Korean American rapper Johnny Park, known as Dumbfoundead, is out with a memoir and heading to Honolulu for a sold-out signing — good news for fans of Asian American storytelling.

• The book, *Spit: A Life in Battles*, covers his teens through early 20s in the Los Angeles freestyle and battle rap scene.
• Now 40, he frames those years of trading insults on stage as what toughened him up and shaped him as a person.
• It comes from Third State Books, an independent publisher focused on Asian American stories, and is also in Barnes & Noble.
• His message to young Asian Americans who feel shut out or unwelcome right now: your story is interesting and worth telling.
• He has been performing across Hawaii for 15 years and recently turned up on The Daily Show.

Outlook: Once the book tour winds down, he expects to work on a new album and possibly tour again.