REFLECTION & REASON

This book. I swear. If I didn't remember what literary inspiration felt like...author extraordinaire Sister Souljah reminded me yesterday when I finished reading her novel "Midnight and the Meaning of Love." I felt great. Refreshed. Pensive. Motivated. Thankful. I probably sat silent for a good 15 minutes after reading the last words, just taking in the essence of the story, the power of her words, and the extreme level of gratitude for the fact that I was able to read a novel that would make me seriously consider the effect of my own words and my intentions as an author. It doesn't happen often. Last year I wrote a review of Midnight (A Gangster Love Story) , and in re-reading the review, I've remembered that her previous books had the exact same effect on me when I finished reading them. My feelings were similar, and my praise was echoed. This is her standard: greatness . Every time. If the characters Midnight and Akemi inspired me last time with ...

I know his name. I know his face. I know he's married to Alicia Keys. I know he's one of hip hop's top producers...but that's about it. That was as far my knowledge of Swizz Beatz went, until the other night when I watched a Breakfast Club interview on YouTube, and was pleasantly surprised to hear about just how deep this brother's repetoire goes. And I'm not talking about the producing. I mean, it's definitely worth mentioning. What's not to celebrate about "Jigga My Nigga" by Jay-Z, "Love is Blind" by Eve, the classic "Ruff Ryders Anthem" from DMX, or even "Fancy" by Drake? What's not to praise for a man that has created some of hip hop's sickest beats and worked with practically every legendary artist in the game, in his young lifetime? At 34-years-old, Kasseem David Dean is the true definition of a Renaissance man, and while the hip hop community has known his talents for decades now, he...