Featured
Should ‘Black Rose’ be Tyrese’s last album?
It’s safe to assume when Tyrese finished recording this album he rightfully looked at his team and dropped the mic. Not because this is his final solo album but due to the fact that he saved his best for last.
In an environment cluttered with derogatory forms of expressing oneself, it’s refreshing to hear the soulful sounds of truth delivered with eloquence and passion.
This is one of those rare gems that you can literally press play and rock straight through.
In addition to the music, the deluxe edition includes a documentary taking us through the creative process of recording the album and a stellar performance in the short film called Shame. Produced by Denzel Washington under the direction of Paul Hunter and co-starring Jennifer Hudson, Shame is a must see. Don’t believe me? Check out the intensity in the music video.
Tyrese is not only speaking for himself in many of these tracks. In particularly, Dumb Shit speaks to many of us that aren’t afraid to admit it and own it. We be doing dumb shit!
An interesting note to keep in mind;this effort is an independent release. Despite the plethora of labels at his disposal Tyrese chose to put Black Rose out through his own imprint Voltron Recordz.
Capitalizing on his star power and eliminating the bureaucracy usually found in major labels seems to be the right move at the right time. Quality content and how it’s received by the public may provide the proper incentive to step it up by other capable artists.
Will this really be his final album? If so, what a way to bow out. Chances are he’ll be mimicking his album pose come award night and the fans will be wanting more.
Just check out the love he’s already getting in the streets! Never a dull day in Brooklyn.
Almost every year for the past 6 years and on the same day, I’ve posted the same pic of me in the hospital during my temporary and untimely demise in 2015. A few weeks after I was back to “normal”, I asked Eric “Why’d you take the pics?” And he said, “I knew you would want to write about it if you lived.” Eric was right. Eric was often right and Eric always had my best interest at heart. I am going to miss my friend.
You ever meet someone and become friends immediately?! Well this was not the case with Eric. Before he was my manager at Morgan Stanley, I would often see this 6’4″, giant white guy walk up to the only black woman at work, say something then walk away without any hint of human emotion. Naturally I thought he was a jerk until I asked her “Yo, is that dude bothering you?” She laughed and proceeded to tell me he was a great person, which I ultimately got to experience first hand. Little did I know this Italian from Staten Island was more Brooklyn than most Brooklynites.
Eric was not with the shits!! If there were ever someone who lived their life in direct, honest and no uncertain terms, that would be Eric. He would ask me questions at work like “Why are the other consultants making more money than you?” I knew the answer to that question and so did he. Eric then proceeded to increase my salary by 15K. After arguing with all our managers that “You need to hire Alfred!”, they eventually did 1 year prior to the 2015 incident. In the hospital, one of my friends asked me, “What if you didn’t have health insurance when this happened?” I would be in debt for the rest of my life is the obvious answer. I still am in debt for the rest of my life but at least, it is to those who made sure I had a more enjoyable life and for that, I will gladly repay.
My mom loved to tell me the story of how she met Eric. After they told her I was going to be in the ICU for some time, she told the doctor “Well I’m not going anywhere.” She then hears a voice from that back of the room that says “Well I’m not going anywhere either!” That was Eric and in true form, he was at that hospital every single day until I was discharged.
Eric passed away in December 2021 of stage 4 cancer. After feeling faint on his way to my bbq, he went to get checked out and was diagnosed. During the past 5 years, Eric lost his mom, twin brother and dad. I can’t even begin to imagine what that must have felt like but I’m glad that pain he was feeling is no more.
From being my manager to my business partner, writer, book editor, artistic director, and most importantly, my friend, I am going to miss you MC Krispy E a.k.a “Enrique Pollazo!” And although you told me Enrique means Henry in Spanish and not Eric, it was too late!
Sidebar. The day I was discharged, while everyone was deciding what was best for me, no one had remembered that I would need clothes in order to leave the hospital. Eric shows up (unasked) with all the clothes I had on the day I coded, laundered and ready to go. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve friends like this but i need to keep doing it! Sidebar complete.
Rest in Peace Eric. “Be Good.”
I had the distinct pleasure of participating in a panel discussion on writing your first book, presented by the Harlem chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Alongside Jim St. Germain, Author – A Stone of Hope: A Memoir and Dr. Keneshia Nicole Grant, Author – The Great Migration and the Democratic Party: Black Voters and the Realignment of American Politics in the 20th Century. We opined on pain points, benefits and strategies regarding our inaugural voyages into authorship. Feel free to watch for your self and I hope this provides some insight to all those looking to make the same voyage. Enjoy!
