June 2008  All Articles

Brooklyn Black Fatherhood Event Draws High Praise

Brooklyn, NY – On June 2, 2008, a standing-room-only audience filled the sanctuary at Brown Memorial Church in Brooklyn to learn what fatherhood means to Black men of the Hip Hop Generation. What they discovered was a soul-stirring and inspirational safe space where Black men stood up and testified about their resolved fatherhood "issues." It was a sneak peek from the groundbreaking anthology, "Be a Father to Your Child: Real Talk from Black Men on Family, Love, and Fatherhood," which was created, in part, to support the 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys / Black Men and Boys Initiative.

Edited by April Silver of AKILA WORKSONGS and comprised of a vast cross-section of compelling essays, poetry, and interviews from Black men such as Kevin Powell, Talib Kweli, Davy D, Bill Stepheny, Cheo Tyehimba, Jelani Cobb, Byron Hurt, and others, the book offers rare and candid glimpses at the role and impact of fatherhood (or lack thereof) in the lives of African American men.

The evening began with spirited introduction on the "state of hip hop" by Davy D. Contributors then read several selections from the book which then set the stage for a town hall discussion on Black Fatherhood.

Perhaps, the most compelling part of the evening came when Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist Rhymefest and his son 9 year-old son Solomon took the stage and offered a "freestyle" question and answer dialogue on the father-son relationship. Before a rapt audience, they asked each other highly personal, emotion-charged questions they’d never asked each other before. The only rules were they had to offer honest answers.

When his Rhymefest’s son asked: "Do I hold you back?" you could hear a pin drop. Later ‘Fest laid himself bare when he asked: "Am I a dependable dad?" This was "real talk," that revealed a degree of vulnerability, fear, regret, and hope that is seldom discussed between fathers and sons. Their answers were loving, forgiving, sincere, and displayed a level of compassion rarely seen between Black fathers and sons. As they tearfully embraced at the end of their "freestyle," there wasn’t a dry eye in the church.

The event was another success in a long series of events produced by Silver’s AKILA WORKSONGS in partnership with Kevin Powell’s organization, Black and Male in America (BAMIA). The book sold out at the event and several of the contributors were on hand to autograph copies (mostly of each others book) as well as share their stories with the audience.

To learn more about upcoming book signings or to order the groundbreaking book for yourself, please visit www.beafathertoyourchild.com or you can send an email to: events or contact @blackandmaleinamerica.org