Tiny Teaser

Here's a small teaser from my novel. I'm withholding the title for the time being.

"The next morning, Reggie laid in the bed clutching a pillow. He managed to get some sleep but he didn't rest well. He hoped that Ebony would return to him. Even if she snuck in the middle of the night and slept in the other room, she would be there with him. He sighed and stared at the wall. It was a few hours before he decided to get out of the bed. He bathed and made himself a cup of tea. He sat in the living room and tried to watch the television but he just flipped the channels and stared into space. He then decided to go out for a long drive. He got dressed and after making sure that the house was secure, he got into her car and looked around to see if she left a note or anything to give him an idea of where she was. Besides the normal papers that she kept in her car, he didn’t find anything. He saw a pack of gum she loved to chew and stuck it inside of his pocket. He closed the car door, inhaled deeply, then decided to drive it instead of his own. He smelled a faint scent of her perfume in the car as he drove around the city. He went to the different spots they used to go to when they first got together. He drove through his old neighborhood and saw the people that he used to hang out with. He saw the element of destruction that he himself was once a part of. Reggie acknowledged the people that he was close to and stopped to talk to them. It felt good for him to be around his buddies but at the same time it was strange. In a way, he felt like he had betrayed them by leaving that lifestyle. He knew that it was the right decision but wasn’t too sure if it was the best one. Ebony was what kept him from going back into that life. He had his moments where he missed that fast life. It was in him. It was a part of who he was but Ebony would always encourage him into staying on the other side of that life. ‘You’ve been there, done that and you see where it led you. You have talents that you can focus on. The same way you hustled in the streets, you can hustle at the work place. Use that skill for good.’ That’s how he ended up with the contract to build the building that he ended up working in. Now with her gone, he felt the need to be in his old neighborhood. He also decided to visit with his family."

Just Some Random Thoughts

I normally have music playing when I'm writing or doing pretty much anything. Right now, I'm stuck in the 80's and 90's. I have some of today's music but as of now, I'm stuck back in time. I remember when I was in my teens and I would try to get my mom to listen to some of what I was listening to and she refused. Gave me the whole "They don't make music like they used to" speech. I figured she was just old and stubborn and my father was the hip one because he kept up with the times. I promised myself that I wouldn't allow myself to become old like that. Well people, I'm old! Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of talented singers/performers around. I guess where my issue starts is there are so many young performers out now and not enough mature artists. Sure we have R.Kelly (stay away from the personal issues), Kem, Tank (eep, oop, ork, ah ah..... if you know about The Jetsons, you know what that means) Usher even though he was supposed to retire from music, Joe, & Mary J but they are the chosen few who managed to have stuck around for a minute. Christopher Williams, Jade, Jodeci, Alexander Oneal, Ready For the World, SWV, Troop, Ideal, Boyz II Men, Donell Jones (some of the more well known), UNV, II Close, UMYND, IV Example, Faze, II D Extreme (had to shout out my boy Johnny Gill's brother group) all have one thing in common as far as I'm concerned. They made what I like to call Grown & Sexy Music. Sure there were some risk-kay tunes, but it's music that I could relate to and you could go to a live show and know that there was true talent. Don't get me wrong now, there are some great talent out now but I want to know when it became a rule that you need to be as naked as possible in order to sell an album? My bad.... CD. I sort of understand where my mom was coming from. What happened to allowing your true skills come through? I see there are some who has taken that route and seems to be doing well (like that "Rehab" chick and my father's personal fav, Corinne Bailey Rae) but they won't sell out arenas like your more popular singers. In all honesty, how many of you guys will go see Beyonce to hear her sing? Yes she has a beautiful voice but you are going to watch her shake her booty, fling her hair, and allow "Sasha" to take over and hopefully you will sit close enough to see her panties as she kick her legs high.
There are groups like H-Town and Intro that sold well in their time but because of the lost of Dino and Kenny (oh Kenny and Dino is gone yall), it is understandable why the remaining members G-I & Shazam from H-Town and Jeff & Buddy from Intro (hello Jeff .... he looks like T-Mac but with darker eyes) quietly backed away from mainstream (though I hear that G-I and Shazam are still making music). Odd that I would use those groups as an example because I remember my cousin and I went to see them in concert at The Apollo one summer. Intro, H-town, and Silk. "Come Inside", "Knocking Da Boots" & "Lick You Up", and "Freak Me" all in the same night (yes I picked all the quality time tunes). What a show.....

The One That Got Away!

I spotted you alone though we were in a crowed place
Checking out your style, and seeing how you danced with such poise and grace

Thinking to myself I would see you and just go home
Not realizing you, yourself was there alone

Too shy to speak yet bold enough to ask for a dance
Too scared for eye contact for fear of falling into a trance

Twin souls destined to meet at that moment in time
We managed a conversation without one pick up line

Our time together was too short and very few
And the way we hooked up was all too new

Our personalities helped our friendship blossom and grow
Our physical attraction we never got to show

Though years has passed and time has changed
The place in my heart for you has remained

You made me feel special in so many ways
My true feelings for you I can't explain

You are your own man with your own family now
I knew that you were destined for greatness and how

For now, I guess there's nothing left for me to say
But Thank You to my friend, the one who got away!

A True Friend

A true friend will be there for you..
When you need them and they need you too

A true friend will not try to harm you in any kind of way
Not with the things they do or the words they say

A true friend don't make promises they can not keep
To prove that they are not a creep

A true friend doesn't try to impress
Because when they come as only their true selves, they show the best

A true friend will not lie to cover up their verbs
Because everybody knows that actions speak louder than words

A true friend should be able to enjoy one anothers company
Without having envy going through their body

A true friend should know what the word "friend" really mean and not only see what they beleive to be true
True friends settle their differences right away so their friendship won't be through!
(and that's only if that is what they want to do)

Where Have All The Baritone Singers Gone?

It hit me a couple of weeks ago what else it is that I miss in today's music. Late greats like Melvin Franklin (The Temptations), Barry White, Isaac Hayes, and those who are still living but for personal reasons left the music business like Larry Graham (originally from the group Sly & The Family Stone), Michael "Bass" McCary ( left Boyz II Men due to chronic back problems resulting from scoliosis and personal problems) and Christopher Williams (he tried his hand at acting and currently he is performing in plays) all had one thing in common that I hold near and dear to my heart. That would be the heavy melodious deep voice otherwise known as the baritone singer. Either the men today are busy crying their songs or pretty much singing in the same tempo. Listening to any of the above mentioned just mellows you out and take you to a place of comfort. It's hard to be angry or sad when you hear their music. If they are singing about the heartache from a break-up, you find yourself saying; "It's ok. I'm here for you and I won't hurt you like she did". If they are singing about forgiving them for breaking your heart, you will think; "You know what, it's ok that you cheated on me. These things happen and I trust you when you say that it will never happen again. Now come give me some sugar". You believed them even more when they sang about love and don't EVEN get me started on the love making songs. Especially the love making songs (whoa baby). You are more than willing to do anything with no argument once the song is over. Ladies, you know I'm telling the truth.
The baritone or deep voice used to be a must when a group was presented. They would be the one who would make the girls completely faint (smelling salts are needed) when the lead singer couldn't. As for the solo baritones, it is a well known fact that they did not need to dance or have any type of gimmicks to get the girls screaming. They didn't have to start singing right away. All they had to do was start talking and it was a done deal. Ladies undergarments would just start falling off on their own. It's like they are talking directly to you when they spoke. That is your personal moment with them and no matter what kind of day you were having, they would make all the stress and pain go away. For that time you were listening to them (concerts, albums, television, etc...) they became your date for the evening and if you were with your man, it was that bass singer who helped set the mood for a romantic evening. Don't deny it. You know it's true.
I'm sure I'm not alone when I say bring back the bass singers. We need that talented sound again. I'm starting a "Save The Baritone Singers" organization so be on the watch for the telethon and the website where donations can be sent to (only kidding about that). If you have a deep voice and you know how to use it, I want to hear you. Come out come out wherever you are! I'm waiting....