As urgent, resonant, and essential as The Fire Next Time and Between the World and Me, a poetic, raw, and inspirational love letter from the bestselling author of Buck, written to a nephew who was shot nine times and survived-a reflection on life, overcoming odds, finding your voice, and the power of music and family.
Waiting in the emergency room at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia where his eighteen-year-old nephew, Nasir, lay unconscious after being shot nine times, MK Asante began pouring his heart and soul into a series of letters to a beautiful, dying Black boy so full of life.
As Nasir fought for survival, MK realized there was so much-too much-that he had kept from his nephew, starting with the truth about his father, MK's brother, Uzi, whom Nasir had never met. MK could no longer remain silent because in many ways, his nephew was repeating the mistakes of the past. MK began his confessional to repair family bonds-to save Nasir from the same streets that stole his father and to introduce him to the man and family history the young man had never known. The result is this beautiful, poignant, and honest family memoir.
Nephew introduces us to two men, strangers to each other, whose similarities are astonishing. Both have red hot tempers, both struggle with opioid addiction, and most profoundly, both are lyrical geniuses whose raps are raw, powerful, and autobiographical. Yet neither had ever heard the other's lyrics. As he tells his family's story, MK draws vivid portraits of both Nasir and Uzi through their songs-lyrics that become the touchstone of their relationship. When father and son eventually meet, they confront each other and share a dialogue through their lyrics.
An explosive, innovative memoir of family, faith, poetry, secrets, love, race, poverty, redemption, addiction, Philadelphia, hip-hop, jail, purpose, mental health, and violence. Nephew is fast-paced, intimate, lyrical, educational, and inspirational. It is the epic, painful, poetic, and miraculous redemptive story of a new generation-a new style of memoir for a new decade, the rhythmic story of a family in love, struggle, and verse.
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Nephew: A Memoir in 4-Part Harmony
As urgent, resonant, and essential as The Fire Next Time and Between the World and Me, a poetic, raw, and inspirational love letter from the bestselling author of Buck, written to a nephew who was shot nine times and survived-a reflection on life, overcoming odds, finding your voice, and the power of music and family.
Waiting in the emergency room at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia where his eighteen-year-old nephew, Nasir, lay unconscious after being shot nine times, MK Asante began pouring his heart and soul into a series of letters to a beautiful, dying Black boy so full of life.
As Nasir fought for survival, MK realized there was so much-too much-that he had kept from his nephew, starting with the truth about his father, MK's brother, Uzi, whom Nasir had never met. MK could no longer remain silent because in many ways, his nephew was repeating the mistakes of the past. MK began his confessional to repair family bonds-to save Nasir from the same streets that stole his father and to introduce him to the man and family history the young man had never known. The result is this beautiful, poignant, and honest family memoir.
Nephew introduces us to two men, strangers to each other, whose similarities are astonishing. Both have red hot tempers, both struggle with opioid addiction, and most profoundly, both are lyrical geniuses whose raps are raw, powerful, and autobiographical. Yet neither had ever heard the other's lyrics. As he tells his family's story, MK draws vivid portraits of both Nasir and Uzi through their songs-lyrics that become the touchstone of their relationship. When father and son eventually meet, they confront each other and share a dialogue through their lyrics.
An explosive, innovative memoir of family, faith, poetry, secrets, love, race, poverty, redemption, addiction, Philadelphia, hip-hop, jail, purpose, mental health, and violence. Nephew is fast-paced, intimate, lyrical, educational, and inspirational. It is the epic, painful, poetic, and miraculous redemptive story of a new generation-a new style of memoir for a new decade, the rhythmic story of a family in love, struggle, and verse.
Inspirational and faith-based, Nephew explores important themes like love, family, African American culture, gun violence, youth and so much more. With intimate personal details and universal takeaways, there's something here for everyone.
As urgent, resonant, and essential as The Fire Next Time and Between the World and Me, a poetic, raw, and inspirational love letter from the bestselling author of Buck, written to a nephew who was shot nine times and survived-a reflection on life, overcoming odds, finding your voice, and the power of music and family.
Waiting in the emergency room at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia where his eighteen-year-old nephew, Nasir, lay unconscious after being shot nine times, MK Asante began pouring his heart and soul into a series of letters to a beautiful, dying Black boy so full of life.
As Nasir fought for survival, MK realized there was so much-too much-that he had kept from his nephew, starting with the truth about his father, MK's brother, Uzi, whom Nasir had never met. MK could no longer remain silent because in many ways, his nephew was repeating the mistakes of the past. MK began his confessional to repair family bonds-to save Nasir from the same streets that stole his father and to introduce him to the man and family history the young man had never known. The result is this beautiful, poignant, and honest family memoir.
Nephew introduces us to two men, strangers to each other, whose similarities are astonishing. Both have red hot tempers, both struggle with opioid addiction, and most profoundly, both are lyrical geniuses whose raps are raw, powerful, and autobiographical. Yet neither had ever heard the other's lyrics. As he tells his family's story, MK draws vivid portraits of both Nasir and Uzi through their songs-lyrics that become the touchstone of their relationship. When father and son eventually meet, they confront each other and share a dialogue through their lyrics.
An explosive, innovative memoir of family, faith, poetry, secrets, love, race, poverty, redemption, addiction, Philadelphia, hip-hop, jail, purpose, mental health, and violence. Nephew is fast-paced, intimate, lyrical, educational, and inspirational. It is the epic, painful, poetic, and miraculous redemptive story of a new generation-a new style of memoir for a new decade, the rhythmic story of a family in love, struggle, and verse.
This innovative memoir offers provocative commentary on how Black Americans have sung—and might yet sing—their paths to freedom. Passionate, moving, spirited reflections on art’s therapeutic potency.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Nephew is the definitive proof that there has now emerged a new category of memoir we should probably call the "M.K. Asante Memoir." Its defining characteristics are that it is unlike any memoir you've ever seen, that it has completely eradicated the tedious boundaries of the genre, that it fills your spirit—and that you absolutely cannot put it down. Nephew is not a memoir and it is not a book, it is an experience that will engulf your heart and soul in all of the right ways—and lead your spirit forward.” — Ari Bloomekatz, Executive Editor at IN THESE TIMES
"A master storyteller." — CNN
“Asante is the voice of a new generation.” — Essence
"To such writers as Dickens, Twain, Douglas, Lee, Angelou and Kerouac we now add the name Asante." — San Francisco Book Review
“MK Asante combines drive, skill and a commitment that buoys us all. The hip hop community should feel extremely blessed to have those qualities attached to its forward movement.” — Chuck D, Public Enemy
“A rare remarkable talent that brings to mind the great artist of the Harlem Renaissance.” — Philadelphia Inquirer
"Known as a master storyteller and a major creative force, best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker, and recording artist Asante pours his heart and soul into a series of letters to his nephew, Nasir, who's fighting for his life after being shot nine times. Readers will experience the highs and lows of a family's struggles, witness moments of joy and despair, and see miracles unfold. This beautifully crafted and inspiring narrative captures the essence of family life and showcases the power of love and perseverance in the face of adversity." — Booklist
Library Journal
★ 05/01/2024
Award-winning filmmaker and recording artist Asante (host and coexecutive producer of the docuseries While Black; author of Buck: A Memoir) weaves together stories of several generations of his family, incorporating poetry, rap songs, voicemails, letters to God, journal entries, funeral programs, suicide notes, and T-shirt slogans with quotes from prominent writers and thinkers from around the world and across time. When Asante's book begins, it's three A.M., and he's in the lobby of the Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. He's writing a letter to his 18-year-old nephew, who is lying in the ICU with nine bullets in his body. The voice of the author is anguished as he asks readers to pay attention to the details and to the bigger picture of his observations and conclusions about generational trauma, resilience, and brilliance. His writing style is simple, yet powerful, and he doesn't sacrifice complexity and nuance. VERDICT This poignant memoir about overcoming devastating odds is a treasure and likely to become a classic. Essential reading for deepening understanding of society, the world, familial relationships, and the meaning of art and life.—Amy Cheney
