Although Sister Souljah’s newest book, “Midnight” was touted as the long-awaited sequel to her lauded street-lit classic, “The Coldest Winter Ever”, the good news is that it is not. Instead the book is a fascinating prequel that explains one young man’s journey from birth to mid-teens as a Sudanese immigrant to a graduate (with honors) of the school of hard knocks.
The book re-introduces Midnight, (prior to him working for drug lord Ricky Santiaga),who readers will remember as the mysterious, handsome drug dealer that Winter, Santiaga’s daughter, lusted after in “Coldest”. Surviving is no easy feat for Midnight as he endures the perils of growing up young, Black and poor in Brooklyn, an extreme departure from the comforts he enjoyed as the son of an elite Sudanese political advisor, who has since disappeared from Midnight’s life. Falling in love with Japanese beauty Akemi only complicates things for Midnight as he tries to hold steadfast to his Muslim faith and manhood in a land far from his native Sudan.
What makes ”Midnight” so compelling is Souljah’s ability to describe Midnight’s experiences so vividly and authentically. Her writing captures the innocence in his fears, mistakes and even his prejudices all while entertaining you with rich characters and compelling storylines. While some may not agree that “Midnight” is urban fiction (especially since there is no mention of the Santiaga family), the novel exhibits Souljah’s growth as a writer while delivering a powerful, modern love story.
Highly recommended, ”Midnight” showcases Souljah’s strength at creating realistic, creative stories that give a voice to the complexities of urban people, written in that authentic way that only she can.
Despite the tremendous respect he has garnered as a technological genius and Hip-Hop pioneer/icon, not much is known about the legendary Grandmaster Flash’s rise as a turntable instrumentalist turned Rock’n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee (the first Hip-Hop artist to do so). In his recent memoir, My Life, My Beats: The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash, the man born Joseph Saddler sets the record straight on his childhood, meteoric rise to fame and his personal struggles with drug addiction and music industry politics.
Flash’s story is poignant as he recounts memories that range from the innocent (“My favorite thing to do as a young boy was to play the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and outrun my sisters as they chased me all over the house”) to gruesome accounts of the shame and deplorable conditions he lived in while battling drug addiction. Flash also gives an in-depth account of the lesser-known details regarding the Furious Five’s internal and creative issues as a group and their love-hate relationship with the legendary Sugar Hill Records.
A tale dripping with inspiration and wisdom, readers can’t deny being inspired by the man who rose above a bittersweet childhood and his adult demons, only to triumph as a strong father to his biological children and a forefather to all aspiring DJs. Flash’s memoir is more than just a history lesson; it’s a testament that Hip-Hop culture can never die, as long as it continues to inspire others. Respect the architect!
Mercedes Ladies (written by Sherri Sher/Vibe Street Lit) takes readers on a trip down memory lane to a time when B-Boys and B-Girls wore pressed Lee’s, fat laces and gold chains and when Hip-Hop was about dope crews, fresh dance moves and having fun. Pegged as a “street lit” novel, Mercedes Ladies deserves more credit, as it proves to be much more than a “Black Girl Lost-esque tale mired in Hip-Hop. Sherri Sher wittingly gives a first-hand, albeit fictional account of her teenage years growing up in the Boogie Down Bronx and helming one of the first well-respected all-female rap crews at a time when fledging Hip-Hop was still a man’s world. Inspiring and honest, Sherri gives raw descriptions of group members’ personal struggles (rape, drugs & alcohol, broken homes) as well as the internal strife the Mercedes Ladies endured within the group. Persevering through poverty as well as the shiesty ways of the music industry, the Mercedes Ladies are admired as they work tirelessly throughout the novel to get a piece of the American Dream, making this book a must-read for young female Hip-Hop fans.
Recommended to all supporters of Hip-Hop culture, Mercedes Ladies gives much-deserved props to the female architects of the rap game that existed before mainstream female rappers Salt ‘N’ Pepa and Queen Latifah. While shedding light on the growing pains of being young, black and female in the ghetto, Mercedes Ladies uplifts and more importantly, immortalizes a monumental part of Hip-Hop history.
By now I hope you have checked out the blog and enjoy what you see. Feedback and comments are welcome. Thanks for the support:-)
Right now I want to explain how to navigate on this blog in order to maximize your experience. All posts are categorized by topic, so if fashion is your thing, visit “Fashion”, and so on and so forth. Daily posts are listed regardless of category.
Explanation of some of the more ambiguous categories:
The “Crush” category is designed to show love to male celeb (and maybe a few unknown) hotties we all adore. “Muse” is a category dedicated to females (past and present) who represent originality, great style or extraordinary talent (or all three). Under ”Inspiration” you can find uplifting quotes and/or advice; just a little substance behind the style.
That’s it for now, check back for more hot topics very soon!
This novel reads like the fast-paced, exciting, Blaxploitation flicks of the 1970s minus the stereotypes and cliches. With characters and imagery this vivid, after reading you will either want to visit Harlem out of curiousity or stay far away out of fear (think BELLY meets Cotton Comes to Harlem). The story centers around best-selling Harlem-bred author Shareef Crawford who returns to Sugar Hill for research on a book idea propositioned from a mysterious female fan. But all hell breaks loose in Harlem when Shareef’s research resurges past rivalries between friends and foes in the drug game. In the meantime Crawford must learn to determine what’s worth fighting for because when life starts to imitate art, will it become a lesson before dying? With a chilling plot, authentic characters and a unique look at gentrification and street lit, Tyree has got another winner on his hands. I finished reading it in one night!
YOUR TURN: Once you read the book, what actors (known or unknown) would you use to star in the feature film? Check out my list below.
SHAREEF: Lamann Rucker or Idris Elba
JENNIFER: Stacey Dash
COFFEE: A hot brown-skinned newcomer (Body like a video vixen but classier with a NYC swagger) Rapper Foxy Brown comes to mind but I don’t think she has the spunk to pull this role off. Am I wrong?
MICHAEL SPRINGFIELD: Clifton Powell
JACQUELINE: Vida Guerra (video vixen) or a random sexy newcomer who can really act
Although Sister Souljah’s newest book, “Midnight” was touted as the long-awaited sequel to her lauded street-lit classic, “The Coldest Winter Ever”, the good news is that it is not. Instead the book is a fascinating prequel that explains one young man’s journey from birth to mid-teens as a Sudanese immigrant to a graduate (with honors) of the school of hard knocks.
