Syndicate Media Group

A publishing venture aimed at fans of hip-hop music made its debut Tuesday and quickly became the object of criticism from some community activists. The Los Angeles-based Syndicate Media Group launched sales of a pulp-fiction book series that will include CDs of previously unreleased hip-hop music. The books will be available at Tower Records and some other retail outlets, said Marc Gerald, president of the publishing company.

It's a quick-cut, fast-and-furious world: Dom Perignon. 9-millimeter Walthers, shrink-wrapped Benjamins, Ferrari 360 Modenas, skyscraper-cribs with wraparound views. And women. Of course, women. Wall-to-wall women--ambient and muted as a background score. No. Not a Hype Williams rap video. Nor a hidden track from Mos Def.

It's a quick-cut, fast-and-furious world: Dom Perignon. 9-millimeter Walthers, shrink-wrapped Benjamins, Ferrari 360 Modenas, skyscraper-cribs with wraparound views. And women. Of course, women. Wall-to-wall women--ambient and muted as a background score. No. Not a Hype Williams rap video. Nor a hidden track from Mos Def.

A publishing venture aimed at fans of hip-hop music made its debut Tuesday and quickly became the object of criticism from some community activists. The Los Angeles-based Syndicate Media Group launched sales of a pulp-fiction book series that will include CDs of previously unreleased hip-hop music. The books will be available at Tower Records and some other retail outlets, said Marc Gerald, president of the publishing company.