In No Disrespect, Sister Souljah, America's most notorious hip-hop
rebel, offers a stunningly candid book about how young black girls can
grow up with their integrity intact in a very tough world. Here is a
gripping and searing account of the ferocious struggle for sexual
identity and autonomy that confronts every African-American - especially
women. Sister Souljah reveals herself to be a writer whose gifts of
language are prodigious. In No Disrespect, she has written a work of
vast power, fury, wisdom, and love. Divided into seven chapters, each
titled after a particular character with whom the author comes into
contact - for example, "Nathan, " "Mona, " "Joseph" - No Disrespect is a
brutally honest account of the rage and hopes of girls in the ghetto. It
is filled with memorable scenes and unforgettable characters as it
describes the difficult relationships between African-American women and
the men who would seek to have them. Along the way, we learn about the
underlying tensions within the black family the entanglements of
friends, and the entrapments of lovers. It is a tale of innocence and
betrayal. A book sure to confound her critics, No Disrespect will deepen
the public debate over issues of race and class and sex, and complicate
(in the best possible sense) the public's perception of who Sister
Souljah is, and what she has to offer. In a time of terrible crisis in
America, this revelatory book is an essential part of the dialogue that
must take place between men and women of all persuasions.
