BRPP Reloaded Issue 5 by BlaqRayn

BLACK EXCELLENCE WITH

BLAQRAYN PUBLISHING PLUS MAGAZINE FORCE FED (Mind Control) Poem by Kneika Robbins…Page 6 AUTHOR NAOMI E. JONES…Page 7 BLACK EXCELLENCE by Kristie McGee…Page 10 .CUM by Catrina D. Brown…Page13 COVER STORY zO Alonzo Gross: New Life, New Book, New Music…Page 15 1

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Naomi E. Jones was born in Flushing Queens, NY and has been writing poetry since the age of 18, but stopped in her early 20’s. With life changes and challenges, heartaches and accomplishments, poetry found it’s way back to her heart and she hasn’t looked back. When posting poetry on social media didn’t satisfy her passion, she finally bit the bullet, taking the next step. Naomi’s first poetry book, SOULS DO CRY was released in early February 2018 and this author hasn’t slowed down since. She now has three titles currently available on Amazon: Souls Do Cry, Tasteful Treasures, and her latest release, Shattered Butterflies. She is currently working on her first full length novel, so stay tuned! Visit Amazon for your copies of this amazing author’s work or contact her directly at poeticexpressionsmag@gmail.com.

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BLACK EXCELLENCE B

By Kristie McGee

Black Excellence indeed.. Black Panther, the new action movie from Marvel portraying an African superhero, just hit the theaters, and, let me just say WOW!!! I've never personally seen so much pride in our culture as I have witnessed this past weekend. I am astounded at the level of Black Excellence that has and IS being displayed. I've never loved my race more than I do just watching the Black Excellence and positive imagery I’ve seen. Not only on the big screen, with such positive black role models, especially the women. But also, at the theaters and different functions associated with this film. Now let me be clear..just because we are Pro-Black and supporting our culture and this movie, in no way promotes anything Anti- any other race ro culture. We have something special of our own to celebrate and support and we intend to do just that! Now, let's look at what we did. We, black folks, and yes, I know other cultures have attended and supported the release of this movie, but let’s be real...WE DID THIS! We raked in well over 200 million dollars in 3 days.. You hear me!!! 200 MILLION DOLLARS IN 3 DAYS!!!!! Now, take every person who spent that approximate $10/per person and spend it in a black owned business. Think about it! We just set our feet on the ground for financial independence. Every single person spending that appx. $10 every weekend in our black owned businesses.

200 million dollars every weekend invested into our own community…

Black Excellence indeed! 10

Catrina D. Brown, author of .CUM, a book detailing the reality of the online dating world, is the mother of 3 sons, 1 daughter (R.I.H.) and one granddaughter. She has worked in the law enforcement field for over 24 years and has over 4 years experience using online dating services. She has met men all over the United States via chat, text, video chatting, phone and some even in person. She is a real person with a real heart looking for a real relationship, not just a story to write about. Traveling from city to city and state to state in search of her one true love, her belief is the Lord is preparing her for the man she deserves. Not knowing when and where he’ll show up, she continues to step out on faith for her final chapter. You can find Author Catrina’s first title “.CUM” on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and stay tune for the release of the sequel, Still2Cum.

MILK

AND

HONEY

Some of life’s valuable treasures are often found in the most unusual places. Our book called, A Land of Milk and Honey is a poetry book that writes the story of our life together. As husband and wife we have researched many beautiful things and we have experienced “once in a lifetime” events, now we want to share them with you. Join us in this journey we all call life while together we perpetually search for comfort within.

1.Welcome back to BRPP Magazine! What have you been up to since we last talked? -I was blessed to get married to a beautiful woman who is also an artist. The birth of my youngest son Beya Prince Gross on March 07th, 2017. I finished my book “sOuL eLiXiR: The WritingZ of zO” my new book of poetry. I released another music film for my song I think I LoveR. Working on new music. I travelled to Los Angeles California to appear in a documentary film called “VOICES”, directed by Gina Nemo that was released on Amazon and Vimeo this year. -So For the most part I have just been enjoying life, family, & Art in all aspects. 2.Have poetry and music always been a part of your life? -Yes, since my earliest memories they were always together. I would listen to Dr.Seuss from my mother and my brother would play Parliament Funkadelic, so they were always meshed together. I see no difference between the two. They are one in the same to me. A lot of times people ask me what my favorite poem or song is? But that to me is like asking someone which one of your kids is your favorite? I Love them all the same and they have always been part of my life. 3.Who and/or what inspired you to become an author? -Dr.Seuss initially inspired me and then later my mother being published in a compilation book by Tavis Smiley called “Keeping the Faith”. One of the co-contributors to that book was Iyanla Vanzant. Jim Morrison also was somebody that inspired me with his book, “The Lords and The New Creatures.” Here is a guy who was well read, intellectual as well as a Great Singer, Performer, Poet, Author, Songwriter, with Great Charisma. The epitome of an Artist. I got a chance to visit his grave in Paris at Pere Lachaise cemetery and on his tombstone it simply said: “Poet” because in the end, that is what he truly was. He died doing what he loved and that was Poetry. So he is probably one my biggest influences in terms of being a Performer/Artist/ & Author. He really got it. By “IT” I mean the concept that what people really want in their artists is for their work to border on the sacred. 16

4.You currently have book of poetry out. Is this your first? -Actually, this is my second book. My first book “Inspiration Harmony and the World Within” was released in 2012. I have learned a lot since then in terms of presentation, form, expression. It was great getting my feet wet and I was humbled that the book got 5/5 stars. But I am always pushing for more insight, more wisdom, and more experimentation. My style of writing changed drastically between 2012 and 2016 as I got heavy into visual artists like Jean Michel Basquiat. From him I learned my writings can be very much performance art, having multiple deep underlying messages. So I began incorporating symbols in my poetry and pauses & a much more readable form to present the writings in. I saw the works as a dance or musical composition, giving the reader accents to drive home certain imagery within the form. This new book exemplifies this new style I have been developing since 2012 and still learning & harnessing. It is a never ending process.

5. If you weren't doing what you do, what do you think would be your chosen profession? -A librarian. I have a serious love of books. I recently found out there is an actual term for that it is called a bibliophile which means: a person who collects and has a great love of books. My Wife and I actually have a home library of several hundred books ranging from: Philosophy, Literature, Musician Biographies, Science, Physics, Self Help Books, Cook Books, Children’s Books, Books on Art & Screenwriting & many more. My goodness, I sound like an infomercial lol. If not a librarian then I would have liked to be a Quantum Physicist like Einstein, Stephen Hawkin, Neil deGrasse Tyson & Shirley Ann Jackson. Science is my other passion and much of my poetry borders on the metaphysical for that reason.

6.What is your advice to anyone aspiring to become a part of the poetry/music community? -Follow the small still voice in your head. Writing becomes more fluent when you look at it as dictation. Listen first and write from that perspective. Let the poems or songs write themselves through you as a vessel and stay on that path because it never leaves you astray. This is something that I had to learn because you can “Write” for a while but there comes a time when you will eventually run out of gas because it is pressure believing that the creations are coming solely from you. I always believed that the writings come from a much deeper metaphysical or spiritual realm. These creations want to live and breathe but they will not get in your way if you are trying to create them yourself. I read a great book called The Artist Way by Julia Cameron. In this book she talks about listening rather than writing, and in this way it is more like dictation. It takes great concentration but there are exercises she offers that assist with that. One of the things she said to do is morning pages. Morning pages are simply 3 pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. It really opens you up as a writer and helps against the dreaded writer’s block. I would suggest any writer or artist in any genre pick up this book as it is a gem. 7.You have some new music as well. Tell us where the inspiration for your music stems from. -To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar was something I have been waiting for a long time. It’s the Perfect Album by a Creative Genius, As far as Poignant Lyrics, Incredible Music, Visually, Everything. I then went back to all of his catalogs and he totally blew me away. -Kendrick is An Artist’s Artist. He is one of those people like Miles Davis that comes around once in a lifetime. He totally gets it. From the music, to his videos to his CD cover art. One of the great things about him is he has great influences like Prince and Parliament Funkadelic which I can relate to. His experimentation inspired me to take risks in my own music & poetry. I’ve also gotten more into Jazz which is very mathematical. So I wanted to apply those same methods in my music & poetry and let them take me where they may. Always trusting that I am on the proper path. 8.What’s next for you as an author/poet/musician? -I plan on going on a book tour to promote my book Soul Elixir, starting on the east coast from Bethlehem, PA where I was born, to Philadelphia, New York Stretching all the way to the west coast to Los Angeles, California to the last bookstore & beyond to wherever the Lord blesses me to go with this project. I will also be doing promotional films to promote the book in which I will be narrating & acting out my pieces. My album A Madness 2 thA Method, I am working on as well. I want to give the poetry and the music their proper time and space to breathe, but I am very much in the studio. Hopefully, I can release my album by Christmas of this year but again, I want to take my time to put out the best music and poetry that I can. The listeners and readers are deserving of that. 9.Any shout outs or last thoughts? -Shout out to my wife Alexia Zakariya, who has a book of poetry coming out this year called Warmth N GreenZ. She holds me down, she is my toughest critic and my muse. Shout out to my son Beya whose growing every day and we feel so blessed to have him. He is a budding Artist we can already see it. Shout out to my son Sean who is growing up so fast, he is 13 now. Shout out to Rebecca Anne Banks for taking on the sOuL eLiXiR project. Shout out to you for having me in your magazine, it is a great privilege and what you are doing for Artists is Beautiful. Most of all I want to give a shout out to the God Almighty for EVERYTHING. Thank you again.

Yungg Fattz is a rising hip hop recording artist based on the West Coast, but his music is spreading all over the nation and the rest of the world! He is taking over for 2018! Stream his music on Tidal, iHeart Radio and Spotify at the direct links below!Listen to the music for yourself and find out why!!!

www.iheart.com/artist/Yungg-Fattz-31721128/?cmp=android_share www.open.spotify.com/artist/6CtNeoZhojktJH5xBz34tT www.open.spotify.com/album/3O8WfQW7nhIHe9CgQ8LfUF www.tidal.com/track/76429293

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