Remember the Times - by Teddy Riley (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Grammy Award-winning R&B and hip-hop legend Teddy Riley recounts his journey from growing up in the projects in Harlem to inventing the genre New Jack Swing, selling out shows at Madison Square Garden, and creating music for Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, and more.

Since the early '80s, Teddy Riley has revolutionized the music industry, from his creation of New Jack Swing to his work in R&B, hip-hop, gospel, soul, and pop that forever changed the industry. His profound influence still resonates today, and he has been inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame, awarded the Soul Train Legend Award and given his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now, Riley--with coauthor, award-winning biographer Jake Brown--lifts the curtain on his fascinating and inspiring journey with this unforgettable memoir of talent, resilience, collaboration, betrayal, and creativity.

With heart and humor, Riley reflects on his beginnings as musical prodigy growing up in Harlem and the highs and lows of working with some of the biggest names in the industry. From masterminding his own acclaimed groups, such as Guy and Blackstreet, to producing groundbreaking hits such as Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative" and writing and producing with legends like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Lady Gaga, and more, Riley takes us on a remarkable journey that parallels the explosion of new genres and Black influence in the contemporary music landscape.

Remember the Times also candidly illustrates the evolution of popular music through the '80s to today, taking us behind the scenes directly from the man who grew "to define the sound and reinvigorate contemporary R&B and hip-hop" (Mixdown Magazine, Australia).

Review Quotes

"Riley's tone is appealingly conversational, and colorful behind-the-scene details are interwoven into a big-picture look at how popular music has evolved, from hip-hop to K-pop, during his time in the industry. The result is a candid, illuminating window into the career of one of rap and R&B's major players." --Publishers Weekly

"Before I was making records, I was buying [Teddy's] records. I was inspired by the whole movement that he had with the New Jack Swing and the R&B records ... He's a guy that you sit back and wait for his records to come out, so you can see what you're going to do next." --Snoop Dogg

"Teddy's just dope ... I like to hear something that's like, Damn, why didn't I think of that? That's what I like to hear." --Dr. Dre

"That's who I patterned myself after because Teddy is not just a hip-hop producer. That's how I try to approach music ... If there wasn't a Teddy Riley, there would be no Timbaland, no Neptunes, and no me." --will.i.am

"To understand Riley's impact, you have to meticulously connect the dots to a long list of producers and artists who have worshipped at the altar of the genius one-man-band. Without the Guy and Blackstreet leader's blueprint, there would be no Mary J. Blige, Jermaine Dupri, Jodeci, Usher, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Dru Hill, the Neptunes, Chris Brown, The-Dream, or Bruno Mars. He was merging rap and soul before Roddy Ricch was literally conceived." --Vibe

About the Author

Teddy Riley is a two-time Grammy Award-winning musician and producer with more than one thousand credits to his name across R&B, hip-hop, soul, pop, and more. He invented his own musical genre, New Jack Swing, masterminded groups Guy and Blackstreet, worked with superstars Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, and many more, and has continuously produced chart-topping music throughout his nearly forty-year career. Visit TeddyRiley.com for more information.

Jake Brown has published sixty books in his twenty-five-year career. Visit JakeBrownBooks.com for more information.