Through my mom's old job, they would have these book events and a box of books would be up for grabs. She'd grab all of the black authors she saw. One of the ones she took was a biography of the gospel singer, Donnie McClurkin. I knew who he was, his songs, and I left it at that. Once I read his book, it gave me another outlook on who he was. I had a specific view of celebrities and did not associate our "regular" people problems with them.
Over time I became intrigued by celebrities' lives before their claim to fame. The wildest biography I EVER read was Karrine "Superhead" Steffans: Confessions of a Video Vixen. I remember seeing her in music videos and that was about it. There were talks about her biography and why it was so juicy! When I got older, I remembered my sister had this book. I grabbed it, read it, and couldn't keep my eyes in my head. Never had I read something this detailed that wasn't fiction. From then on I searched for more biographies of celebrities that interest me.
As it applies to the biographies I have in the picture above, there wasn't too much thinking behind my purchase. These are celebrities I had followed and watched for years and it only seemed fitting to read about their journies. The main one that piqued my interest was Issa Rae's. I learned about what she had done on YouTube before coming out with her show INSECURE. Her vibe on screen just felt like me and I wanted to know more about her and her awkward ways. Her energy was something refreshing and gave me another push in my creative direction.
What are some biographies you are interested in reading or have read? Leave them in the comments.
The only book close to a biography that I’ve ready is the diary of Anne Frank. I guess that would be considered an autobiography 🤔. I do have “To selena with love” written by Chris Perez. It’s his story of his life with Selena before her untimely passing! I’ll let you know how that one goes!