This is the story of young Blak, an aspiring rapper who is blessed with the mystical gift of turning his rhymes into reality. Living in the Monarch Projects of Empire City, Blak must struggle to survive the violence and temptation of the streets -- no small feat when he must contend with personal tragedy as well as his own hot-headed temper...both of which threaten to get the best of him. With the support of his crew, the G-Pak, Blak makes life's toughest decisions while dodging the notorious underworld boss Bloko, his arch-nemesis Vulture, and bitter gang rivalries.

Can Blak remain true to himself and his gift? The fate of Empire City hangs in the balance....

Reviews

This African-American novel of the streets pits its young hero, Blak, against local gangs, his brother's killers and his own inner demons. Blak must come to terms with his extraordinary gifts—a magical ability that lets him fight, lead others and rap at a high level. The plot is a bit hard to follow. It's not always clear who are Blak's friends and who are his foes, and the role of an almost-otherworldly recording studio head is never completely defined, but the book has a driving story line that keeps flowing. The color art is striking and shadowed, full of jewel tones and fantastic motion—this dystopia has a beating heart you can see and feel on the page. The characters are similarly oversized: big and angry, or big and loving, or confused in deep and tragic ways. A few of the stereotypes are a bit unfortunate, but scenes like Blak's encounter with the devil himself in the sewers feel alive and scary. At times, it's hard to tell whether the story is taking place in Blak's own personal dreamscape or in some hell on earth, but it doesn't really matter. The story brings a manga-like intensity to this inner-city quest. (Mar.)
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