The Next Next Level

Expanded from the author’s N+1 Magazine feature article of the same title, this combination of memoir and biography focuses on the musical stylings of Wisconsin-born rap-rocker Juiceboxxx. Neyfakh, a culture writer at Slate and the New York Observer, details his own very personal history with “Juice” and the niche DIY music scene both of them grew up with. From Juice’s first outing at a Unitarian Church concert to his viral fame and world tours, Neyfakh shadows his down-to-earth idol—sometimes from afar, sometimes via lengthy in-person interviews and show recaps—in an attempt to nail down what makes the rapper’s music so intriguing and authentic. Unfortunately, Neyfakh also spends a great deal of time wallowing in fascination with his own life, definitions of art, and several previous attempts to evangelize on Juice’s behalf, anecdotes that bog down the narrative. Neyfakh may reel in a few Juiceboxxx fans and even some interested newcomers, but his narrative is a touch too self-involved to yield a completely successful biography. (July)