I’m new to the site so I have not had the pleasure of enjoying the rewards…but I will give you all the proposal that I wrote and it served me good.
Karim Bliz Johnson
240 Cozine Avenue #4H
Brooklyn, New York 11207
Phone: (347)277-4695
Email: otbeauty@yahoo.com
I am seeking representation for my nonfiction book entitled, The Last Hardrock. Enclosed you will find my proposal and a sample chapter from the book.
The Last Hardrock is an insightful chronicle of one man’s journeys from the streets of East New York, Brooklyn to behind the walls of New York State Correctional Facilities with a candid and compelling look at prison life in the form of letters from one convict to another. It takes you on a trip into the minds of our street warriors while simplifying the brutal truths about prison life with stories filled with personal struggles, gossip, love and rage. The story explores the strong relationship between hip hop and the prison system and stresses the impact both cultures have upon each other.
Raised in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York, I have for the past 10 years served a sentence for a felony conviction. Where I started my writing by way of a political newsletter published throughout the correctional system. My experiences include a tour in Germany with the US Army where I served as a combat medic, New York City Golden Gloves Boxer, connoisseur of the Hip-Hop culture and student of life. I also serve as an artist manager and advisor to several top selling Rap groups and solo acts including Wu-Tang, AZ, Phat Gary and others. My notoriety in the Hip Hop industry as well as the New York State Prison System, community groups gave me the opportunity to sell over 3,000 copies of the book in 4 months.
My manuscript will only be available to one agent at a time, so if you are interested, please contact me immediately. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
THE LAST HARDROCK
A BOOK PROPOSAL
By
Karim Bliz Johnson
240 Cozine Avenue #4H
Brooklyn, New York 11207
Fax: 718.257.8782
Phone: 347.277.4695
Email: otbeauty@yahoo.com
Overview
The Last Hardrock is an insightful chronicle of one man’s journeys from the street’s of East New York Brooklyn to behind the walls of New York State Correctional Facilities. With a candid and compelling look at prison life in the form of letters from one convict to another, it takes you on a trip into the minds of our street warriors while simplifying the brutal truths about incarceration with stories filled of personal struggle, gossip, love and rage. It’s a first hand look into a world that has been plagued with stereotypes and negativity.
The Last Hardrock explores the strong relationship between hip-hop and the prison system and stresses the impact both cultures have upon each other. The work honestly details the ins and outs of the prison system, while also offering ways which the imprisoned can navigate the court system, what prisoners must learn in order to survive and why it is critical that the experienced pass these rules along to incoming inmates. It is the “African Michael Moore‿ view of the world through eyes of a man determined to survive. It’s hip-hop, self-love and strength that gives this man the will to survive in a place where he is seen as less than a man.
Perseverance and commitment to himself, those he loves and his belief in the hip-hop culture is the heartbeat of this soul searching story. It forces the reader to see the truth behind the myths and is told with dignified anger and inspiration to all of those who have experienced this life, to the mothers, fathers, wives and children who have walked in these shoes. The complex relationship themes add dimension and depth, thus adding increase to its appeal. Urban eloquence, creatively written and shares superior knowledge of prison culture, the human condition and politics through dialogues about past, present and the future state of the imprisoned hip-hop generation.
While over 3,000 copies of The Last Hardrock have been sold independently with minimal exposure under the working title of “ T.H.U.G. Love Superman, how you?!‿. Its unique approach for reaching its audience opens the genre up to a multitude of fresh readers. In recent years there have been numerous movies, television shows, documentaries, news articles and books all with their own interpretation of both the hip-hop culture and the prison experience. However when read few present solid answers for fundamental questions, expert testimony can only be delivered with integrity from a seasoned veteran of the systems.
The Author
Raised in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York, the author has experiences that give substance and truth to his writing. His pride and self awareness allowed him to turn his challenges as a young streetwise youth into a road that made him challenge his progressiveness. His experiences include a tour in Germany with the US Army, New York City Golden Gloves Boxer, entrepreneur, connoisseur of the hip-hop culture and student of life and its struggles. He is also an artist manager and advisor to several top selling rap groups and solo acts, including Wu-Tang Clan, AZ, Phat Gary and others. He is locally praised for his continued work with youth organizations, Tenant Associations and neighborhood churches.
The Market
In the past five years urban fiction and non fiction from African-American authors of the Hip-hop generation have generated hundreds of millions of dollars for publishing companies. The constant growth of the prison population is not a social predicament only suffered through the United States, crime and punishment statistics are on the rise globally. There are over 6 million felony offenders in the United States to date being held in either federal, state or local facilities. With over 1800 adult offender facilities employing close to 500,000 correctional staff, including but not limited to correction officers, counselors, physicians, nurses and administrative personnel there is still a dangerously high level of misunderstanding among all involved as to how to dialogue with one another.
Together with those misfortune millions incarcerated for various reasons are their family members, who numbers triple the population of those affected by the problem. Mothers, wives, fathers, husbands, children, siblings, friends and neighbors raise the audience of potential readers to close to 18 million. Many of these supportive people tend to read the same material that is requested for by their imprisoned brethren.
In its 27 year history the Hip-hop culture has become a 12 billion dollar a year industry. With everything from CD’s to movies and urban fashion to video games, cell phone ring tones and literature as examples of the diverse appeal created within the genre. There can be little debate about the profitability of any product of this sort. In 2004 alone readers of the Hip-hop related writings purchased over 42 million dollars worth of books, magazines and trade papers. The largest group of these buyers is college students who see Hip-hop as not only entertaining but also as an educating element of their generation. Of the 4,182 accredited colleges and universities with enrollment totaling just under 15 million over 35% are fans of Hip-hop and just under 29% have been personally affected by crime and punishment at some time in their lives. These are educated consumers with a thirst for learning all there is to learn and a thirst for fresh ideas.
The Competition
There are a number of books written giving insight on the Hip-hop phenomenon and many more written giving insights on the life in prison.
[Authors, Titles, Publishers]
• Soledad Brother by George Jackson
o Coward –McCann, New York 1970
o Republished by Lawrence Hill Books 1994
Classical in every sense of the word, Jackson’s writing not only changed the lives of many prisoners, it also gave the society at large one of its worst in depth look into the soul of a revolutionary. With over 100 letters spanning the years from 1965-1970 it remains a work of required reading. Jackson focused on political uplifting through the use of military strategy.
The Last Hardrock has time on its side being able to use Hip-hop as a connecting point for those who may not be as politically astute as someone who has chosen to study war and progressive struggle champions.
• Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver
o Random House, New York 1968, 1991
Mr. Cleaver’s memoir of essays, letters and treatise is a powerful work that is important today as it has been in previous years. An excellent book that is as important today as it has been in previous years. An excellent book of shocking truth told with poetic honesty, it is a staple in African-American curriculum unchallenged at its top ten positioning. While Cleaver’s intellectual standing can never be questioned the extreme views of Black America vs. White America are dated.
There is no longer a need to encourage separation between the races to establish a working dialogue in an attempt to reach an understanding. The Last Hardrock gives the reader every opportunity to feel confident within themselves to have free flowing thought no matter how uncompromising the author feels about his beliefs.
• All God’s Children by Fox Butterfield
o Avon Books, Inc. New York 1995
Mr. Butterfield presented the literary world with an informative, well researched account of the history of one of the most violent families in the prison system’s recent existence. It is a chronological report of the beginnings of violence inbred in one African-American family through racism and extreme poverty. This award winning work also gives an outsider’s perspective on the mechanics of the court and penal systems. Though powerful and engaging with many lessons to be learned from Butterfield’s book is investigative and lacks the emotional punch at points, that could only be communicated by first hand experience and by way of a true “hardrock‿.
• No More Prisons by William Upski Wimsatt
o Subway & Elevator Press 1999
No More Prisons is a very intriguing title and may have been very well organized proposal but as a book it fell short. The essays were of novice content with respect to the Hip-hop culture and its relationship within the prison industry. Wimsatt’s approach is fine for readers who want to retain statistics for poolroom debating, street corner shouting matches, etc. It is a table book, not a gospel of Generation Hip-hop.
• Fight the Power by Chuck D., Yusuf Jah, Spike Lee
o Bantam Doubleday Publishing Group, Inc. 1998
With the most influential voice in music today at the helm, a director that changed film making and how Hollywood valued projects headed by young Black men on board. One would think that “Fight the Power‿ was on its way to becoming a must read. However Chuck used the written format to continue to incite, instead of finding purpose in a new strategy. The same foul rhetoric dances through the pages and alienates progressive thinkers in route to “Specialized Book Hell‿, blaming the “White Man‿ for everything from the destruction of creativity to the dire conditions of urban environments.
The Last Hardrock welcomed all in a stern yet genuine voice.
Note: None of the books were written with the readers profit in mind. All of the theses authors from various backgrounds and levels of expertise on these subjects selfishly impose their perspectives on their audience. The Last Hard Rock gives a look never given, gives a peek through letters of how convicted felons speak to one another dispelling many myths associated with these men, women or youth. Giving life lesson, giving food for thought, truth, entertainment is also a strong incentive.
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