I come from a project Housing Tenement in The Bronx N.y where whatever bad there was to see you saw it. From crack sales to shoot outs to police brutality etc... I decided to give a first hand perspective on the accounts I've seen over the years living under the poverty line in an environment that is designed for me to fail...

I come from a place where if you're not from around there you might not understand it. I see police on almost every block, stopping and frisking, harassing hardworking citizens etc... And in the midst of all this there is still a high rate of drugs and violent crime. To see the raw realities of life in certain poverty stricken or low wage communities is depressing to say the least. I decided to paint a vivid picture through rhyme of what I see and experience on an everyday basis. Millions of people in and out the ghetto can relate to these stories even if they don't reside there because they know someone who is going through some sort of trouble. The truth is ugly, it hurts, it breaks you down, but it's real and it wakes you up to the Facts of Life Living in the Ghetto.....

I always come and speak my mind because we only live one time; I spread my thoughts in several books too much for one rhyme. And when I wake up in the morning to the sunshine? I always give thanks that I'm alive and that my sun's fine. Peace... Fly Ty Unchained

luckily I was able to cross paths with a great person who also happens to be a great chef, Miss Erica McCier. I was in the process of publishing my ninth book when we had a conversation and I suggested that she print and publish her personal recipes in a cook book, and she said she would think on it. A few days later, she called me and said she was interested and she wanted me to be a part of it. Being that I make smoothies and fruit juices at home, I felt I could contribute to her book in a positive way so I decided to join her. I love educating my community anyway that I can and the foods we choose to eat are very important to maintaining good overall health. I hope we were able to help you choose a healthier lifestyle through the recipes that we came up with in this publication..

It was with great pleasure and overall ease that we created our second book together, Locs, Life, & Love: The Knotty Chroniclez -Volume II. This book came together so seamlessly that we didn't even realize the amount of material that we had until we were more than halfway done with the book! We literally lost ourselves between each line, creating and working, and in perfect unison to the other. This work is unashamedly poignant, honest, passionate, and thought-provoking.

This book is the compilation of both authors' perspectives described through poetry. Although we have never physically met, our connection is one of higher plateau; a connection of a two individuals from different backgrounds but essentially the same experience-the experience of a black man and woman. This book was birthed out of online interaction and divine inspiration, out of the recognition of pure talent and a desire of ours to have our voices heard. It is our hope that this book be an inspiration, an eye-opener, and a true experience to all who read it. This work of ours speaks about love, passion, longing, as well as difficult issues such as abortion, domestic violence, and even slavery. This book is coming from our hearts, it is a song set to our beat, it is a sonnet to those with no voice, it is our love for our people and each other placed in black and white. So, read this book with an open mind and heart and hear our conversation-our Knotty Chroniclez...