Below, read an excerpt from the groundbreaking tome.
**
According to Instagram
Sean Mercury Ellis was inside the Prudential.
Mic check done, ready to hit the streets,
grab a bite, before the concert began.
Credit: Scholastic
And so we all stood
beneath the sun.
And I tell you, just like in the movies,
those doors flew open,
pupils combusted.
Stares turned to whispers,
whispers bubbled up
to loud chants.
Hella pissed
cause I couldnt see nothing.
Just heard the claps echoing,
up, down, and all around
Lafayette like a parade.
Felt the huddle grow tighter.
A stampede of epic proportions
swallowed me, Shak, and Dali
whole.
Can I get a selfie, Merc?
My eyes found a clearing,
zoomed in on a giant
hovering above the crowd.
Its no use, Dali said.
Hes coming this way.
Shak, connect the speaker!
Pull up the track!
And so began Mrs. Doubtfire with the questions.
And by do, I mean SAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!
Dali came in with that soprano note,
high enough to crack a hole
in the sky.
Me and Shak
swerved in beneath her,
the perfect alto-tenor blend.
Shades slid
to the tip of his nose.
Gray eyes sparkling
beneath the midday sun.
Homeboy was snapping,
swerving,
grooving to Shoot Your Shot,
our song
my song.
Time stood still as
verse blended into chorus,
into the final,
belting, universe-breaking
note.
Applause, thunderously loud.
Eyes upon eyes stared us down.
But there was only one set I cared about.
That was dope, Merc said.
Dali giggled, then covered her braces with her left hand.
There was no time to be shy,
not when the chance to fly
was right in our faces.
Were Angelic Voices, an R&B group, from PA.
Looking to score a record deal.
I handed Merc the business card I printed at home .
like a freaking BOSS!
Whispers from the crowd spread like disease.
Aintgetting no record deal looking like that.
But I didnthear themhear them,
cause I was too busy
breathing in the same air as Merc.
He leaned in and I knew what was coming next:
Yooooo, whats up with your eyes?
Same reaction I get
whenever someone
meets me for the first time.
Always starts with a stare,
a lean,
a question
(or three).
(Even though that blue eye came from Mas German granddaddy.)
Im Black mixed with Black mixed with magic.
And no, I aint wearing contacts!
So, LAWD HAVE MERCY
can we get back to the discussion at hand, sir?!?
(I didnt quite say all that tho.)
Angelic Voices, huh?
Thats real cute, Merc said.
So are those eyes of yours.
Good luck with the songwriting, baby gurl.
