"Maybe this place is haunted. Anytime the homeless folk don't ask for money, something ain't right" is a quote from The Haunting of Hip Hop by Bertice Berry. The book jacket blurb says the novel is about a renown hip hop producer who feels drawn to an abandoned house that is rumored to be haunted. The producer, Freedom, decides to buy the property. Sitting on the front porch step one evening, a homeless cat approaches him, advising him not to crash there for the night.
I reluctantly checked the book out of the library anticipating a lot of foul language. Not that foul language bothers me. So you can curse? Big deal. How many times must they repeat the F word and equally offensive to me, that dread N word? The rappers remind me of elementary school kids who enjoy shocking parents and other adults the first time they utter the word. Ooh, look at me, I am super bad.
I was happily surprised the novel did not dwell on gansta rap. Characters actually bemoaned the dumbing down or impurity of what rap/hip hop has become. Misogynist also. Bothers me that generations of boys are learning to disrespect females through the music.
The book took me by surprise; anticipating it would be Freedom's adventures living in a house full of ghosts or spirits. Yes the spooky stuff was there, but in ways unexpected. Great read. Berry is an excellent author ~ the kind that makes writing look easy.
www.berticeberry.com
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