This Saturday I’ll be attending a book release party in D.C. and couldn’t be more excited for two particular reasons. One, a collection of my peers I attended Hampton with, The Left Side Poets, actually saw an undergraduate dream come to fruition with the release of their book, Strange Fruit. And that’s a blessing if there is one. The distinction of writing for a platform like TSS has put me in a position where people and parties I know personally attempt to gain coverage on the site. While there’s nothing wrong with that because I more than understand networking is key for expanding any brand, the ability to say “no,” however, is as well. At the end of the day, my name is on the line and like a wise man once noted, the only thing a man has in this world is his balls and his word. And I don’t break them for anybody. If I write something here, it comes from my belief in its quality. Not a favor.

The second reason is the book, for lack of a better term, is dope. Poetry and spoken word have always been two crafts foreign to my talents, yet simultaneously commanded respect from my on-looker’s frame of reference. Strange Fruit was sent to me a few weeks ago and while I have not read the entire piece, I have knocked out a huge chunk. Seen inside the work is collection of stories meshing into detail the trials, tribulations, highs and lows of young 20 something African-American men and women. The imagery and street-corner political realism in Martin Tucker’s “Slingin’ O’s” and the heavy hitting group collectives “N-Words” and “HairStory” alone make S.F. worth the investment.

In the interest of time, I’ll stop my praise of the Left Side Poets here. Feel free, however, to visit their official website to learn more about this small army of spoken word lyricists. And don’t be afraid to purchase the book either.

Karega Bailey is one of the better people I’ve been blessed to meet in life. He harbors a sense of perspective on the world not often seen in people my age, or any age group period. While most people, myself included at times, scream what needs to be done to make a change in the world, Karega lives it. His unbridled commitment to inner city youth through education in D.C. deserves more recognition that it already receives. What’s crazy is that for as long as I’ve known him, his way with words have always left me taken back. Not only because they were powerful in sound, but even more powerful in action.

Like the poets above, he is also a graduate of Hampton University (as well as a performer at the release party). The video you will eventually click play on, Symbols Speak So Loud, is an exact representation of the social culture many of the students he attempts to guide to greener pastures witness on a daily basis. Riding shotgun with the Negro spiritual-like hymn of his beautiful fiancé, Felisha Gangloff, Bailey weaves in and out of each bar with a realism only respected by the visuals so eloquently and violently thrown together, which includes a co-sign by Dr. Cornel West at its conclusion. As many of the visitors who frequent this site can attest, D.C. isn’t all Georgetown and The National Mall. It’s still rough as all outdoors with stories of pain and pride yearning to be chronicled.

Try as I might, my words do neither Karega’s clip nor the aforementioned book justice. With that I say this. Here’s paying respect to anyone following a dream, passion or calling in life and positively affecting the community they live in. There aren’t many more words more powerful than that.