1. Malo states that music was fashion.... Meaning to me music is away to spiritually connect our lives
2. Malo father was revered pioneer that was deeply into black studies and was a professor he enrolled Malo into a all black school and from Malo experience he said they don't educate us like there being.....
2.1. We are not mentally stabled like whites but its important to know what we are capliable of doing
3. The lyrics sybolizes struggle and goals
3.1. Once his friends was being touch by violence chaos and death he begin to realize letter on he had to get his life together
3.1.1. His chance to shine and be more connected to god
4. Malo grew up in a household where his family was broken by mental issues and violence and abuse. He had to learn how to be independent more once his step brother Uzi went to jail, his sister was admitted to a mental institution and his mother was depress and father walked out on them ... that he had to be mentally strong, physically strong to survive.
4.1. Sometimes struggle is a way to gain more faith
5. 1990s Music
5.1. Songs
5.1.1. "Wreck Your Ears" - The B.U.M.S. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MaZoGUyeqrQ
5.1.2. " Mortal Kombat"- Big Daddy Kane https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IF_dWu3KLlA
5.1.3. "Fuck the Police" - N.W.A. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tke_27wbW-0
5.1.3.1. Lyrics from each of these songs are used in specific situations that is relevant to the situation.
5.1.3.1.1. "My mom's crying 'cause her insides are dyin her son tryin her patience, keep her heart racin'." These lyrics help describe how his mother appeared when he's having trouble communicate with her.
5.1.3.1.2. New node
5.1.4. "93 'Til Infinity" - Souls of Mischief https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0VwfYCFYZws
5.1.5. "Ain't Hard to Find"- 2 Pac https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pcak79Navc
5.2. These are the popular artists that would be listened to by the teenagers back then; popular hip hop artists.
5.3. Artists
5.3.1. Big Daddy Kane
5.3.2. The Fat Boys
5.3.3. Cool C
5.3.4. Eric B and Rakim
5.3.5.
5.3.6. Wu-Tang
5.3.7. Known Rulers
5.3.8. PE
5.3.9. N.W.A.
6. Family
6.1. Malo and his Mother
6.1.1. Disconnected
6.1.1.1. Malo and his mother were not able to communicate at the beginning of the book. Part of that was because no body knew that his mother, Amina, was still struggling with her mental issues from her earlier life. The only way Malo could gain an understanding of his mother was by secretly reading her journal
6.2. Malo and Uzi
6.2.1. Follow-the-leader relationship
6.2.1.1. Malo wanted to be and do everything Uzi was and did. Even though Uzi was not a good role model, Malo wanted to be with him whenever he and his friends went somewhere or when they did something complicit up until Uzi's arrest.
6.3. Malo's Mother and Father
6.3.1. strained relationship
6.3.1.1. Malo observed his parents' strained marriage. He was present when his dad left his mom. They often disagreed about how Amina was parenting Uzi even though he was not Uzi's father.