B-Boy to Man: Freshman

B-Boy to Man #1

by Corey Lamar Tanksley

College is a coming of age where life introduces you to: pain, pleasure, failure, achievement, love, humor and enlightenment all rolled up in one. The situation is no different at McNair University where the lives of two students cross paths with one unique professor to create a life changing experience for them all.

Chase Douglass, high on masculinity but low on maturity steps foot on the campus of McNair University unprepared and drunk on confidence. His only plan is to major in women and the power of sex.

Camara Truth, a brilliant, beautiful vixen inexperienced in the ways of love and teetering on the brink of innocence and womanhood. On the campus of McNair University she will learn more than just academics but also the power that her beauty holds.

Professor King, a street-connected academic, who has earned his PhD the hard way. Hailing from the Hanover Projects of Rochester, NY Archibald King was able to make the necessary changes to transition from prisoner 72A2437 to Professor King.

Together they formulate the recipe for a unique and chaotic form of higher learning. What they fail to realize is change is coming whether they are ready or not. Find out what happens on McNair University as their lives collide to help a B-Boy transition into a man

Tanksley has penned a gripping coming of age story about choices, consequences, growth, humility and redemption steeped in the unapologetic language of Hip Hop. B-BOY TO MAN: FRESHMEN. This is Volume 1.0 in a four book series.

328 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

Corey Lamar Tanksley, a former Hip Hop artist, is a native of Rochester, NY. Among other writing projects, he is working on 4 volume series titled B-Boy to Man. Currently he is penning the second offering, Sophomore Jinx. Winner of the 2015 Roc Award for Best Author, Tanksley is the founder of the annual Rochester Black Author Expo. He has also contributed articles for Break Thru Magazine, Tocsin and the Minority Reporter. Corey has made many radio and television appearances in the area because of his outstanding writing ability. Corey studied English and Creative Writing at Brockport State University where, as a McNair scholar, he conducted research on the power and influence of Tyler Perry. He is a single father of three teen-aged daughters and enjoys traveling, music and movies.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I initially wasn't feeling this book. I liked the period details, local flavor, and Rhonda and Professor King's characters, but overall the prose didn't flow well, there was a tendency to tell rather than show, and huge time periods were skipped over. (Despite the title, the story covers all four college years.)

But then the final act happened and Camara learns she is pregnant. The expectation you have throughout the book (it's called Boy to Man after all) is that Chase will eventually grow the hell up and they'll live happily ever after. Instead I was genuinely surprised by the realistic, bittersweet ending. Camara makes some pretty dubious choices that are rightfully called out by King and Rhonda but Tanksley makes sure the reader understands why she does what she does. Both Chase's immaturity and the influence of his ne'er-do-well friends in the hood doomed their relationship from the start and it's made pretty clear that the lack of a father in both his and Camara's childhoods played a significant role in their inability to survive as a couple - a void that Professor King is ultimately unable to fill despite his best efforts. Camara has been badly burned and she hopes that settling with a responsible, successful man she doesn't truly love will spare her child such pain in the future. In the end, B-Boy to Man progresses from a nostalgic love story of college students at the dawn of the '90s to an introspective study of the social forces at work in the lives of young black Americans. Despite my tepid response, other reviews indicate that people really related to it.

That being said, I was a bit bothered by the treatment of female-on-male sexual aggression. Chase is groped twice yet these incidents are treated as temptation rather than assault. Another male character states that women cannot rape men, a very untrue assertion that goes unchallenged. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[Sya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life: For every action there is an equal and opposite re-action. (<---Newton's Third Law) w/Music!

As a woman, reading the book “B-Boy To Man”, was like being in a relationship with a really good man! The pace started off taking it’s time while courting me. It committed to me, & then handled me like only a seasoned man could. It took me up, down, & surprised me just like any healthy relationship would. In the end, I was sprung impatiently wanting more!

I throughly enjoyed being a fly on the wall, as I got to be inside the minds of boys & men! My favorite male characters were Chase, Will, Brad, Dr. King, & Alvin. I was moved & entertained by their brotherhood. I also have to give air high fives to the author, for having his finger on the pulse with us ladies; It was on point. I think I can speak for the ladies when I say, we’ve all had the displeasure of knowing a Brandi, & the blessings of having a Rhonda and or Camara in our lives. And if you were very lucky, you had a mentor somewhere in your academic (or early career) life like...(not telling lol) I was left nostalgic for my college days & “All Day Sunday”;Midtown Plaza at it’s best.

Lastly before this becomes a soliloquy lol, I just want to say I enjoyed the descriptive imagery, diversity of language (high vocabulary to throwback slang), musical references, & being taken back in time to a Rochester NY that is gone but not forgotten.

[aisha ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

This was a very good read. It was so easy to get caught up in the relationship and emotions of camara and chase. I really wanted them to win. But immaturity took over. I was most disappointed in chase for allowing his love for camara to dictate his life. Dropping out of school because u r going through relationship problems is a sign of weakness. Chase should have been more honest with camara about his affairs but I think she overreacted this last time. She let her pride get in the way of true love because she was too worried about what others would think. I was very disappointed in camara and her actions to have sex with Harold. For someone so smart she made a lot of dumb choices. I get being hurt, but she played herself when she whored herself out. Then to get into a relationship with Harold not knowing if he was the father was grimly. Chase had a right to know. It should not have mattered if he wanted to b with her or not. Once again.she let her pride get in the way of doing what was right. We all want the pickett fence and want to raise our children in a two family home. But she went about it the wrong way . Hopefully she will c the errs of her ways and I hope chase gets back on track. He needs to get his life together. He did the right thing by not getting back with camara. Can't wait for part two.