Jihad Shaheed Uhuru was born Elbert Lee Frazier, Jr. April 8, 1969 to Elbert Lee and Arthine Frazier. He grew up in a single-family home in Indianapolis, Indiana and spent his formative years in Atlanta, Georgia, which inspired the setting of his story. He was second of three children. His father was a street hustler, in and out of five marriages. His parents divorced when he was two. His mother worked a variety of jobs to better herself and children. She was responsible for teaching Jihad and his siblings how to be strong and resilient, and how to take risks.

Jihad attended alternative schools in Atlanta and had little interest in literature. However, when he was incarcerated, he discovered the Donald Goines Series, the Browder Files and educational books by Naim Akbar, an unexpected surprise. He didn't know African- Americans published books.

In 1988, Jihad attended Savannah State University. He didn't want his mother responsible for his financial responsibilities, so he developed a drug organization that targeted inner cities and projects. Making more than enough money to return to school, his lavish life-style turned into self-indulgence instead.

On August 4, 1990, Jihad was paralyzed from a near fatal automobile accident. Suffering two fractures of the neck, his medical team left him with little hope to ever walk again. But, through faith and determination, he regained enough mobility to return to the streets again, while the driver of the car remained in a wheelchair.

On March 19, 1992, Jihad was incarcerated for possession of drugs and a firearm. He served seven years in six different penitentiaries. He recalls this being a time of transformation and a new awareness. He joined programs to help troubled youths. He started looking up to a group of socio-political positive self-taught prisoners, who raised his awareness about himself and his past. He read everything he could get his hands on, and soon realized that the game he was playing was the wrong game.

He started identifying with classic black authors and historians, something that never spurred his interest while growing up in a mass of confusion in school. It wasn't until now that Jihad had a purpose and a reason to live.

Jihad started researching and writing about his own analysis of his findings. He wrote essays about European Cultures and Chinese Dynasties. He also wrote about things he felt were misconceptions, such as life, religion, society and his people His focus and discipline prepared him to write his first book, Wake Up Everybody: The Life Of A Player.

Jihad is currently living in Atlanta, and working on several projects for 2001. He is CEO of Envisions Publishing, sells real estate and a personal fitness trainer. He also does live poetry at nightclubs throughout Atlanta. Details of these events will be posted on his website soon. He shares his story by speaking to youths, and will forever donate money to guys on the other side of the road. 

MVP (Murder Vengeance Power)
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Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Envisions Publishing, LLC (October 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0970610211

MVP is the story of two best friends and business partners. Jonathon Parker and Coltrane Jones have a history. The best friends and business partners have been involved in everything from murder to blackmail, whatever it took to rise to stardom they did. Now that they're sitting on top of the world, heading up the two largest and most infamous strip clubs in the nation, the duo has the world at their feet. But now they both want out for different reasons.

Coltrane is tired of the drug game, the seedy underworld lifestyle that playas dream of. He's hoping to settle down with the new woman in his life. Jonathan, who is now a top sought after criminal attorney, is ready to get out of the game, too. But that's because he has his eye set on the Governor's Mansion. And now, with the backing of major political players, he just might get it. There's only one catch. Jonathan has to make a major coup... bring down his best friend, the notorious MVP, Coltrane Jones.

As two longtime friends go to war, parallel lives will collide, shocking family secrets will be unveiled and the game won't truly be over until one of them is dead.

Riding Rhythm
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Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Urban Trade Paper (June 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1893196488

Riding Rhythm is a love story set in the early 1970's and 80's Chicago, Atlanta, and D.C. Rhythm is a college student in D.C. whom learns of Moses King, the man who started the Disciples, the largest street gang in Chicago. She reads his court case and the inconsistencies in his trial transcripts leads her to write him, asking him if he really did kill and rape the black Chicago Congressman Perry Homes and his wife Fiona. It seems so unlikely because Moses and his Disciples were like Robin Hood and the forty thieves in multiples on the Southside of Chicago. The letters start to flow back and forth and Rhythm changes her major to criminal justice and becomes an attorney to fight the system that has incarcerated the man she falls in love with.

Moses started the Disciples to make a positive impact on the black community. The Disciples head up book drives, they feed the hungry, and they start free breakfast programs with the Panthers. They hijack trucks and rob corporate America to finance their operation in the beginning.

His estranged brother the Bishop Solomon "the soul king" King has his own agenda it seems as he rises to be one of the nations most controversial and popular Baptist ministers.

Lawrence One Free is Moses' friend and mentor that ran the Atlanta Federal Pen's law library while he was locked up with Moses. In prison they form a lifelong bond. In prison Law causes Moses to change the direction of the Disciples for what he thinks is the greater good.

Pablo "Picasso" Nkrumah is the black Cuban brother who was one of the 12 kings in the Disciple nation until Moses went down, then Picasso broke off and started the Gangsta Gods a rival gang that sold heroine and cocaine like they had a license.

The Chicago police commissioner and the F.B.I. are always one step ahead of Moses, Picasso, Law, and Solomon, until Rhythm brings everyone together and teaches what the power of love and unity can accomplish. She shows what the real meaning of freedom is. And when Rhythm touches the lives of these men, everything changes and all hell breaks loose and Rhythm's heavenly flow shows hell what love can do.

Gigolos Get Lonely Too
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by Dwayne S. Joseph, Roy Glenn, Travis Hunter, Jihad

ISBN: 189319633X
Pub. Date: March 2006
Format: Paperback, 300pp
Publisher: Urban Books

Three men that have a way with the ladies struggle to keep their heads when each finds that love is more important than sex.

Vernon Van Gant successful real-estate investor, and player is used to tricking women into giving him what he wants. But everything gets crazy when Vernon trick’s his wife’s best friend Shemika into a threesome with a strange woman. Unknowingly to Vernon and Shemika the third woman has her own ulterior motives.

After serving five years in prison Treyvon Gant, former pro football player, and drug addict comes home to find that his identical twin is married to the only woman he ever loved. Now a community activist Trey, finds himself in a war he can’t win, with Shemika’s husband the Powerful and mega rich Bishop T.J. Money.

Dr. Cheyenne Gant wife of Vernon Van Gant and mother of his child has her own demons that are threatening to destroy her world as she knows it. Backed into a corner by her husband and her heart she is forced to chose Love or her life.

Baby Girl

Paperback: 276 pages
Publisher: Urban Books (October 5, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN: 1893196232

Life hasn't been easy for Babygirl. She's seen and done her share of dirt.

Raised by an overprotective mother, who was willing to go to no ends – including kill or be killed —for her precious daughter.

Babygirl developed the attitude that what she wants, she gets. Dancing in strip clubs, leading the rich to her love nest and than crying rape- to running credit card, and money scams, Babygirl is making things happen by any means necessary.

While the streets have hardened Babygirl, underneath that tough exterior, the hustler/stripper/scam artist really wants to make a change. But by the time she figures out how to make that happen, Babygirl will see getting out the game isn't easy. Especially when you've crossed the notorious drug dealing family, the St. Louis Black Mafia, and the ice-cold, ex-cop, strip club owner, Stevie Brown.

etween Uncle Shabazz a heroine addict wanna-be black scam artist, and Uncle Ben a drunk street psychologist, and a host of colorful characters Babygirl comes to realize that getting money doesn't mean anything if you can't use it to help the less fortunate.

Street Life
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Format: Paperback, 291pp.
ISBN: 0971237093
Publisher: United Brothers
Pub. Date: January 2004

Streetlife is an in-depth graphic journey into the struggle of life as a young black male raised by America's inner city streets. This journey is not only Jihad's, but documented bits and pieces of every African-American mother's son's life. The private lives of so many that have revolved around him as he evolved thru childhood, adolescence and adulthood is profiled.

As the merry-go-round of life in the hood is relived, explanations will become evident as to what sets the stage for the events and circumstances that lead so many to the prison-gates. A vivid colorful picture is painted throughout of the how and why Black men in America raised in the inner cities, fortunate enough to live past the age of eighteen are conditioned to accept the inevitability of prison. Growing up in an environment where happiness is sought in the bottom of liquor bottles, needles and dope sacks is just ordinary life in the hood. Through several entertaining sub-stories the fine line between user and dealer, and how they use the same means to get to the same ends is profiled. Whenever one tries to break the cycle, it will become as clear as my words in writing as to how unseen hands pull at him to continue the course he was conditioned to complete, bombard him.

First hand accounts of the black cultural documentary like revolving doors of ignorance and how the school system perpetuates the black man's American Dream (life as a player, hustler, thief, drug dealer and wannabe pimp) is entertainingly analyzed. Travel into the world of a dope addict. Make the introduction to several self-empowered revolutionary freedom fighting black men that are deemed as poison in today's society, men that will never be given a second chance to give back so much that has been missing. Hold steadfast to something strong and real as the harsh reality of life, and it's dizzying revolutions and evolutions as seen through the eyes of one young black male is detailed in various stages such as project, penthouse, hospital and penitentiary life.

Take a first hand look behind the walls and fences of America’s prison system, where you can seen what about 37% of all black males from ages 17-29 experience in this country.

This is a story of tragedy, love and of hope: A story of slavery and freedom. This story is based on my life growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana and Atlanta, Georgia in the 1970's, 80's, and 90's.

Wake Up Everybody: The Life of a Player
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Format: Paperback, 261pp.
ISBN: 0970610203
Publisher: Envisions Publishing
Pub. Date: August  2001

Wake Up Every body is an in-depth graphic journey into the struggle of life as a young black male raised by America's inner city streets. This journey is not only Jihad's, but documented bits and pieces of every African-American mother's son's life. The private lives of so many that have revolved around him as he evolved thru childhood, adolescence and adulthood is profiled.

As the merry-go-round of life in the hood is relived, explanations will become evident as to what sets the stage for the events and circumstances that lead so many to the prison-gates. A vivid colorful picture is painted throughout of the how and why Black men in America raised in the inner cities, fortunate enough to live past the age of eighteen are conditioned to accept the inevitability of prison. Growing up in an environment where happiness is sought in the bottom of liquor bottles, needles and dope sacks is just ordinary life in the hood. Through several edutaining sub-stories the fine line between user and dealer, and how they use the same means to get to the same ends is profiled. Whenever one tries to break the cycle, it will become as clear as my words in writing as to how unseen hands pull at him to continue the course he was conditioned to complete, bombard him.

First hand accounts of the black cultural documentary like revolving doors of ignorance and how the school system perpetuates the black man's American Dream (life as a player, hustler, thief, drug dealer and wannabe pimp) is entertainingly analyzed. Travel into the world of a dope addict. Make the introduction to several self-empowered revolutionary freedom fighting black men that are deemed as poison in today's society, men that will never be given a second chance to give back so much that has been missing. Hold steadfast to something strong and real as the harsh reality of life, and it's dizzying revolutions and evolutions as seen through the eyes of one young black male is detailed in various stages such as project, penthouse, hospital and penitentiary life.

Take a first hand look behind the walls and fences of America's slave prison system, where you can seen what about 37% of all black males from ages 17-29 experience in this country. Shown throughout is how our socio-economic conditioning controls the masses of the people.

This is a story of tragedy, love and of hope: A story of slavery and freedom. This story is based on my life growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana and Atlanta, Georgia in the 1970's, 80's, and 90's. In rare occasions, other people's experiences are intermingled, specifically ones that had a strong impact on my life. The ending is totally fiction, due to the fact that this book was completed a short time after being released from Americas slave system, also known as its prison system.

Related Links

Official Website
http://www.jihadwrites.com

 

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