Kanye West Owes Me $300

And Other True Stories from a White Rapper Who Almost Made It Big

By: Jensen Karp

Narrated by: Jensen Karp, Chris MacDonnell

In this “triumphantly funny” (AV Club) memoir, comedian Jensen Karp tells the story of how, as a Jewish kid from the L.A. suburbs, he became a rap battle legend—and then almost became a star.

“The funniest person I follow on Twitter finally got smart and wrote about his unlikely—and hilarious—odyssey as teenage rapper Hot Karl.”—Kevin Smith, New York Times bestselling author of Tough Sh*t

When twelve-year old Jensen Karp got his first taste of rapping for crowds at his friend’s bar mitzvah in 1991, little did he know that he was taking his first step on a journey that would end with a failed million-dollar recording and publishing deal with Interscope Records when he was only nineteen. Now, in Kanye West Owes Me $300, Karp finally tells the true story of his wild ride as “Hot Karl,” the most famous white rapper you’ve never heard of.

On his way to (almost) celebrity, Jensen shares his childhood run-ins with rock-listening, Southern California classmates, who tell him that “rap is for black people,” and then recounts his record-breaking rap battling streak on popular radio contest “The Roll Call”—a run that caught the eye of a music industry hungry for new rap voices in the early ’00s. He also introduces his rap partner, Rickye, who constitutes the second half of their group XTra Large; his supportive mom, who performs with him onstage; and the soon-to-be-household-name artists he records with, including Redman, Fabolous, Mya, and will.i.am. Finally, he reveals why his album never saw the light of day (two words: Slim Shady), the downward spiral he suffered after, and what he found instead of rap glory.

Full of rollicking stories from his close brush with fame, Karp’s hilarious memoir is the ultimate fish-out-of-water story about a guy who follows an unlikely passion—trying to crack the rap game—despite what everyone else says. It’s 30 Rock for the rap set; 8 Mile for the suburbs; and quite the journey for a white kid from the valley.

Awesome book!

What a great story. I grew up around the same time frame and area. I recognized a lot this hip hop references as I too was a very big hip hop head. The whole story was very well articulated and having it read by Jensen gave it a more personal feel. And I too would agree that Canibus should have never done a song with Wyclef.

Jensen is a good storyteller.

Great, fun, and honest. You can't ask for more. The book was well read by the author, and the secondary narrator for the rap lyrics was a nice touch.

loved it

entertaining as can be. i feel so bad for the guy . he's talented. amazeballs

A fun listen

perfect story to listen to for two back to back 6 hour flights. well told and easy to listen to.

Great Storyteller

What made the experience of listening to Kanye West Owes Me $300 the most enjoyable?

Amazing stories. Funny, dated pop culture references. Clever battle rap punch lines.

What other book might you compare Kanye West Owes Me $300 to and why?

Gasping for Airtime by Jay Mohr

What about Jensen Karp and Chris MacDonnell ’s performance did you like?

Nailed it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

So glad Jensen read the book. I laughed throughout.

Any additional comments?

Hey Jensen, where can I hear that late 90's demo? Can't wait for the movie.