Have You Met Miss Jones?: The Life and Loves of Radio's Most Controversial Diva

“Even though I’ve tried to wear glass slippers, somebody has deliberately knocked them off my feet. Because of that, I have walked the earth emotionally barefoot, and expressed my lack of self-esteem and rage in ways that clouded my judgment. I was a participant in a lot of drama. Didn’t mean to be . . . it was never my intention.”

So confesses Tarsha Jones, host of New York’s popular radio show Miss Jones in the Morning. “Jonesy,” as she’s known to her fans, captivates millions of Hot 97 listeners with her daily dish on hip-hop and rap celebrity. But within these pages are the juicy scandals that even this no-holds-barred DJ has kept off the airwaves. For the first time, Jones reveals everything–from candid stories of her early singing career under Doug E. Fresh’s wing (and between his sheets) to a wild affair with Busta Rhymes; from bitter feuds with Wendy Williams and shock jocks Star and Buc Wild to friendships with Patti LaBelle and Isaac Hayes; from collaborations with Fat Joe and Big Pun all the way to catfights with Christina Milian and Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles. Jones lets it all hang out and doesn’t tiptoe around anyone’s feelings–including her own.

Beginning with her volatile upbringing as the child of alcoholic parents and the target of bullying peers, Jones takes us on a journey of self-exploration, recounting how she survived abusive relationships, twisted coworkers, and backstabbing bosses to ultimately rise through the radio ranks and make it to the top of her game. But more than just a tell-all tale, this inspirational memoir is a testament to the struggles of a black woman trying to succeed in a white male-dominated industry, where the sharks never stop circling no matter how much you achieve. For those who love steamy entertainment gossip, admire coming-of-age chronicles of resilience, or just like to see emperors (and moguls) without clothes, so to speak, the pages will fly. Even devoted listeners who think they already know radio’s rowdiest diva will have to ask themselves . . . Have You Met Miss Jones?

Jones, who is New York's hip-hop Hot 97-FM morning DJ, traces her rocky trajectory from the Astoria projects to fame in dishy, inelegant detail. The early years were tough for Jones, born to an epileptic mother who divorced Jones's father early on, remarried periodically, but taught her daughter how to fight and prodded her singing career. Jones attended Manhattan's prestigious High School of Music and Art with Ricky Walters, aka MC Slick Rick, and attended Syracuse University. She was introduced to rapper Doug E. Fresh, who became instrumental in igniting Jones's early singing career in the early 1990s; toured with Fresh's Get Fresh Crew; romanced hip-hop superstar Busta Rhymes; recorded the song Two Way Street then was asked to join Ed Lover and Dr. Dre on their Hot 97 morning show. Although she considered herself a singer first, being a DJ became her bread and butter. Jones has her axes in work and love to grind, and it makes for cluttered, pedestrian reading. (July)
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