Book- The Pink Palace

Author- Marlon McCaulsky
Publisher- Triple Crown Productions
Copyright 2008
Pages- 247
ISBN- 978-0-9099517-5-6

The Pink Palace was a surprising story with a twist that made the book worth reading. Although it had its usual players (drug dealers, gold diggers, etc) roaming through the pages, I did not see one of them really being a cop.

Janelle has to hit the streets at the age of 17 when her stepfather rapes her. Determined to stay alive and not be used, she tries to fix her life up and keep going straight, but the money she’s earning isn’t enough to support her, and the relative that she is staying with will soon be departing. She then meets up with her cousin Nikki, who is definitely get PAID, and she wants in. Nikki buts her down with the cash and that cash is coming from her place of employment and that place is the Pink Palace (of course, it’s a strip club).

Nikki is one of the best dancers at The Pink Palace she’s willing to do anything if the money is right, when she sees that her cousin needs a little help with some money she introduces her to stripping. Together they are the hottest dancers in the club. Janelle adopts the name Mo’Nique and starts her life in the fast lane. One of the first rules that she learns from her money hungry cousin is don’t fall for you trick. That becomes easier said than done for Mo’Nique.

On the outside, Tommy is a street hustler and the right hand man to Damien but in reality he’s an undercover cop trying to bring down King, Harlem’s biggest drug lord. Tommy is on a mission and won’t let anybody try and deter him, but when he meets Mo’Nique he falls for her and he is in limbo as to whether or not he can trust her. Will she rat him out and get him killed?

Damien is a street hustler working for King who wants control of Atlanta. He has a lot of respect for Tommy and plans to put Tommy down when he becomes the Boss. All he has to do is get rid of Dre who already has the streets under control but that isn’t easy especially when the girl he’s with also sleeps with the enemy.

These four characters are about to get a lesson in what really matters in life. Some will learn and change for the better, while others will learn the hard way or die without even trying.

All in all, the book should be read on that train ride to and from work, school, etc. It has enough flavor, twists, and turns to keep the pages turning.

Reviewer-Agasa Elitou

Literary Review- War of the Bloods in My Veins

Author- Dashaun "Jiwe" Morris

Publisher- Simon & Schuster
Copyright 2008
Pages- 222

ISBN- 978-1-4165-4846-1

War of the Bloods in My Veins is a gripping, tell-all, book by a true member of the Bloods. Dashaun “Jiwe” Morris was a gang member who served time in prison for his misguided acts although he was nearly a shoe-in with the NFL.

Jiwe’s book reads as a diary that shares his inner most feelings while going through a whirlwind of violence, anger, tragedy, and desire. As he tells his story he begins to analyze himself and realizes that it is he, and only he, who stands in the way of making a difference for himself and his daughter.

Jiwe was exposed to the violent life when he was very young and he was sent off by his mother to his Uncle and Aunt’s home in Phoenix, Arizona from New Jersey. While living with his extended family, he is exposed to the strict life of Islam and his aunt, a very devout woman, is not the one to play with because she is a disciplinarian that shows no mercy. Jiwe is not use to this type of order, not even from his mother, so he rebels and wishes for his mother’s arrival.

How does a young man cope when he feels alone? Well, most boys turn to the ones that show the attention that they so yearn for-- even if it is in a gang. Jiwe knew that something was not right when he first encountered a Blood member whose brother (another Blood) came out to defend his brother with a baseball bat and they both beat the crap out of the boy. Although it seemed wrong to beat someone nearly to death, the fact that a loved one would do that for his own was astounding.

After his encounter with his friend and his brother, he realizes that he is looking to belong and he finds that belonging with the Bloods. He is later asked to do the ultimate in order to prove that he is down with the red flags. Does he do it? What do they ask him to do? One would only imagine if they don’t read the book.

When he later moves back to New Jersey with his mother and brother, he meets up with a friend and they form a Blood click in Orange, New Jersey. It is here that he vows that to be a brother means to die for a brother, and no man or woman can come between them. They Rob, steal and terrorize the community. They think that the only people that they are hurting are their sworn enemies the Crips, but DaShaun soon realizes that he is hurting his people.

Dashaun also encountered his father who he had never seen until he was well in his teens. He also found out that he had a brother who was in fact a cop. How ironic. Needless to say, Dashaun questions where his father had been for most of his life because of course, he was a very big piece to the puzzle that would help complete his life but seeing him only made the picture seem more unclear.

Dashaun has finally gotten his break and is in college but he takes his gang mentality with him and it is not as easy as it seems to leave his past behind him. His reputation travels throughout the campus, not to mention he still wears the colors. People are drawn to him; people fear him, and some people are willing to test him and because of these compelling reasons, he finds himself in prison.
While serving time he promises himself that he will do better especially for his newborn little girl and that is what this book is about—change.

What makes War of the Bloods in My Veins such an excellent read is that you get it! I mean, the brother is not bragging about his gun-toting lifestyle; he is not giving us colorful drama that makes us believe that we are reading the usual urban fiction; we are not even talking about sex. He is giving every parent the opportunity to understand what our youth are thinking when they are being neglected. It is important to read this book with the understanding that parents should be very concerned about what they say and do around their children and in many cases when they are not around, and be sure that you listen. Listening to our children and helping them to our best abilities is what will keep them alive.

It is great that he took responsibility for his actions because it would have been too easy to blame his parents. It is great to read that Dashaun took a serious look at his life and dedicated it to making a change for himself and his community. Now the only thing left is to continue to make others aware that they too can do the same.

Reviewer- Heather Elitou

Book Review- Amongst Thieves

Title: Amongst Thieves
Publishers: Triple Crown Publications
ISBN: 978-0-9799517-2-5
Author: Quentin Carter
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 316

Reading Amongst Thieves is like watching a movie. If you liked the movie Scarface, Casino, and Ocean’s 11 then this is a book that will keep your interest. It is filled with so much action that it keeps you reading to the very end.

Ramon Delay is a ruthless thief who loves money and he won’t let anyone get in his way of it—not even his own daughter, Trishay. After serving 15 years for the murder of his ex wife’s brother, Ramon is back on the streets of Kansas ready to announce his arrival. He gets back in touch with his crew so that they can continue where they left in their crime sprees, but Roman has a bigger plan brewing.

Ramon’s childhood friend, Snug Brim has been riding with him since the beginning as they kill and rob making the streets of Kansas hot. Also in the crew is Bobby who scouts the targets of their desire; AJ who supplies the artillery; Chico who drives the getaway car and Yawni who is used like a cunning spider who creates an incredible web of distraction for their victims entangling them to be left as bait and kill for the crew.

The crew is ready to make the big leagues earning more weight (money) then they have ever gotten before, but with more money comes... you guessed it, more problems! Greed makes these close friends become very distant from each other. Do they turn on each other? Do they seek revenge for the money that they have lost? Of, course otherwise this would not be an interesting story.

Suddenly, a young woman by the name of Jayde enters the life of Ramon and she is all that he can think about. She seems to be the woman of his dreams but Jayde is holding back a secret that when exposed could mean the death of Ramon and her guilty pleasure. Their relationship takes Ramon on an emotional and physical ride that leads to a shocking end.

I was pleased with the realness of the story because it was not about a bunch of teens that were making millions in the game because that is so played out and definitely not as lifelike as the other books make it out to be. You can see that just by watching the news. This book is based on gangstas in their forties and it takes quite some time for them to come up to the millions status.

One thing that drove me crazy was how Jayde entered the scene... it almost didn’t make sense. It was when the secret was revealed that it made the book that much more interesting.

Be sure to check out this book and be sure to let me know what you think of the ending and Jayde’s secret...

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

2nd Annual Black Lily Film & Music Festival

The 2nd Annual Black Lily Film & Music Festival took place this year May 1-4, 2008 in Philly, PA. This year was not just about the films and music but there were also workshops that related to the favorable art industries that included fashion, film, editing, and Djing.

The opening day reception was featuring the movie, New Year Baby (http://www.newyearbaby.net/). Other movies that were on the top list were: Africa, Unite (www.palmpictures.com/film/africa-unite) a documentary on the family of Bob Marley; African-American Women on the Bandstand which focuses on women and their contribution to Jazz through dance; Hair Stories featuring Yvette Smalls is about the history and culture behind the hairstyles of African- American women; Silent Choices was a documentary that spoke on the impact that is created by the decisions to have an abortion. Other great features were Trouble the Water (http://www.troublewaterfilm.com/) which is about a young couple that is trapped in New Orleans while trying to begin a new life; and This is the Life (http://www.goodlifelove.com/) is a documentary about a small health food store that is frequented by young people that are looking to find their place in Hip Hop only to travel different paths.

One of the most anticipated events of this four day long explosion --of art by women only-- is the concerts that are filled with independent and commercial artists that bless the stage with their remarkable talents. Although last year there were more well known names like Jill Scott, Ursula Rucker and a guest appearance by Amy Winehouse, this year put the Indie artists on blast and most did not disappoint making them artist to watch.

The first act was Waheed formerly known as Gov’t Cheaz (glad they changed the name) tried their very best to rock out but the mic system was shot to hell. What we were able to make out of the crews energetic stage performance was their rendition of “Scenario” by Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of the News School. Credit is due to them for trying to make the best out of a weird situation as the technicians never did seem to make the microphone technicalities any better.

The entertaining Amanda Diva was not only the gracious MC for the evening but she also performed from her latest CD, Life Experience. A favorite from her CD is “Supa-Woman” which definitely caught the attention of the crowd full of women as they sang along to the hook, “Outstanding, Extraordinary, Supa-Woman.” This multi-talented young lady is definitely and artists on the verge of making a difference in the overly dominated hip-hop industry.

J*Davey are also artists that definitely capture the interests of the audiences in which they perform. The young duo put it down with a very unique sound that is quite hard to label. As the modelesque sister with the Mohawk glided across the stage delivering her best voice which is reminiscent of the legendary Eartha Kitt, she sang Lazy Daze in which she asked audience members to join her on stage and give their best impression of the Carlton Dance (Fresh Prince of Bel Air). One of the favorite songs was “Dollar or More” which had the whole place rocking out.

Philly’s own Bahamadia did the damn thing when she rapped one of the crowd’s favorites “Cheap Chic’s”. She proved that she still had what it takes when she delivered us an acapella freestyle that made the crowd hype. There will never be another like Bahamadia.

Jaguar Wright is a singer that is way underrated. She is truly a singer that takes you back to the idea of a smoky speakeasy filled with singers like Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters, and Lena Horne. She can sing! Her personality on stage is like that of Millie Jackson which is not to everyone’s liking but that is just who she is— love her or hate her. As she slowly made her way to the stage with drink in hand, pocket book under her arm, and a scarf tied around her hair, she begin to belt out the lyrics to “What If” which sent the crowd into a frenzy. “What sound are we singing actually? I mean I didn’t have a sound check or nothing,” Jaguar joked. How disappointing that could have been from many other artists that could have been on the agenda but Jaguar made up for the “oops” when she belted out “So High”.

Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets was there and although she is a favorite within the hip-hop world, her stage appearance and performance was very lackluster compared to what it was in the nineties. She performed her memorable parts in songs “A Nickel Bag of Funk” and “Cool Like That” and she also performed from her solo debut CD, “Trip the Light Fantastic”. Overall, it was great to see one of the best underrated female emcees from the nineties and I wish her much success.

A jazz vocalist to watch and absolutely worth listening to is Lizz Wright. With a voice that flows like water and as loud and calming as rapid waterfalls, Lizz performed a very thought provoking melodies with Toshi Reagon who is also known to funk out folk music. As Lizz performed, the spectators were in a serene trance that lasted until her final note.

Slick & Rose were very entertaining and unquestionably on the radar of people to watch in the music industry. Slick who commands attention with her wild and crazy faces makes her engaging and fun to watch, while Rose is the sexy and sassy chick that is attracts the eye with her come hither stares and movements. As a duo they are absolutely perfect. “Breakdown” and “Chemical” were very upbeat tempos that made you bob your head. They were awesome.

Awards were handed out to recipients who are making a difference in arts and they were very well deserved. Those honorees are: Bernice Reagon (Living Legend Music), Pearl Bowser (Living Legend, Film), Martha Diaz (Emerging Leader, Music), Jeri Lynne Johnson (Social Change) Stephanie Black (Smirnoff Social Change), Tia Lessin (Artistic Change, Film), and Bahamadia (Artistic Change, Music).

Other performers that were there were, Zaki Ibrahim (sorry Hun, but your mics were not audible), Muhsinah (her performance was very artistic meaning, but it was hard to get) and Emoni Fela. Some can charge it to the technicians while other... well, they did their best.
Overall, the Black Lily had yet another successful year that was extended with great workshops for our young women and women who are in the mist of learning the male dominated industry. It was pleasing to see films with meaning and purpose that relate to women on an everyday basis and music that is fun and memorable. In addition, the awards that were distributed were well earned. Black Lily Film and Music Festival is an event that is worth waiting for because you never know what you are going to get and those that miss it, miss a whole lot.

Visit http://www.blacklilyfilm.org/ for information on next year.

Book Review- Prison Chronicles

Janaya Black is a talented young writer who has created stories that are better than your average street fiction her Prison Chronicle stories are definitely captivating from beginning to end as she shares stories of women in prison and what led them to their situation.

We meet Vanessa Jackson the reporter for Womens Lib Magazine in the first book, The Breaking Point. Her first interview is with Marion Hayes a young woman who was convicted for killing the man she loved. Although her love for him was strong his betrayal stabbed her in her heart and she stabbed back... to death. But what led to this betrayal was it the loss of her baby brother or was it the rape that she encountered? No one can get to the bottom of the story better than Vanessa and she plans to help her friend come to peace with her actions and consquences if it kills her. As told by the other woman is yet another mouth opening story about a young woman that is facing 15 years in prison for the murder of her lovers’ wife. Timberlynn was beginning to change her life for the better until she met, Tre, a smooth talking man who took advantage of the heart of a very young and naïve 18 year old girl who had just came out of the starting gates. After running her around and pulling her by the heart strings, she is faced to make a decision that will ultimately ruin many lives.

And lastly, Vanessa journeys back to prisons where she meets a woman who had nothing but revenge on her mind and the thirst for the blood of the man that killed her sister. In Beautiful Rage: The Break of Dawn, we meet young and beautiful Dawn Langston who snapped after the release of the man that killed her sister. So built with rage, Dawn executes a plan to give back all the pain and suffering that the brutal murderer gave her sister. While Dawn expresses that she has no regrets, Vanessa wonders if meeting this woman and listening to her story will drive her over the edge.

What is so enjoyable about the Prison Chronicles is that although each and every story has a gruesome and shocking ending, but there is a lesson: there are always consequences for your actions and karma can be a b**ch.

Janaya Black is definitely a writer to follow as she tells the story of women who have suffered from abuse and neglect so perfectly that she will make men think twice before they cross another woman.

Check out her books and website at: http://www.black-smithenterprises.com/

Literary Review- Multiplicity

Author: Rita Carter
Publishing Date: April 2008
Publisher: Little Brown
ISBN: 0-316-11538-x
Price: $24.99


Have you ever lost track of time or thought that you were shy but every one else says that you are not? Have you ever made the statement, “I don’t know what got into me” or “I was somebody else back then?” If so, then you are witnessing MULTIPLICITY, according to the new science of personality. In fact, the main subject discussed in this book is that we all have multiple personalities albeit— not necessarily a disorder but the way nature intended things to be. Author, Rita Carter, calls this phenomena human plurality which is to say that psychologically, we are not individuals but a community of personalities in an individual body. If this is so, then we are definitely in trouble of finding ourselves in disunity with our neighbors, i.e. other personalities within our bodies.
Imagine, if you will, awakening to find that another personality that lives inside of you. Lets say the fighter in you (although it can easily be the promiscuous person or the gullible person inside of you) has done something that causes the rest of your personalities; the father or the mother, the giver and/or the helper to suffer. The way our current society thinks, there is one body and one person within. We will quickly find that we have gotten ourselves into trouble with absolutely no way for the other personalities to plead their cases. In fact, the entire community of people (personalities) may be punished for the acts of one personality within our psyche.

For many decades we have seen criminals tried for this offense and a great deal of them say that they do not know what got into them. According to the new science, it’s not so much what got into them, but what was inside of them all the while. There is a community of personalities better known as multiple personalities. Many of us are under the impression that multiple personality automatically means disorder but Multiple Personality Disorder is when the personalities become so dominant that the others can’t stop its actions. This disorder could be as simple as obsession with cleanliness to murderous tendencies.

However, we have all said at one time or another that we cannot account for our actions or that we do not know why we were thinking the way we were. So, could we truly be going along for the ride of each personality within us? Well, before you get upset, it may be a relief to know that the only time you are in danger of suffering from the misgivings of some other personality living inside of you is if you have a multiple personality disorder. If you have a healthy but very outward case of multiple personality or human plurality each personality is likely to be relative to the rest of the community, and therefore not so different that the life choices made by each personality are totally opposite each other.

The concept reminds me of George Gurdjieff who explained that we have no permanent and unchangeable "I".

"Each minute, each moment, man is saying or thinking 'I.' And each time his I is different. Just now it was a thought, now it is a desire, now a sensation, now another thought, and so on, endlessly. Man is a plurality. Man's name is legion," says Gurdjieff.

George Gurdjieff took some of his ideas from Buddhist and Sufi psychology which teaches that there is no stable essence, no individual "I". Instead, traditional Buddhists divide the self into skandas which are heaps that are composed of shifting thoughts and awareness. Sufis divide the many stages of self into what they call nefs. What makes the difference between the old and the new science of personality is that instead of saying that there is no “I” but rather a conglomeration of thoughts and desires, Multiplicity is saying that there are many “I’s” within one body. However, like one of Gurdjieff’s disciples, Oscar Ichazo, Rita Carter has a personality wheel.

What makes the book helpful is that the first half takes the time to inform us of the situation which can be very enlightening to many people. Let’s think about it: you have more than one personality and most likely each one has some skill in handling anything that you are faced with, now all you have to do is get to them so that you can turn them on whenever you need them. In the second half of the book, there is the personality wheel and instructions on how to get to know you in a whole new way. Below are both Oscar Ichazo’s personality chart and Rita Carter’s personality chart.

Personality Chart

Rita Carter
Open-minded
Conservative
Extrovert
Introvert
Stable
Uptight
Agreeable

Disagreeable

Conscientious
Careless

Oscar Ichazo

Perfectionist

Giver

Performer

Romantic

Observer

Trooper

Epicure
Boss
Mediator

Multiplicity is a must read, it goes great with difficult times like these because if what Ms. Carter says is true, then we all should be contacting the personalities within us that are strong enough to hold on and ride the wave of the current economic situation that we find ourselves in. For those who are unaware of the many people living inside of you, it makes for informative and useful knowledge to anyone whom may be interested in or in need of a better understanding of the human psyche. Imagine never having to be alone again.


Aalim Elitou-reviewer
Copyright 2008