Malice – “Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind & Naked” – Book Review by Trick
So for once, Trick was really influenced by this latest book that he read for the site. Being such a self-proclaimed “literary genius,” I think that he doesn’t feel challenged when he approaches these books. However, Malice’s book had a little different effect on him. Check out his review below(he even throws a jab at us! Haha):
I had no idea what Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind & Naked was about, but I was definitely excited to see what fellow 757 representative Gene Thornton Jr. (aka Malice from The Clipse) had to say. When I got the book and saw that it was basically his testament to the role that religion has played/is playing in his life, I was a little less excited; not that I’m anti-religion or anything, just didn’t really want to be preached to for 170 some pages. But once I started reading it my opinion changed.
Wretched is one of the most honest books I’ve ever read. It’s written in a very conversational tone – lots of “Now, ….” to start sentences, etc. It reads like Malice was talking to a friend, telling his story, and somebody just transcribed everything he said. Unlike most books written by celebrities, you can tell that he wrote it all himself and the editors didn’t really change much at all, which is a nice change. As I said, the book basically details how faith brought him out of some of the darkest periods in his life. Malice’s descriptions of some of those times are what really made this worth reading for me. I can’t think of too many rappers who would be willing to admit to, much less publish a book about, their financial problems, AIDS scares, fallouts with friends, family, and colleagues in the music business, and insecurities in general – it all comes across as being completely genuine and heartfelt. And I definitely can’t think of too many who would admit that they were too weak to get through all of that themselves and had to give themselves up to a higher power to come through it. Much props to Malice for having the courage to say what he feels.
On the real, this book changed my life. Or at least how I feel about it. Can’t say that I’ve started living more righteous or going to church, but Wretched at least made me feel like maybe I should. And if you’re on here reading Big Hop’s blog, you should definitely read the book, ‘cause you obviously need Jesus.
Rating: 4 ½ out of 5
1 out of 5 notepads – stick to your day job “writer”
2 out of 5 notepads – if somebody gives it to you and your bored, read it
3 out of 5 notepads – if somebody gives it to you, read it even if you’re not bored
4 out of 5 notepads – worth a read, pick it up if you see it
5 out of 5 notepads – go to Barnes & Noble today, stuff this under your coat & walk out
Skillz Premieres Short Film, Byron
Last night marked the debut of VA rapper, Skillz, into the realm of film making. It came in the form of a short film titled, Byron. In the Q&A session after the viewing, Skillz explained how the concept of the movie came from a chance encounter with a bum asking for change, who ended up knowing his late mother very well. He spoke on how you often automatically assume one thing about a person, but in all reality, people have many layers that you never know.
The short film focuses on Dee, a drug dealer who is torn between the streets, and the responsibilities of being a father. While hustling, he is approached by a well-to-do man looking to get high. At first he is hesitant to sell to him, but after a few tries, he caves in to the pressure. Once a devastating car accident threatens the well-being of Dee’s family, the film comes full circle in an ending that is sure to shock you as much as it did to the audience in attendance.
Skillz wrote Byron, as well as starred in it. He doesn’t play the main character, Dee, but instead, one of his sidekicks. As a whole, the cast did a great job making the characters believable and the scenes realistic. One of it’s strengths was how well the movie flowed(imagine that, coming from Skillz, haha).
Being someone who works with film, I was thoroughly impressed with the cinematography & editing of Byron. The scenes were were shot well, and the editing was cohesive. Skillz spoke about how learning different aspects of the production process were both fun and tedious, one being the audio. If there are any flaws in the production of the short film, it was the choppy background audio, which could easily be fixed.
I really enjoyed Byron & I think it’s a great introduction from Skillz into the film industry. The plot was creative & the production superb. Overall, I would recommend this to any film lover, while also commending the infamous VA ghostwriter…
Many local celebrities from the area were at the premiere, including Malice from the Clipse.
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