Midnight by Sister Soulja RELEASED

Sister Souljah, the hip-hop generation's number one author and most compelling storyteller, delivers a powerful story about love and loyalty, strength and family. In her bestselling novel, The Coldest Winter Ever, Sister Souljah introduced the world to Midnight, a brave but humble lieutenant to a prominent underworld businessman. Now, in a highly anticipated follow-up to her million-selling masterpiece, she brings readers into the life and dangerously close to the heart of this silent, fearless young man. Raised in a wealthy, influential, Islamic African family, Midnight enjoys a life of comfort, confidence, and protection. Midnight's father provides him with a veil of privilege and deep, devoted love, but he never hides the truth about the fierce challenges of the world outside of his estate. So when Midnight's father's empire is attacked, he sends Midnight with his mother to the United States. In the streets of Brooklyn, a young Midnight uses his Islamic mind-set and African intelligence to protect the ones he loves, build a business, reclaim his wealth and status, and remain true to his beliefs. Midnight, a handsome and passionate young man, attracts many women. How he interacts and deals with them is a unique adventure. This is a highly sensual and tremendous love story about what a man is willing to risk and give to the women he loves most. Midnight will remain in your mind and beat in your heart for a lifetime. Her "raw and true voice" (Publishers Weekly) will both soothe and arouse you. In a beautifully written and masterfully woven story, Sister Souljah has given us Midnight, and solidified her presence as the mother of all contemporary urban literature.

Obama 'o8.

Today I smile, reminiscing on my senior year in high school. I remember heavily debating the point of african americans not having "equal power" in the world than people of caucasian/european decent. Three long years later on 11/4/08 with the conveyance of Barack Obama; we've finally stepped up the ladder .

Unfortunately though, as a black community many of us won't strive for excellence because of this. We'll instead use this as a time to gloat. If all we're going to do is continue to fail ourselves and our ancestors with the drug dealings, homicides & crime... what difference does the ethnic background of the candidate truly make? In other words, don't fail our president, the children, yourself. This man has stuggled to get to where he is and we can not let him down. "Prove to the economy that not all black people are niggas".

Ever notice when someone is being unprofessional, loud or hostile they're considered to be "actin black"? "Whoa, is that a good look?" Bring all foolishness to a minimum people. The african american heritage has been classified as ignorant for far to long, it's time for change. The idea of unity amongst us has been a work in progress for decades and its not over yet. Fist fights over "I don't like her" & gun fights for street resumes is beneathe us. Well beneathe me rather. I feel it's about time to get real. We have an african amer. president... let's show some dignity and class. Because the nonsense already began this morning when 34 of my peers forwarded me the same text message reading "ALL WHITE PEOPLE MUST REPORT TO THE COTTONFIELD TOMMORROW AT 7AM FOR ORIENTATION!" Smh. My response was 34 discarded texts.

Barack gave us hope. I'm now thinking to myself we should hear of no more black men (ages 18-40) claiming the reason he's doing absolutely NOTHING constructive w/ his life is because "the man" won't give him a break. Or "The Man" is holding him back. With a brotha in office I'm anxious to hear the new excuse(s) in the hood now. Who's the man responsible for your pockets now, huh bruh? Who besides the MAN IN THE MIRROR? (I mean seriously, me & ma girls wanna know)

I anticipate seeing many more black lawyers, CEOs, doctors & executives in our country. We can no longer limit ourselves to street ball, "playin bones", shooting dice, the dope game and hip hop. Prejudice people seem to think that's all we're capable of; or "good at" anyway.

On the 5th of last month I turned 21 years old. As a registered voter, I had a direct affect on our economical system today. I was associated w/ a historical movement in politics. I get a tingle in my back just saying it out loud. At just 21, I've helped change black history forever!!

I am a black woman who's always been content w/ her nationality (as sundry as it may be). I've never hung my head low; not even on my worse day. I love being a "sistah". & surely God's got intense plans for this one!

"Rosa Parks sat, so Martin Luther King could walk. Martin walked, so Obama could run. Obama ran, so our children can fly".

About 30 minutes ago I was forwarded an email that expressed; "...welp, ya'll know obama only got elected on account of his mother being white. I mean he's mixed... If he wasn't light skinned I doubt he would've even been CONSIDERED in the white house... "Unfortunately there's been several occurances in my life where I've gone to battle with the imbecile stereotype that lighter skinned toned black people are "better" than darker skinned toned black people. Frankly I feel, regardless if the President is mixed, "full black" or white... he has a job to do. Period. How about we validate his character on his performance as chief of command, focusing on thee facts & fundamnentals. And nevermind the nonsense. It's ultimately irrelevant.

For example, Bill Clinton was a gr8 president. All infidelities in his marriage aside. That was his wife's business, not America's. His role as a husband had nothing to do w/ his presidential qualifications. Nor does the color of our current presidents' skin. Catch my drift?

Furthermore, our candidate for election should have nothing to do with race or skin color for that matter. It's ridiculous for people to assume he "had it easy because he was a redbone". So I guess him graduating from Harvard w/ honors didn't work in his favor at all huh. Come'on people.

Skin color should NOT be factor. I mean, didn't Dr. King address this issue like some odd years ago?

And while we're on that note, let's be real . . . It happens all over the world not just in terms of political campaigns. Like really, WHEN will we stop validating "beauty" and "ugliness" by the amount of melanin in ones skin? & at what point will the elucidation of a womans' beauty in music videos STOP being based on this?!? Ya'll don't feel me though. We mustn't let this illiteracy continue to gnaw at the brains of our upcoming generations!!

Teach the children. Our heritage is beautiful, acting on that alone will make a difference. We are the Kings & Queens of the Earth. Don't let the increasing incarsaration stats, teen pregancies and highschool drop out ratios in our communities fool you. It's never to late! The object of this game is mental reconstruction. Education is vital. It's our only way out. & ya'll playin.

babies having babies.

Ran across an article today that blew my effing mind. Ayooo, is this the stupid children generation or what? I know, I know. . . you should never call a child stupid, but the nonsense in the news today is utterly ridiculous and disheartening! A group of teens at Gloucester high School in Gloucester Massachussetts made a pact to get pregnant. Over 17 young women, most under the age of 16 have gotten pregnant during this school year. The numbers were so startling that the school officials decided to investigate what was going on. What they found was that these young girls were getting pregnant on purpose. There is so much wrong with this situation that it is not even funny. 1) We have children playing with the lives and futures of these babies that they are about to bring into the world. 2) STD’s are spread through unprotected sex, it is logical to assume that if all these girls are getting pregnant that they are having unprotected sex with the same men within the same area of the school. The article states that one man is 24 years old and homeless and he is the father of one of these young girl’s babies. These young girls are literally searching for love in all the wrong places. It’s sad that they went to such lengths to gain attention. I am truly worried for the young women of the coming generation. In a world where youtube booty shaking and naked photos of young girls pop up everywhere on the internet I am concerned for their well being. I am concerned for the future mothers of our children. Ofcourse it would be preposterous to assume that ALL young girls are acting this way. But any time you see 17 young girls at one high school making pacts to get pregnant that should let you know that this is a growing problem. It would be a waste if I just ranted about these problems and said nothing in the way of solutions for such a problem. SO in closing, lemme dsay this... We need young women to mentor these young girls. We need young men to mentor our young sisters and present them with more respectful and favorable images of themselves. We need to enstill respect in these young ladies. Not only respect for themselves but respect for their peers and most importantly their own bodies. I pray for these 17 young children coming into this world, and I pray for these girls because the road to parenthood is not be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Now that we have watched these young ladies make these mistakes it is up to their parents, communities, churches and US to help support young women in such a situation and to prevent other young ladies from making similar mistakes. If you need me, speak2unique@Gmail.com. Talk to me. I talk back.

Our Deepest Fear

Written by Marianne Williamson "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." --If you've ever felt that paralysing fear of stepping forward and presenting yourself to public scrutity, you may find your first impulse is to label it a fear of failure. But in Our Deepest Fear, Marianne Williamson addressed the other side of that feeling. It's a powerful message. Check out her book A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"