From the Streets to the pages: The Birth of Block Party by AL-Saadiq Banks. How it all started.

My journey to writing "Block Party" began with a conversation I had in my early street days, early 90s, with an old timer. He shared a piece of wisdom, telling me that when you can't resort to violence over money, it's time to leave the streets, as your days are numbered. That conversation I never forgot.  Years later, around 2001, I had an epiphany during self-reflection: I no longer desired to harm people over unpaid debts. My heart wasn't in the streets or the game; I was only maintaining a lifestyle. The birth of my first daughter changed everything. I...