The hot beat of rap poetry stills the reader. It weaves its way through your senses as the beat is caught in the fleshy sadness of a perpetual family and social story that should not be.
It simply should not be a story in the midst of a "progressive" and "civilized" society.
Ashante brings the voice of the urban black youth to the forefront. His lyrics curl themselves around your heart and squeeze. He is asking the reader, how could you not care! He is demanding the reader to look and look again, recognize [my] humanity; take note of [my] anger. Respect [my] possibilities.
BUCK is defiant; it is unapologetic.
BUCK is a son's love for his mother.
BUCK is a testimony for his brother.
BUCK is a demand for respect.
BUCK is a time to pause, to stop, to reflect.
BUCK is a time for change.
Ashante is a young man who takes us on an important journey into American life in what is called the "ghetto." He calls attention to every mother's dream and every mother's sorrow. He makes us bleed for lost fath.er's and fatherhood.
The music in his poetry keeps the reader high enough to withstand the pain that he exposes.
"Later on, at dinner, Uncle Howard tells me about the war inside. "There's a war between two wolves inside everybody. One is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego. The other's good. It's love, peace, beauty, happiness, truth, hope, joy, humility, kindness, and empathy."....... I give long, deep hugs to Uncle Howard and Aunt Georgia, then hop in the car with Ryan. I start the engine, then jump out, forgetting something. I walk up to my uncle. "In the story," I ask, "who wins.... between the wolves? The one you feed." (pg 187-8)
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