there are rappers who every rapper loves, and Corey Woods, a.k.a. Raekwon the Chef, is one of the few who is both. His versatile flow, natural storytelling, and evocative imagery have inspired legions of fans and a new generation of rappers. Raekwon is one of the founding members of Wu-Tang Clan, and his voice and cadence are synonymous with the sound that has made the group iconic since 1991.
-
-
A must listen
- By sam on 12-10-21
By: Raekwon, and others
-
Worthy
- By: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Narrated by: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jada Pinkett Smith was living what many would view as a fairy-tale of Hollywood success. But appearances can be deceiving, and as she felt more and more separated from her sense of self, emotional turmoil took hold. Sparing no detail, Worthy chronicles her life.
-
-
Budda
- By Tamiko on 10-18-23
-
Adversity for Sale
- Ya Gotta Believe
- By: Jeezy
- Narrated by: Jay Jenkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To Jeezy’s legion of fans, his name is synonymous with hustle, grit, and the integrity to go out there and achieve your dreams. In his first book, Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe, Jeezy shares never heard stories of what it took for him to beat the odds and get out of the streets, his mindset he carefully honed to get an edge, and the lessons that changed his life and business.
-
-
Couldn’t turn it off!!
- By Anonymous User on 09-11-23
By: Jeezy
-
Lucky Me
- A Memoir of Changing the Odds
- By: Rich Paul, Jesse Washington - contributor, LeBron James - foreword
- Narrated by: Rich Paul, Dennis Logan
- Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There’s a story about Rich Paul that everyone knows: A twenty-one-year-old kid from Cleveland who sells sports jerseys out of his car meets a high school basketball phenom named LeBron James at an airport—the two become friends and forge a decades-long partnership that reinvents the business of sports. That random meeting might seem like the lucky break that changed Paul’s life. But a moment of good fortune means nothing without the struggle that gets you there. And the truth is, Paul had always been lucky.
-
-
Bad choices made this man
- By Lynn Gibson on 10-18-23
By: Rich Paul, and others
-
Thicker than Water
- A Memoir
- By: Kerry Washington
- Narrated by: Kerry Washington
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While on a drive in Los Angeles, on a seemingly average afternoon, Kerry Washington received a text message that would send her on a life-changing journey of self-discovery. In an instant, her very identity was torn apart, with everything she thought she knew about herself thrown into question.
-
-
Technical issues are ruining an otherwise good story
- By Lindsay on 09-27-23
By: Kerry Washington
-
The Book of Jose
- A Memoir
- By: Fat Joe, Shaheem Reid
- Narrated by: Fat Joe
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fat Joe is a hip-hop legend, but this is not a tale of celebrity; it is the story of Joseph Cartagena, a kid who came of age in the South Bronx during its darkest years of drugs, violence, and abandonment, and how he navigated that traumatizing landscape until he found—through art, friendship, luck, and will—a rocky path to a different life. This memoir, written in Joe’s own intensely compelling voice, moves with the momentum of pulp fiction, but underneath the tragicomedy and riveting tales of the streets and the industry is a thought-provoking story about a generation of survivors.
-
-
INCREDIBLE AND INSPIRATIONAL STORY
- By Anonymous User on 05-26-23
By: Fat Joe, and others
-
From Staircase to Stage
- The Story of Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan
- By: Raekwon, Anthony Bozza
- Narrated by: Landon Woodson, Raekwon
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are rappers who everyone loves and there are rappers who every rapper loves, and Corey Woods, a.k.a. Raekwon the Chef, is one of the few who is both. His versatile flow, natural storytelling, and evocative imagery have inspired legions of fans and a new generation of rappers. Raekwon is one of the founding members of Wu-Tang Clan, and his voice and cadence are synonymous with the sound that has made the group iconic since 1991.
-
-
A must listen
- By sam on 12-10-21
By: Raekwon, and others
-
Parable of the Sower
- By: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Lynne Thigpen
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
God is change. That is the central truth of the Earthseed movement, whose unlikely prophet is 18-year-old Lauren Olamina. The young woman's diary entries tell the story of her life amid a violent 21st-century hell of walled neighborhoods and drug-crazed pyromaniacs - and reveal her evolving Earthseed philosophy. Against a backdrop of horror emerges a message of hope: if we are willing to embrace divine change, we will survive to fulfill our destiny among the stars.
-
-
Dystopia before dystopia was cool...
- By Amber on 05-28-14
-
Top Billin'
- Stories of Laughter, Lessons, and Triumph
- By: Bill Bellamy
- Narrated by: Bill Bellamy
- Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Imagine 50 Cent’s Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter written by a nerdy Black kid from Newark, New Jersey, who made it big despite the skepticism of his family. That’s Top Billin'.
-
-
Top Billin
- By Colette Graham on 07-29-24
By: Bill Bellamy
-
Homegoing
- A Novel
- By: Yaa Gyasi
- Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two half sisters, Effia and Esi, unknown to each other, are born into different villages in 18th-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and will live in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle, raising children who will be sent abroad to be educated before returning to the Gold Coast to serve as administrators of the empire. Esi, imprisoned beneath Effia in the castle's women's dungeon and then shipped off on a boat bound for America, will be sold into slavery.
-
-
A Novel in Stories
- By Daryl on 06-19-16
By: Yaa Gyasi
-
Black Privilege
- Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It
- By: Charlamagne Tha God
- Narrated by: Charlamagne Tha God
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Charlamagne Tha God - the self-proclaimed "Prince of Pissing People Off", co-host of Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club, and "hip-hop's Howard Stern" - shares his unlikely success story as well as how embracing one's truths is a fundamental key to success and happiness.
-
-
Amazing, Inspirational, Needlessly Crude at Times
- By Smokey on 08-24-17
-
The Color Purple
- By: Alice Walker
- Narrated by: Samira Wiley
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Celie has grown up poor in rural Georgia, despised by the society around her and abused by her own family. She strives to protect her sister, Nettie, from a similar fate, and while Nettie escapes to a new life as a missionary in Africa, Celie is left behind without her best friend and confidante, married off to an older suitor, and sentenced to a life alone with a harsh and brutal husband. In an attempt to transcend a life that often seems too much to bear, Celie begins writing letters directly to God.
-
-
Wow!
- By elizabeth h correa on 05-19-20
By: Alice Walker
-
Real Life, Real Love
- Life Lessons on Joy, Pain, & the Magic That Holds Us Together
- By: Gia Casey, Raashaun "DJ Envy" Casey
- Narrated by: Gia Casey, Raashaun "DJ Envy" Casey
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gia and Raashaun Casey met when they were two teenagers living around the corner from each other in Queens. They have been together for an astounding 25 years and have remained together through Raashaun's growing celebrity, a devastating (and very public) cheating scandal, and the births of five children. Now, they are stronger and more committed to each other ever, and their fans are clamoring to know how they did it. In Real Life, Real Love, Gia and Raashaun explore the entire chronology of their love story with remarkable vulnerability, searing honesty, and a lot of humor.
-
-
A book you won’t put down til the end.
- By D.dyme on 04-23-22
By: Gia Casey, and others
-
Share My Life
- A Journey of Love, Faith and Redemption
- By: Kem, David Ritz - contributor, Eric Holder -foreword
- Narrated by: Kem, Keith David
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Grammy Award–nominated artist Kem shares his life in this “breathtaking” (Michael Eric Dyson, New York Times bestselling author) and revealing memoir tracing his transformative journey from homelessness to gold-selling artist.
-
-
Luv, luv, luv Kem, but…
- By deby46 on 11-15-23
By: Kem, and others
-
Scenes from My Life
- A Memoir
- By: Michael K. Williams, Jon Sternfeld
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Michael K. Williams died on September 6, 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. From his star turn as Omar Little in The Wire to Chalky White in Boardwalk Empire to Emmy-nominated roles in HBO’s The Night Of and Lovecraft Country, Williams inhabited a slew of indelible roles that he portrayed with a rawness and vulnerability that leapt off the screen.
-
-
Absolutely incredible
- By corydonovan on 08-29-22
By: Michael K. Williams, and others
-
Empire State of Mind
- How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office
- By: Zack O'Malley Greenburg
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Some people think Jay-Z is just another rapper. Others see him as just another celebrity/mega-star. The reality is, no matter what you think Jay-Z is, he is first and foremost a business. And as much as Martha Stewart or Oprah, he has turned himself into a lifestyle. This audiobook explains just how Jay-Z propelled himself from the bleak streets of Brooklyn to the heights of the business world.
-
-
It was ok
- By Michelle M. on 01-03-17
-
I Can't Make This Up
- Life Lessons
- By: Neil Strauss - contributor, Kevin Hart
- Narrated by: Kevin Hart
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Superstar comedian and Hollywood box-office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word by writing some words. Some of those words include: the, a, for, above, and even even. Put them together and you have the funniest, most heartfelt, and most inspirational memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself since Old Yeller.
-
-
Best Audiobook I Ever Listened To
- By Sam Clear on 07-13-17
By: Neil Strauss - contributor, and others
-
Steve Jobs
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Dylan Baker
- Length: 25 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.
-
-
Good Biography, Fine narrator
- By Chris on 10-27-11
By: Walter Isaacson
-
I Am Debra Lee
- A Memoir
- By: Debra Lee
- Narrated by: Debra Lee
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As an incredible glass-ceiling breaker and the woman who brought timeless television shows like The Game and Being Mary Jane to cable, Debra Lee has been the visionary responsible for elevating Black images and storytelling for decades. Now she’s telling her own story, in an intimate and eye-opening tale about the triumphant and tricky moments of a career in entertainment.
-
-
Shaky...
- By Lady T. on 03-25-23
By: Debra Lee
Related to this topic
-
The Emperor of Sound
- A Memoir
- By: Timbaland, Veronica Chambers
- Narrated by: William Harper
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Timbaland is indisputably one of the most innovative music producers working today. The Grammy Award–wining producer, rapper, songwriter, and composer has collaborated with the mega-superstars of pop, rap, hip-hop, and R&B, from Jay Z to 50, Madonna to Justin, Nelly to Björk. His solo album Shock Value has sales tipped in the millions, and the video for his international chart-topping single "Apologize" has been viewed more than 100 million times on YouTube.
-
-
It's called a De-esser
- By Ethan on 05-02-16
By: Timbaland, and others
-
Wild Tales
- A Rock & Roll Life
- By: Graham Nash
- Narrated by: Graham Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Graham Nash - the legendary musician and founding member of the iconic bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Hollies - comes a candid and riveting autobiography that belongs on the reading list of every classic rock fan.
-
-
The Best of the Recent Rock Biographies
- By Steven Schuster on 10-28-13
By: Graham Nash
-
Ice
- A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption - from South Central to Hollywood
- By: Douglas Century
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ice-T here offers his hip-hop generation’s Horatio Alger story: the narrative of an orphaned child who, drawn inexorably into a harrowing life of crime, ultimately turns away from the streets and, through self-discipline and a single-minded work ethic, forges a path to international fame as a musician and film-and-television star.
-
-
I have a whole new respect for this man!
- By kris on 11-19-12
By: Douglas Century
-
Save Me from Myself
- How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story
- By: Brian "Head" Welch
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In February 2005, more than 10,000 people in Bakersfield, California, watched as Brian “Head” Welch—the former lead guitarist of the controversial rock band Korn—was saved by Jesus Christ. The event set off a media frenzy as observers from around the world sought to understand what led this rock star out of the darkness and into the light.
-
-
Another Way
- By jerry on 04-22-14
-
Got The Life
- By: Fieldy
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By all appearances, Fieldy had the life. But he was on the dark path of excess, alienating friends, families, and loved ones, nearly destroying himself and the band. It took an unexpected tragedy to straighten him out: the death of his father, a born-again Christian, to a mysterious illness. Following his father's dying wish, Fieldy found God. Filled with the spirit of his new faith, Fieldy quit drugs and drinking cold turkey, and found the best part of himself.
-
-
Good story, poor Narrator!
- By Aaron on 11-01-11
By: Fieldy
-
Remembering Whitney
- My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped
- By: Cissy Houston
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the eve of the 2012 Grammy Awards, the world learned of a stunning tragedy: Whitney Houston, unquestionably one of the most remarkable and powerful voices in all of music, had been silenced forever. Over the weeks and months that followed, family, friends, and fans alike tried to understand how such a magnificent talent and beautiful soul could have been taken so early and so unexpectedly. Honest and heartbreaking, this is a mother's story of tears, joy, and her greatest love of all: her daughter, Whitney.
-
-
Nobody Knows Whitney Better Than Mama
- By Kimberly Davis on 04-20-14
By: Cissy Houston
-
The Emperor of Sound
- A Memoir
- By: Timbaland, Veronica Chambers
- Narrated by: William Harper
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Timbaland is indisputably one of the most innovative music producers working today. The Grammy Award–wining producer, rapper, songwriter, and composer has collaborated with the mega-superstars of pop, rap, hip-hop, and R&B, from Jay Z to 50, Madonna to Justin, Nelly to Björk. His solo album Shock Value has sales tipped in the millions, and the video for his international chart-topping single "Apologize" has been viewed more than 100 million times on YouTube.
-
-
It's called a De-esser
- By Ethan on 05-02-16
By: Timbaland, and others
-
Wild Tales
- A Rock & Roll Life
- By: Graham Nash
- Narrated by: Graham Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Graham Nash - the legendary musician and founding member of the iconic bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Hollies - comes a candid and riveting autobiography that belongs on the reading list of every classic rock fan.
-
-
The Best of the Recent Rock Biographies
- By Steven Schuster on 10-28-13
By: Graham Nash
-
Ice
- A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption - from South Central to Hollywood
- By: Douglas Century
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ice-T here offers his hip-hop generation’s Horatio Alger story: the narrative of an orphaned child who, drawn inexorably into a harrowing life of crime, ultimately turns away from the streets and, through self-discipline and a single-minded work ethic, forges a path to international fame as a musician and film-and-television star.
-
-
I have a whole new respect for this man!
- By kris on 11-19-12
By: Douglas Century
-
Save Me from Myself
- How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story
- By: Brian "Head" Welch
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In February 2005, more than 10,000 people in Bakersfield, California, watched as Brian “Head” Welch—the former lead guitarist of the controversial rock band Korn—was saved by Jesus Christ. The event set off a media frenzy as observers from around the world sought to understand what led this rock star out of the darkness and into the light.
-
-
Another Way
- By jerry on 04-22-14
-
Got The Life
- By: Fieldy
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By all appearances, Fieldy had the life. But he was on the dark path of excess, alienating friends, families, and loved ones, nearly destroying himself and the band. It took an unexpected tragedy to straighten him out: the death of his father, a born-again Christian, to a mysterious illness. Following his father's dying wish, Fieldy found God. Filled with the spirit of his new faith, Fieldy quit drugs and drinking cold turkey, and found the best part of himself.
-
-
Good story, poor Narrator!
- By Aaron on 11-01-11
By: Fieldy
-
Remembering Whitney
- My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped
- By: Cissy Houston
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the eve of the 2012 Grammy Awards, the world learned of a stunning tragedy: Whitney Houston, unquestionably one of the most remarkable and powerful voices in all of music, had been silenced forever. Over the weeks and months that followed, family, friends, and fans alike tried to understand how such a magnificent talent and beautiful soul could have been taken so early and so unexpectedly. Honest and heartbreaking, this is a mother's story of tears, joy, and her greatest love of all: her daughter, Whitney.
-
-
Nobody Knows Whitney Better Than Mama
- By Kimberly Davis on 04-20-14
By: Cissy Houston
-
My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire
- By: Maurice White, Herb Powell
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The late Grammy-winning founder of the legendary pop/R&B/soul/funk/disco group tells his story and charts the rise of his legendary band in this sincere memoir that captures the heart and soul of an artist whose groundbreaking sound continues to influence music today. With a foreword by David Foster.
-
-
Maurice--Earth, Wind and Fire
- By Linda Ealey on 02-28-17
By: Maurice White, and others
-
I Am Brian Wilson
- By: Brian Wilson, Ben Greenman - contributor
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a cofounding member of the Beach Boys in the 1960s, Wilson created some of the most groundbreaking and timeless popular music ever recorded. With intricate harmonies, symphonic structures, and wide-eyed lyrics that explored life's most transcendent joys and deepest sorrows, songs like "In My Room", "God Only Knows", and "Good Vibrations" forever expanded the possibilities of pop songwriting.
-
-
Surviving the Minor Keys in Life - Love Overcomes
- By Russell on 12-01-16
By: Brian Wilson, and others
-
Hit Hard
- By: Joey Kramer
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1997, amid Aerosmith's sold-out world tour and number one album release, Joey revealed in an interview his ongoing struggles with depression. The response from fans and people battling those same internal demons was overwhelming. Joey now tells the complete story: the early days of the band, glamorous drug-addled events leading up to their eventual sobriety, battles within his family and among bandmates, and the explosive internal dynamics in Aerosmith.
-
-
The things we never knew
- By bluestar on 08-22-18
By: Joey Kramer
-
The Gospel According to Luke
- By: Steve Lukather
- Narrated by: Steve Lukather
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this incisive memoir, Steve Lukather tells the complete Toto story. He also lifts the lid on what went on behind the closed studio doors, shedding light on the unique creative processes of some of the most legendary names in music: from Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, and Elton John to Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, and Aretha Franklin. Lukather’s extraordinary tale also encompasses the dark side of stardom and the American Dream. Frank, engaging, and often hilarious, The Gospel According to Luke is no ordinary rock memoir.
-
-
Wow Best Rock Biography Ever
- By Hercules on 09-29-18
By: Steve Lukather
-
Luck or Something Like It
- A Memoir
- By: Kenny Rogers
- Narrated by: Taber Burns
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A remarkable story of a boy who couldn't stop singing, and a man who knew how to hold 'em. For more than half a century, Kenny Rogers has been recording some of the most revered and beloved music in America and around the world. In that time, he has become a living legend by combining everything from R&B to country and gospel to folk in his unique voice to create a sound that's both wholly original and instantly recognizable.
-
-
Fun to listen to.
- By b.sea on 07-25-19
By: Kenny Rogers
-
The One
- The Life and Music of James Brown
- By: R. J. Smith
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Senior editor at L.A. Magazine RJ Smith saw his first book, The Great Black Way, win the coveted California Book Award. With The One, Smith profiles one of the 20th century’s most innovative musical icons, the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Drawing on extensive research and captivating interviews, Smith chronicles Brown’s rise from abject poverty to the pinnacle of fame, while also detailing Brown’s work as a civil rights activist and entrepreneur.
-
-
pitiable, lovable, despicable,understandable
- By Anonymous User on 01-06-13
By: R. J. Smith
-
Bare Bones
- I'm Not Lonely If You're Reading This Book
- By: Bobby Bones
- Narrated by: Bobby Bones
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Growing up poor in Mountain Pine, Arkansas, with a young, addicted mom, Bobby Estell fell in love with country music. Abandoned by his father at the age of five, Bobby saw the radio as his way out - a dream that came true in college when he went on air at the Henderson State University campus station broadcasting as Bobby Bones while simultaneously starting The Bobby Bones Show at 105.9 KLAZ.
-
-
A look inside the narcissist life of Bobby Bones.
- By Selena on 05-20-16
By: Bobby Bones
-
Hurt Road
- The Music, the Memories, and the Miles Between
- By: Mark Lee
- Narrated by: Mark Lee
- Length: 4 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Third Day guitarist Mark Lee is no stranger to heartache and hopes deferred; the road to success is never traveled without missteps along the way. Life is messy and uncertain and full of surprises. And one of the best things he's ever done is let go of his expectations about how life should be in order to embrace life as it is: a moment-by-moment walk with God. Hurt Road is the engaging true story of a man who, as a teen, found in music a refuge from the uncertainties of life.
-
-
Good Story
- By Scott guidry on 07-28-22
By: Mark Lee
-
Anger Is an Energy
- My Life Uncensored
- By: John Lydon
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 18 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
John Lydon is an icon - one of the most recognizable and influential cultural figures of the last 40 years. As Johnny Rotten, he was the lead singer of the Sex Pistols, the world's most notorious band. The Pistols shot to fame in the mid-1970s with songs such as "Anarchy in the U.K." and "God Save the Queen". So incendiary was their impact at the time that in their native England, the Houses of Parliament questioned whether they violated the Traitors and Treasons Act.
-
-
I Just Can't
- By notamatopoeia on 12-30-15
By: John Lydon
-
Deal
- My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with the Grateful Dead
- By: Bill Kreutzmann, Benjy Eisen
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On their 50th anniversary comes a groundbreaking rock-and-roll memoir by one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead. The Grateful Dead are perhaps the most legendary American rock band of all time. For 30 years, beginning in the hippie scene of San Francisco in 1965, they were a musical institution, the original jam band that broke new ground in so many ways.
-
-
Decent but not great
- By Monty S on 03-02-16
By: Bill Kreutzmann, and others
-
God, Family, Country
- A Memoir
- By: Craig Morgan, Jim DeFelice
- Narrated by: Craig Morgan
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1989, as US news outlets declared an end to Operation Just Cause, Craig Morgan was part of an elite group of military operatives jumping into the jungle along the Panamanian border on a covert operation. Fans know the country music star from his hit songs and acclaimed albums, but there’s a lot more to him—a soldier who worked with the CIA in Panama, an undercover agent who fought sex traffickers in Thailand, and a dedicated family man who lives the values he sings.
-
-
A Lesson on Life, Love and Sustaining Faith.
- By Timothy Sidwell on 10-04-22
By: Craig Morgan, and others
-
Born to Run
- By: Bruce Springsteen
- Narrated by: Bruce Springsteen
- Length: 18 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl's halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That's how this extraordinary autobiography began. Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to this audio the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs.
-
-
Me Springsteen's book moved me beyond words...
- By Ellen O'Brien on 12-12-16
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Mouths Don't Speak
- By: Katia D. Ulysse
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one was prepared for the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010, taking over a quarter-million lives, and leaving millions of others homeless. Three thousand miles away, Jacqueline Florestant mourns the presumed death of her parents, while her husband, a former US marine and combat veteran, cares for their three-year-old daughter as he fights his own battles with acute PTSD. Horrified and guilt-ridden, Jacqueline returns to Haiti in search of the proverbial “closure”.
By: Katia D. Ulysse
-
American Street
- By: Ibi Zoboi
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie - a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola's mother is detained by US immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins - Chantal, Donna, and Princess - the grittiness of Detroit's West Side, a new school, and a surprising romance all on her own.
-
-
A lot to unpack
- By AudioBookHoe on 07-18-17
By: Ibi Zoboi
-
Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend
- Notes from the Other Side of the Fist Bump
- By: Ben Philippe
- Narrated by: James Fouhey
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In an era in which “I have many black friends” is often a medal of Wokeness, Ben hilariously chronicles the experience of being on the receiving end of those fist bumps. He takes us through his immigrant childhood, from wanting nothing more than friends to sit with at lunch, to his awkward teenage years, to college in the age of Obama, and adulthood in the Trump administration - two sides of the same American coin.
-
-
Simply amazing
- By Anonymous User on 05-08-21
By: Ben Philippe
-
The Garden of Broken Things
- A Novel
- By: Francesca Momplaisir
- Narrated by: Jade Wheeler, Karen Chilton, Francesca Momplaisir
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Genevieve, a single mother, flies from New York to Port-au-Prince with her teenage son, Miles. The trip is meant to be an education for fifteen-year-old Miles—a chance to learn about his family’s roots while coming to terms with his father’s departure—but it’s also an excuse for Genevieve to escape the city, where her life is dominated by her failed marriage and the daily pressures of raising Black children in America.
-
Truly, Madly, Royally
- By: Debbie Rigaud
- Narrated by: Debbie Rigaud
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zora's not expecting to vibe with any of her super-privileged classmates. So she's shocked to find she's got chemistry with Owen Whittelsey, who is charming, funny, undeniably cute...and turns out to literally be a prince. As in, his parents are the king and queen of a small European country. What? Suddenly, Zora's summer is looking a lot more complicated - especially when Owen asks her to be his date at his older brother's wedding. Can her feelings for Owen, not to mention her sense of self, survive the royal chaos?
-
-
Light-hearted, fun read!
- By Ten Nicole on 06-07-21
By: Debbie Rigaud
-
My Mother's House
- A Novel
- By: Francesca Momplaisir
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton, Janina Edwards, Dion Graham
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Lucien flees Haiti with his wife, Marie-Ange, and their three children to New York City’s South Ozone Park, he does so hoping for reinvention, wealth, and comfort. He buys a run-down house in a quickly changing community, and begins life anew. Lucien and Marie-Ange call their home La Kay—“my mother’s house”—and it becomes a place where their fellow immigrants can find peace, a good meal, and necessary legal help.
-
-
it was different.
- By jaime on 10-07-22
-
Mouths Don't Speak
- By: Katia D. Ulysse
- Narrated by: Janina Edwards
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one was prepared for the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010, taking over a quarter-million lives, and leaving millions of others homeless. Three thousand miles away, Jacqueline Florestant mourns the presumed death of her parents, while her husband, a former US marine and combat veteran, cares for their three-year-old daughter as he fights his own battles with acute PTSD. Horrified and guilt-ridden, Jacqueline returns to Haiti in search of the proverbial “closure”.
By: Katia D. Ulysse
-
American Street
- By: Ibi Zoboi
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie - a good life. But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola's mother is detained by US immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins - Chantal, Donna, and Princess - the grittiness of Detroit's West Side, a new school, and a surprising romance all on her own.
-
-
A lot to unpack
- By AudioBookHoe on 07-18-17
By: Ibi Zoboi
-
Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend
- Notes from the Other Side of the Fist Bump
- By: Ben Philippe
- Narrated by: James Fouhey
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In an era in which “I have many black friends” is often a medal of Wokeness, Ben hilariously chronicles the experience of being on the receiving end of those fist bumps. He takes us through his immigrant childhood, from wanting nothing more than friends to sit with at lunch, to his awkward teenage years, to college in the age of Obama, and adulthood in the Trump administration - two sides of the same American coin.
-
-
Simply amazing
- By Anonymous User on 05-08-21
By: Ben Philippe
-
The Garden of Broken Things
- A Novel
- By: Francesca Momplaisir
- Narrated by: Jade Wheeler, Karen Chilton, Francesca Momplaisir
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Genevieve, a single mother, flies from New York to Port-au-Prince with her teenage son, Miles. The trip is meant to be an education for fifteen-year-old Miles—a chance to learn about his family’s roots while coming to terms with his father’s departure—but it’s also an excuse for Genevieve to escape the city, where her life is dominated by her failed marriage and the daily pressures of raising Black children in America.
-
Truly, Madly, Royally
- By: Debbie Rigaud
- Narrated by: Debbie Rigaud
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zora's not expecting to vibe with any of her super-privileged classmates. So she's shocked to find she's got chemistry with Owen Whittelsey, who is charming, funny, undeniably cute...and turns out to literally be a prince. As in, his parents are the king and queen of a small European country. What? Suddenly, Zora's summer is looking a lot more complicated - especially when Owen asks her to be his date at his older brother's wedding. Can her feelings for Owen, not to mention her sense of self, survive the royal chaos?
-
-
Light-hearted, fun read!
- By Ten Nicole on 06-07-21
By: Debbie Rigaud
-
My Mother's House
- A Novel
- By: Francesca Momplaisir
- Narrated by: Karen Chilton, Janina Edwards, Dion Graham
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Lucien flees Haiti with his wife, Marie-Ange, and their three children to New York City’s South Ozone Park, he does so hoping for reinvention, wealth, and comfort. He buys a run-down house in a quickly changing community, and begins life anew. Lucien and Marie-Ange call their home La Kay—“my mother’s house”—and it becomes a place where their fellow immigrants can find peace, a good meal, and necessary legal help.
-
-
it was different.
- By jaime on 10-07-22
What listeners say about Purpose
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Blou
- 10-29-12
Eye Opening Bio Story!
Would you consider the audio edition of Purpose to be better than the print version?
Being on my feet for 7 hours while i work and being a full time student, having the audio version of this book gave me an awesome way to listen to this book!!
What was one of the most memorable moments of Purpose?
My most memorable moment in the book Purpose was when wyclef's dad came to one of his shows for the first time and defined the word "Success". Due to the fact that he had a variety of race as fans at his show wyclef's was the word success.
Which scene was your favorite?
favorite scene was wyclef rapping during lunch in high school with the golden mic.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
If i was able to YES!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gbenga Ogunjimi
- 04-10-24
Great, great, great read!
it's not a an autobiography. it's a book filled with insights and wisdom for anyone forging their path in a new country, industry or world.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nephtie F
- 04-21-19
Ayisyen
I just see Wyclef as an artist who is proud to wear his Haitian flag everywhere. Now I understand what he has been through and how he makes it clear to people who listen to all of the negativities. I wish he reads his own book, but the narrator did a good job. I am touched by his sincerity.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mustafa
- 11-20-12
The man behind the man!
What made the experience of listening to Purpose the most enjoyable?
Learning more and more details about a person that gives you an in depth look into what created the artist. The fact of how Wyclef was shaped due to being left behind in Haiti without his parent. I had no idea about he and Lauren Hill's relationship. The explanation of why he chose his wife as his life mate, beautiful. Now I see why their will probably never be another Refuge's project. I'm so glad I purchased the book.
What other book might you compare Purpose to and why?
'The Measure of a Man,' Sidney Poitier and 'Callus on My Soul,' Dick Gregory
Which scene was your favorite?
Too many to name. The book really opened my eyes to how Wyclef was shaped. I think I can say the scene of His father at Carnegie Hall when Wyclef directed the spotlight on him.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Both.
Any additional comments?
Wyclef, I love your book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tracy
- 10-22-12
Good Listen
Any additional comments?
Overall a good story and an easy listen. There were some entertaining parts. Wyclef Jean's personal arrogance, which is on full display, is a definite turn off. At a number of points, I questioned if I would listen to the end. The perception he portrays is the one that he truly believes. I'd bet my last however, that many who really know him may not see him in the same light.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Reginald
- 10-08-12
Great listen....
What made the experience of listening to Purpose the most enjoyable?
Great story...bring back alot of memories growing up not privilged (even though it was in the A versus NJ) and overcoming it....but besides that, no matter where you from its still vey interesting, funny, and moving story of a person's Journey to success. I would tell anyway to check it out....hard to stop lisening...reaaly good listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joseph
- 12-30-23
The raw honesty
Wyclef will always have a special place in my heart. The way he always represents Haiti even when it wasn’t cool to do so. The raw honesty in this book was incredible. But I also saw a man that was a bit selfish. I don’t know how it feels to be famous, but he seems to have been a very bad and selfish husband. His relationship with Lauren added fuel to their creative fire but also caused the Fugees to burn out quickly. The Fugees had at least one more great album together; but their relationship seemed extremely toxic.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tynika
- 09-13-19
Amazingly Written!!
I am amazed at this life story. And I will forever listen to The Score with differently now that I have read the making of that album. I was a fan of Wyclef Jean before reading the book but now I feel like I know more about him now that ever before. His story was so necessary and needed for the culture. I am also relieved that he has set the record straight but his and Lauren Hill’s relationship. His story is raw and gritty but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Haiti should be proud of their native Wyclef Jean!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sweet
- 12-26-20
Good Book
It was very interesting and very relevant to the struggle that remains to this day. he was truthful and honest.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nikki
- 01-25-14
Deep!!!!
Would you consider the audio edition of Purpose to be better than the print version?
Yes the narrator was his brother so it sounded just as if he was telling the story.
Any additional comments?
I loved loved this book.... I can't imagine going through what he went through as a child. However I would have beat his butt too after all his parents sacraficed, he comes here and do the things he did...Try to kill his grandma oh my god I was stunned lol.. But his rise to fame was that of a man with AMBITION! I applaud him for that. His relationship with Lauren was the best part ever because everyone speculated back then but it wasn't a big story. Great book thanks for sharing
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!