Black Boy- Richard Wright

Black Boy is the auto-biography of Richard Wright who is also the author of the ground-breaking,  an critically acclaimed novel , "Native Son".  Wright tells the story of his rough-upbringing, his early age of being intelligent, and questions that not only involve his life but blacks, society, an even God.

Richard's father leaves the family while he is still young and prior to him leaving  his father would abuse him, his mother, and he often endured starvation a throughout his life.  His father eventually abandons his family and lives with another women and refuses to pay child support or even see his sons. his mother eventually take him to court and that does not work. Forces his mother to work extremely hard to raise her sons, and at times barely could get by. His mother eventually becomes very ill and is forced to move in with his grandmother, aunts, and uncles.

Because of his inquisitive nature , Richard constantly questions life, examines it, and is very introspective. At times he faces abuse, harassment from family members and is often labeled a misfit or troublemaker.  Due to his mother sickness he moves with uncle and his aunt whom he dislikes much.  He eventually learns how to read and becomes an avid reader and learns if he does not stand up for himself no one else will.  He begins working after leaving school, and constantly  deals with racism, prejudice, and discrimination. This continues until adulthood and goes on for the rest of his life. Wright often questions God and views Christianity as pointless mainly because how his family are Christians yet treat him horribly. There are times when Wright even hides the fact that he can read very well, write well, and is intelligent. His Principal even asks his to read a copy of speech that he had not written which greatly offends him before he graduates. In his eyes the man is bought and is trying to buy him out. Richard maintains his individualism and unique views and learns it is better to be yourself and lead your own life often than trying to be what everyone else wants you too. Wright  even witnesses how other blacks views negatively him at point is as hurtful.

When he joins the Communist he first sees them as people like him but learns that even the Communist party has their own unique agenda that is not a part of their  ideas presented him. He evens learns members can also  view him as a threat. While he eventually settles down and starts a family . Richard sees how black life, poverty, social injustice is a horrible thing that exists in the world.

Richard shows how many blacks are victims in a variety of ways, poverty and no resources causes them to drink, use narcotics, and lose themselves in whoring or  other activities that  can be detrimental. He even gets drunk severely before he was 9 years old and it was encouraged by his own community.  Wright illustrates how poverty, and social inequality is what  causes many issues in life. Like his gran father who was a war veteran who is illiterate so was unable to mitigate his veterans  check. Causing to be angry and gruff man. He even seems to show signs of Post Traumatic Stress.

From reading the book  I leaned how it is often the smart person is challenged by the ignorant and it  is often good to question and try to see life for what it is. From then you can handle obstacles much better.

Black Like Me

Is a memoir about a John Howard Griffin experiences of Racism in the deep south of  Louisiana .  Griffin is well to do white man who wants to know what it is like to be black in the south. So he undergoes an experiment that gives him the appearance of an African-American. So his doctor gives him treatments and he shaves his head bald. The process an transformation gives the author a different look  at life. When he was white, life seems much easier, but know he constantly faces obstacles because he is simple black.  Simple things like walking down a street a night become events that stressful. He has to sit behind the bus and experiences of the tight-nit community of blacks. How they all seem to look out for each other.

At one point  he is even asked crude sexual questions from a white guy about blacks.  He find s Black life much more harder, jobs that he obtains are labor and not well paying. H e also sees how America at the time hides or runs away from race relations and discrimination.  Griffin  realizes that being black was already one strike, now add being poor or unable to get a quality education hold them back. then he goes on to state even if a black does make to college and graduate he is still viewed as a second-class citizen.  He mentions how can anyone expect to use a degree in a world where they are judged by their appearance rather than their character. He is told that darker Negroes are more prone to criminality, scheming, and other bad characteristics. While lighter ones are more docile, intelligent,and trustful.


Griffin experiences as a black greatly forces him to evaluate how can race issues be stopped, and the rest of the book he criticizes how racism was a serious issue. That it is not just the "North is good and the South is Bad" and that blacks and whites live in totally different worlds.

 I think its is a good book and just about anyone can gain something from it.

A Hero Ain't Nothing But A Sandwhich

By far one of the greatest books I have read all summer, this book describes the life of a 13 year old boy in the ghetto dealing with heroin addiction through  the perspective of himself, family, friends, and teachers.  Benji's addiction causes his best friend Jimmy-Lee have a fallout because of him being an addict. His family does not know how to reach him, his grandmother an mother even try to go to a voodoo lady to help find a way to get him off dope. His father is absent in his life and his Step-father tries to reach which he does at the end of the story.  His teacher Nigeria Greene talks about while he is educated and better off than many poor blacks , he understands their plight but  does not know how to solve the problem or help kids like Benji.
 Other characters including a white teacher , who often cannot relate to his students, and at times does not understand completely race relations an his place in trying to help end racism and poverty.  Benji's Grandmother is a poor old lady who is scared to leave the House because the neighborhood is flooded with drugs and crime, an her only way to cope is by using Christianity.  Benji's mother is distruaght over having a drug addicted child and  her husband Benji' stepfather is a great man but also has other problems in his life.
 By the end of the story the reader understands that benji is like many poor, misunderstood, emotionally vulnerable children , and needs more than just people yelling at him.  While his stepfather gets him into rehab and is hoping he will recover the answer is still left uncertain. The book examine not just the user of drugs but the seller, the family, the friends, and his community. It shows a  bigger picture that drug abuse is not usually just the person but the environment.  That everyone has problems despite their appearance and for others it is much more difficult on  how to deal with them.

Bottom Line it is a great book and anyone should read it!!

Just Blaze Interview

Just Blaze is a legendary producers who has worked with legends and is one of the most prolific producers of the last 12 years. while we often do not  hear of him on recent tracks but the guy is very talented and offers unique insight on musics and production in the interview
Follow the LINK BELOW



http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/just-blaze-talks-kanye-west-choosing-to-go-w-jay-z-over-dame-dash

9th Wonder the Beatmaster!!

I caught on to 9th Wonder while I was in college. I first went back and began listening to the Little Brother albums, and other projects. Including the Back To The Feature Tape he had done with Wale which was a masterpiece. After learning more about him I got to hear his last album he did with Murs and began rlooking through his catalogue. I eventually discovered he is a great producer , similiar to J. Dilla  with picking samples and making them audio art. I learned later on that  the guy was incredibly talaented and definityl one of the best producers I have heard so far.   When I found  an interview with him online, I had to  go read it ASAP.   So ny thoughts is to share it with you.

Follow the link....
http://theimcmagazine.com/sampling-soul-9th-wonder-talks-jay-z-being-a-sir-little-brother-jamla-records/

Stalley The Honest CowBoy

While this week Stalley will be releasing his newest project, The Honest Cowboy , I am looking forward to his debut album. Stalley has still remianed one of the best underground and hopefully mainstream artist in the last few years. His last project,  Savage Journey To The american Dream is still in heavy rotation . The guy is very talented and I cannot wait to hear his tape. After hearing the Swangin track he did with Southern Legend Scarface, I was  immediatly satisfied. Overall, I hope his project is a hoem run and I cannot wait to download it. Meanwhile check out an in-depth interview he did with HipHop Dx and  lets wait until When his project drops on the 8th .

Follow The Link.....
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.2153/title.stalley-reflects-on-paying-homage-to-swangin-culture-with-scarface

Part 2 to Dom Kennedy Interview

Here part 2 to Dom Kennedy's  interview. He gives some insightful ideas talks about his upcoming album and just speaks his mind. definitely one of the best artist to come out of the West and  the underground rap scene.

Follow the Link.....
http://www.freeonsmash.com/news/2013/07/25/dom-kennedy-homegrown-part-2/