2nd Time Around

B-Boy Blues #2

by James Earl Hardy

Pooquie and Little Bit are back in love and back to stirring up the hip-hop community and the rest of New York. But as these two strongly independent yet passionately linked men discover, the pursuit of happiness takes work to maintain. This is the seriously sexy, fiercely funny, black-on-black sequel to the bestseller B-Boy Blues.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, African American, LGBT, Gay Fiction, Gay, M M Romance

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1996

About the author

James Earl Hardy is the author B-Boy Blues, which has been praised as the first gay hip hop love story. The novel was a 1995 Lambda Literary Award (Lammy) finalist for Best LGBT/Small Press Title and was prominently featured in Spike Lee's Get on the Bus. The book is required reading in contemporary African American fiction courses and gay & lesbian studies programs at colleges and universities across the globe.

Hardy has also written a stage adaptation of B-Boy Blues, which sold out when it debuted Off-Broadway, as well as a one-man show Confessions of a Homo Thug Porn Star (which is based on the life of adult film actor Tiger Tyson).

An honors graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, Mr. Hardy is also an entertainment feature writer and cultural critic whose byline has been appeared in many national magazines and newspapers. His work has earned him numerous grants and awards.

Reviews

[Kenneth Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to B-Boy Blues is significantly more mature as the characters develop and grow. Some of the toxic behavior from the first novel is addressed and corrected here. The story is fun to read and mostly lighthearted even when dealing with challenging topics. I’ve already got book 3 lined up.

4 out of 5

[Jonathan David Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raheim desperately needs therapy. He's extremely toxic and, dare I say, abusive to not only his partner but also to the women in his life when he does not get his way. I was interested in getting Raheim's perspective, hopefully to make sense of his actions in the first novel, and I did appreciate getting a bit more insight into his life— but it didn't make me like him more. And everyone seems to coddle him. I think that a character like Raheim, a masculine queer man struggling to accept himself and navigating this world in is important, in essence. But a version of him who really learns from his mistakes is needed.
This book was entertaining, and had its moments— but as a queer Black man reading it in 2023, I can see a host of flaws.

[Ché Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to read from Raheem’s perspective and learn more about him but he is capital T-o-x-i-c. It’s to be expected with his background but I often found myself going days without reading because of my frustration. Raheim was immature, disrespectful and downright abusive to the people that cared most about him – Lil Bit, Crystal and Lil Brotha Man. I’m just tired of the “whoa it’s me”, angry, unreasonable, “it’s everyone’s fault and not mine” trope from Black men so this book had me deeply rolling my eyes. As charming as Raheim is, he has some deep issues he needs to resolve and stop making those around him his emotional (and sometimes physical) punching bags. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series but I hope Raheim grows from what he was in this book or I may have to DNF.

[Tama Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

What could be better than B-Boy Blues? A sequel, from the point of view of the super sexy Rahiem, the thuggish partner of the original novels main character. Can't help but be bias, given he is my favourite character of the series. Just as good as the first book of the series, if not moreso.

[Lupin V · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely, enjoyable to read. Raheim is the narrator this time which helped the development of characters better. I may not love some characters myself but I love the book.

[DeTerrius Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Hardy switches gears in this sequel by telling the story through Rahiem a.k.a Pooquie's point of view. His slang is something to get used to, but it's enjoyable to have that difference between the two characters. It took me a minute to get used to the...lack of description/detail. Unlike the first novel, which is stated in some of the other reviews, this one wasn't as erotic. In fact, it wasn't erotic at all. I was kinda hoping for that detail of the "beat down" that Pooquie is known to give Little Bit, but we didn't receive it. Hopefully it'll be in the next. Also, I found the majority of the flashbacks to be somewhat irrelevant to the story.
Throughout all of that, I couldn't put the novel down even when I coached myself that I was going to lol. Pooquie and Little Bit's relationship is love-able. Love how they can have a disagreement and then be over it in no time. They challenge one another, not afraid to say what's on their mind, and stick it out no matter what. That's love.
Unfortunately, Pooquie didn't come out during this novel but he did overcome some barriers and I'm proud of him. Hopefully the next novel gives me exactly what I'm wishing for.

[Bruh · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd installment of the B-Boy Blues
series.

[Author G D Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the B-Boys point of view.... one of my all time favorites..

[Ray Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it

[Lashonda Artis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's ok.