Kola Boof

Ugh!!! Troy bite your tongue. PLEASE NOT Nigeria. They are the richest African nation right now. But my God. The self-hatred in that country; then the growing Arab Muslim states; the corruption; the And don't get me wrong...a GANG of my friends are Nigerian. I LOVE Nigerian people madly. It's not them so much as that they're too Western-oriented. They would eventually go the same route as Black America and Black Britain. Africa has a million (literally) Black Mecca locations that are better than Nigeria. Senegal is my favorite African nation, btw. And Gambia (which is basically part of Senegal) is the birthplace of your first ancestor, Queen TinkaTeker II (mother of the Black Americans). Bottom line--South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria ((The obvious choices, would be the WORST)).

Troy, I wanted to post a photo of myself with Nobi at the NBTheater. And another with me and Manie Barron. It seems you've fixed it so I can't post photos! lmao

This story in the New York Times today is really close to my heart. Apparently, THE NATIONAL BLACK THEATER OF HARLEM where I performed last May, is facing foreclosure. NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE I wish to God there was something I could do!! The Curator, Nobi, has become a dear friend to me and he's one of the best Black Men I have ever met on earth! I was given the largest theater (without paying a cent) and my show failed to make back the entire $4,000 rental cost of the theater. All productions have to pay this PER NIGHT! Nobi waved the charges. He was so moved by my presentation that he said I now had a "permanent home" at the NBT and they officially set up a residency for me!! Having a residency means that anytime you are in town, they provide free apartment (on the premises) and car service for you. You also can perform & do your shows at the NBT as a resident. I believe that Louis Farrakhan and Cynthia Mckinney were the last people made residents before me, not sure, so it's not a light honor. To be clear...the REASON that Nobi gave me this residency was because of people who contacted him to convince him not to present Kola Boof and to Smear/slander me. He found their attacks so ugly and non-sensical that it had the opposite effect. He became a Kola supporter. Nobi is an honorable man and both his sons (who caretake the theater) are intelligent, loving and art-respecting young men who quite impressed me. These are GOOD, GOOD people at the National Black Theater of Harlem. I pray that people will support them. Attached is a Photo of myself, Nobi and my boyfriend, Posar A. Posar. Sorry I can't find a better photo of just Nobi & me. (oops, tried attaching but couldn't)

You see, Troy just gave the perfect example of how "fast" we read nowadays. We don't really read...we SCAN things. I hate when people read an essay or commentary by me and then ask me a question that was talked about in the article! I just had 6 people do that in last 3 hours after reading my essay "Why I love America." They don't really take the time read something anymore. We're a busy, busy, busy SCAN-IT population now. Short attention spans.

I'm so grateful for all the supportive emails I've received over this thread. Honestly, it felt like the "old days" again...thank you so much for the love. And yes, I promise not to let this person get to me and to ignore his hatred. tima usrah ! (through fire comes the family)

What an important article! This is one of the things I worried about with my novel "Sexy Part of the Bible" coming up. I told Johnny Temple that I feared the "attention span" of today's mainstream wouldn't be able to grasp all the nuances and metaphors of this story (I was nervous about the book being released on July 1st, 2011, which is the "STAR BEACH READING SLOT" usually reserved for superstar authors--summer and Christmas being the 2 biggest book buying seasons & the most competitive. My book is not "Jaws" or "The Shining"--you really have to be a reader to read "Sexy Part of the Bible." So I fear that a LITERARY novel no matter how original & inventive will have a hard time up against the disposable entertainment tomes that publishers "engineer" for beach reading). But he said we still have to publish the book "on GP that it's brilliant" to use his words & that my book is a "break out" book; it's hard to put down. I have come to accept the compliment of being chosen for their big summer release--but still, you have to wonder who will "GET IT" on the beach even if they do read the book? Back in the day, you didn't have to worry so much. But the questions readers ask today are shocking. EXAMPLE: "How did the shopkeeper know that Lipman was Jewish? That didn't make sense to me." **READERS don't even pay attention to 'names' anymore & can't distinguish a Jewish name from an Irish one. So you have to explain every little thing. The word "Harlem" can no longer be used as a metaphor because you have to explain (in detail) to Black kids outside NYC what Harlem is---that Black artists used to have a community; a capital city of Blackness. For Black writers with real talent...this is becoming a horrible problem. You have many, many very gifted Black authors who are writing "trash novels" under pseudonyms because the major houses have dumbed down the audience with poorly written gangster street novels. Authors have to feed themselves while they work on their more serious books, but for the Black author, there is literally no outlet for those more serious books. Believe it or not--the publishers also complain if your "Trash books" are too smart or have a point of view. You would be shocked at the LACK of "savvy" and marketing intelligence among the "Black Book Editors" in NYC, they all come from a traditional type background that doesn't allow much thinking-out-the-box or deviation (to them...LA Banks is clever; Sister Souljah is radical). NOTICE that not a single book they publish has any surprises or challenges in it. There's nothing to talk about on the MIT. A HUGE part of the problem is that Black editors are like the Black community itself--liberal about politics but conservative about any expression of social issues). They pick "safe" books and they fear anyone who truly stands for something that is unfamiliar to them (or not yet blessed by White folks). They're followers. They only want to publish what was ALREADY a hit last year. Even their trash novels are 7th grade level. Gone are the days when Donald Goings, Harold Robbins & Chester Himes gave us "good trash" (meaning well written & thoughtful prose despite being exploitation pot boilers). All around me, I see very talented Black authors "dying a little" inside until they just turn into husks from not having access to the intelligent black masses who actually DO read books (people like Cynique & Soul Sista & so many others here are proof that there is a huge market out there not being serviced with real astute writing). The fact that today's Black teenagers struggle with James Baldwin and learn how to misspell from reading "cute" hip hop lyrics or lose their attention spans from having 290 cable channels & video games is truly stifling us. Last week, I was the only Black author to have 2 deals listed in Publisher's Marketplace (granted, 1 was for Television rights, not a book). But that is very tragic. Out of 650 deals for the week---only 1 black author?? Especially when you consider all the "Glamor & intrigue" I had to utilize around myself BEFORE the fact that I can really write could be noticed. I mean literally---writers today are having to become like movie stars or Pop singers in order to find an opening in the wall. If you are black and do not have a way to draw attention to yourself; you will toil forever and ever waiting and hoping that you will be that 1 lucky person out of 1 million to be given a shot. The strength of your work is almost meaningless. It's like trying out for a recording contract--the doll with no voice but model looks is chosen to be signed over the 2nd coming of Sarah Vaughn. And that's not only unfair to Black artists...it's unfair to the collective black brain. Without good art that speaks specifically to us...we can't grow. If you look at the gains of the 1960's - 1980's in this country...you will see that Blacks have unequivocally gone BACKWARDS; not forwards. When the hip hop cultural movement replaced the civil rights movement; I think it lobotomized the black mind. We really DO...need to comprehend...what we read and develop critical thinking skills.

EVERYTHING YOU WRITE, MOTHERF--KER....is about me. And as usual, you don't know SHIT about what you've "come to grace us with"--hateful WHITE Payola-PAID Half Baked Reporter Bitch--- ...and your HATREDof me is all that I know. What you SHOULD of done is ignored me from the beginning. But you just can't contain yourself. You are a Kola Boof FANATIC, sick motherfucker! Go STALK something or someone...you BELIEVE IN ...pathetic Syphilis-brained White Evil tick-hearted no life dirty lying bastard. The PAIN & unfairness you've inflicted on me...because you DON'T understand...is SURELY future Karma for you AND your loved ones. No one has EVER fucked over me and left this planet unpunished. The universe understands that you had NO BUSINESS in my path and you will pay for attacking, slandering & harassing me.

No...it's your brain playing tricks on YOU, because I am indeed one of those peace activists. Paragraphs 9 to 12 Daily Nation, Kenya And those were NOT the only 2 cities, dumb phoney. As usual you don't know WHAT you're talking about; you stumble around with nothing worthwhile to do with your fucking life but make up reasons why people should HATE me. WHO are you helping by obsessing over somebody else's passions and opinions?? Get a fucking life or either be a MAN and preach your own goddamn opinions about earth!

Yesterday, Angela Davis gave a press statement complaining about the F.B.I.'s treatment of 14 writer/activists. She appealed to President Obama to do something about this problem. This morning, my related essay about my own personal experiences with the F.B.I. and NSA was published by WOMANISTMUSINGS.COM to coincide with Angela Davis's statement: The FBI and NSA dealings with Kola Boof For those who follow me on Twitter, you know what I've been going through the last month dealing with the FBI as I've TWEETED leading up to Ms. Davis's statement for weeks. My essay documents from 2001 until now. Her statement is here: Angela Davis Statement

By the way. CHERYL WALSH and GLORIA NAYLOR are both very pleased with my essay as they have been knowing my situation since 2006 and have been in contact with me since 2006. Dr. Stuart Bramhall (a white woman psychiatrist) is also part of our group and her book identically mirrors the experiences of Gloria Naylor and Kola Boof, too. So seeing as Dr. Stuart Bramhall went through the same ordeal for 15 years, we can't all be crazy. ANGELA DAVIS will say MORE when she's good and goddamn ready.

I am one of the 14 authors that Angela Davis is referring to. Those who follow me on Twitter, including a few heavyweight people in publishing who read this board, know full well what has been going on with me and others...I have been Tweeting it as a LEAD IN to Angela Davis's official public statement for the last MONTH. Considering that this person BOOKFAN has an "obsession" with discrediting me and consistently STALKS, "slanders" and "LIES" on me...yet considers himself to be "normal"and "trustworthy" ...I'm not the least bit surprised that he's WORRIED about people listening to Angela Davis and trying to cast doubt before you even have any knowledge of what you're talking about. You never do. You think you're God and your commentary always reads as such, White Dog. Again, I invite intelligent people to read my Essay detailing my personal experiences as published by WOMANIST-MUSTINGS to coincide with Angela Davis's comments yesterday: FBI and NSA dealings with Kola Boof **NOTE: I also take delight in having this ignoramous claim that I've copied Gloria Naylor's book since the complaints in my essay were POSTED ON THIS VERY BOARD long before Naylor's book was ever Published. Carey, Cynique, ChrisHayden, ABM and Troy all know this. So whine & WORRY about people believing us Black Activist Writers all you want Infiltrator.

Have you ever seen "A Clockwork Orange"? It's sort of a wild imagery movie. I feel that's how "For Colored Girls" could have been a movie but remained like the play. There's so much you can do (and tell) with imagery and fantasy and words. Black cinema needs to move into other realms. We need science fiction films and other modes of storytelling. We're quite sophisticated now. I do understand why Linda liked the movie, though. It was entertaining and the acting was superb!

Carey, The original Play was a record-breaking Classic and there were NO MEN in the play whatsoever. The males were "talked' about fleetingly. The focus was on the women's "blossoming" and what hardships they had overcome to reach these glorious "Colors" that they were. It was a very powerful and "affirmative" experience watching the play IMO. I think the film should have kept the MYSTICAL vibe by doing something totally artistic--like setting the women on different colored planets to play out their experiences/poems and then having them gush to earth. Believe it or not, we still would have gotten the message just as strong using my idea.

Thanks for mentioning me Cynique. ___________ Right now, a lot of "Hate" is being aimed at Tyler Perry by Black feminists. While I was disappointed in "For Colored Girls" and wrote that I was disappointed. I can never HATE Tyler Perry. And the reason is... ...since when in history have so many Black Actresses ever been employed in films at the same time?? He literally casts 12 to 20 Black Female Speaking Parts in every movie he makes!! This ranges from the STAR to the small "Nurse", "Bank Teller", "Veterinarian" roles. His movies show us non-stop images of beautiful Black women and to the contrary of what is often reported...he also shows an awful lot of loving Black couples in his films. Unfortunately, the "VILLAIN" of TP movies is **ALWAYS an abusive Black man and that's all anyone talks about--not the other love couples. In this latest film, "For Colored Girls" he only had 1 "good black man" and the rest were all demons. That was problematic for me, because I didn't think men should be in the movie period. In my fantasy of Kola Boof's version of "For Colored Girls"...it would be a merged remake of two films...1939's "THE WOMEN" (all female cast starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford & Rosalind Russell) and from the 1970's "A Clockwork Orange." I would have set the film in outer space with each Black woman being on a different planet..."Lady on Red Planet", "Lady on Purple Planet," "Lady on Green Planet"...the abusers would be sexualized Alien Monster Images (Half-Man muscle-bound negro-faced SLOTHS with flowing golden hair) And from there I would have strictly used Ntzoke Shange's poems to tell this story of these Black Goddesses who at the end of my movie would converge on Planet Earth; swooping down in fits of colorful flight; defiant, wounded & willfully triumphant. They would all have "natural hair" and the final poem would show them walking down a city street looking like regular black women --survivors. LIKE THE PLAY. Sort of like these recent photos of me with my natural hair: NO...Tyler is not talented. No...he is not the best person to tell our stories. But the fact is, just that he FOCUSES on Black women and "TRIES" to half-way give us a Public Face (one that's way better than BET)...I can't completely betray his efforts with scornful hate and dismissal. I suspect that him being gay is partly why some Black women feel it's OK to dismiss him and I KNOW that his attack on the EGO of Black male privilege is an even bigger culprit--as Black women are notorious for betraying people who actually love/defend them over the all elusive Black men who don't give a shit about us or our condition. We stay supporting Kanye West, Piss Puffy, Biggie, Michael Jackson...and what have THEY done really to create and perpetuate Black female images in their art?? Think about it. Tyler is NOT perfect or even very good at movie making. But hell, he damn sure puts Black women FIRST and these roles are not hardly the worst ever---at least he has strong beautiful Black women (who actually LOOK Black) and they always have a happy ending. As well---there's usually a BLACK WEDDING at the end of Tyler Perry's films. Hokey or not, I can hate that. The majority of us lived through or rediscoved the 1970's Blaxploitation films. We will live through Tyler Perry. His movies remind me of the absurdity and "fun" of "Superfly," "Shaft," "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown." And from an artistic and social point of view, I thought those films were TRASH. By supporting "Superfly" I was supporting a Pimp, drug dealers & all around Black Sexist Pimpology that I don't in real life appreciate or tolerate. So how in the hell am I going to hate Tyler Perry? That's what I say to my fellow Black feminists.