Ain't Nothing Like A Real One 3

Ain't Nothing Like A Real One 3

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2017-05-21

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 1648407412

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“With the immortality of ink, true love can never fade.” With his shop in ruins and his sanity hanging on by a single thread, Shacago Stanfield has the weight of the world on his shoulders with no hope of a better day in sight. As the new supplier for all of Brooklyn, his dreams of becoming the ink god of Brooklyn comes to a halt. Or so he thinks. With a new partnership intact that mixes his passion of turning art to ink, Shacago is forced to teeter between doing what he loves for money and doing what he hates, in order to maintain. As if that wasn’t enough, he still has to deal with the sudden loss of Parai, the girl with the pretty smile and beautiful heart that made him believe in love again. While the feelings they shared were genuine, Shacago finds out that their love story might be one for the history books for all the wrong reasons. Once loved for her beauty and body art, Rosé finds herself hated for being the sister of an alleged murderer. Rosé’s attempts to distance herself from Elijah are futile due to his knowledge of a very important piece of information: the real reason she fled New York five years ago. Refusing to cut Shacago deeper, Rosé is forced to align herself with his enemy, stabbing him in the back and leaving her to wonder if their relationship will be able to ever recover from such a lie. Despite her world spinning out of control, she feels safe having Marquise in her corner and she's convinced that they’ll live happily ever after until a surprise contender steps into the ring. In the midst of Shacago and Rosé’s problems is Xavier, the only one of the trio that appears to be thriving. After killing Quan and taking his seat at the table, Xavier is high on cloud nine until he finds out that Shacago is at the head of it. Feeling constantly tossed aside by his employer and snubbed by his brother, Xavier begins to make moves on Shacago’s legacy, vowing not to stop until he's the god of the streets. The only thing missing from his plan is an equally ruthless goddess to rule by his side. Until he meets Luscious. A soft spoken, smooth talking, tatted goddess with a vendetta, Luscious becomes the rock Xavier needs. But what he doesn’t know is that the woman who has became his favorite treat can easily become his poison. With secrets covered in lies, treachery disguised as loyalty, and emotional ties severed when physical bonds are created, will Shacago come out on top? Or will the inked god lose his crown?


Ain't Nothing Like a Real One

Ain't Nothing Like a Real One

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2017-01-19

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 1648407390

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“If pain is love then ink can create soul mates.” An inked god raised by the streets and one of the most prominent hustlers in all of Brooklyn, everyone is shocked to learn that Shacago has decided to give up the game and pursue his dream of becoming one of the best tattoo artists New York City has to offer. Pouring his heart, soul, and every dollar he's hustled for into Rosé’s Tattoo Shop, Shacago's spot on cloud nine is snatched from under him when his ex-girlfriend, Rosé, reappears after disappearing seven years ago. Everything about her still looks the same—especially the body art he decorated her with—but there’s something different about her. Although he’s tempted to push her away, discovering the truth about the elusive Rosé makes Shacago give her a spot at his shop, even if it means opening a door he swore would stay closed. A tatted beauty with a few dark secrets of her own, Rosé returns back to Brooklyn with the hopes of picking up where her and Shacago left off. Her plans crumble to pieces when she discovers that while Shacago has been successful in following his dreams, he's sharing them with someone else—his girlfriend of two years, Zarielle. Not one to back down from a challenge, Rosé takes her position as apprentice to Shacago as her way to weasel back into his good graces and maybe even his heart. Rosé knows that the connection between the two of them is strong, however, one thing stands in the way—the reason she left Shacago when his back was against the wall. While everything in her heart tells her that revealing the truth will destroy any chances they have of getting back together, Rosé holds on to one fact: If it dies easy, then it was never true love. In the midst of Shacago and Rosé’s love-of-war is Shacago's little brother, Xavier. With dreams of becoming the next big name in Brooklyn, Xavier realizes that there’s one thing missing from his success: Shacago. More specifically, Shacago's cache. Not afraid to lie, cheat, steal, or double cross, Xavier is determined to do whatever it takes to get Shacago to return to the game. Even if it means putting a knife if the one person that’s always had his back.


Ain't Nothing Like A Real One 2

Ain't Nothing Like A Real One 2

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2017-03-07

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 1648407404

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“When you tell stories on your skin, the ink isn’t the ending it’s where they begin.” After making one of the toughest decisions of his life, Shacago turns in his tattoo gun for a real one when he returns to the streets, reclaiming his title as the inked god of Brooklyn. Shacago's determined to provide his family with the life that he's never had even if it means living vicariously through Rosé, who’s running the now successful Rosé’s Tattoo Shop. No matter how much the game entices him with the promise of easy money and a legacy many have died for, Shacago’s seduced back into the tattoo world, this time by a new pretty face with skin that reminds him of someone he used to know... Stuck in a love triangle of her own is Rosé, the new “It” girl in the industry thanks to her blossoming relationship with boxing champion, Marquise Meriwether. Although Marquise is everything she could ask for in a man—he’s generous, makes legit money, and treats her like a queen—Rosé finds herself constantly worried about the woes of Shacago. It doesn’t help when Parai, the new girl at the shop, enters the picture trying to put them together when life and circumstances may have torn them apart for good. Soon Rosé has to make the choice: since love doesn’t pay the bills, does it matter where the money comes from? Humbled by an unlikely enemy, Xavier is scrambling to make up the bed of lies he's created. The sur-de-soi attitude he’s used to wreak havoc on the lives of his loved ones has come to a halting stop at the introduction of a weapon that no gun of his could ever kill. An envelope. More specifically—the envelope that holds the power to destroy not only his life, but the once unbreakable bond he shares with Shacago. With his lies catching up to him and the finish line nowhere in sight, Xavier is forced to man up and handle his problems like the beast he is or to drop down in defeat. Will Shacago have a second chance at love? Will Rosé accept that love doesn’t always come in the perfect package? Will Xavier lose his battle for the almighty dollar? Find out in the next installment of Ain't Nothing Like a Real One 2: Faded Off an Inked God.


Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing

Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing

Author: Richard Carlin

Publisher: Smithsonian Institution

Published: 2010-04-27

Total Pages: 277

ISBN-13: 1588342697

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Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment celebrates the seventy-five year history of the Apollo Theater, Harlem's landmark performing arts space and the iconic showplace for the best in jazz, blues, dance, comedy, gospel, R & B, hip-hop, and more since it opened its doors in 1934. This beautifully illustrated book is the companion volume to an exhibition of the same name, organized by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in collaboration with the Apollo Theater Foundation. It offers a sweeping panorama of American cultural achievement from the Harlem Renaissance to the present through the compelling story of a single institution. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing brings together a diverse group of twenty-four writers to discuss the theater's history and its intersection with larger social and political issues within Harlem and the nation. Featuring more than 300 photographs, this volume brings to life the groundbreaking entertainers in music, dance, and comedy—Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, James Brown, Moms Mabley, Redd Foxx, Honi Coles, and Savion Glover, to name a few—who made the Apollo the icon that it is today. The Apollo Theater has been the setting for soaring achievement and creativity in the face of enormous challenges. In telling this truly American story, Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing is a celebration of the lasting contributions of African Americans to the nation's cultural life.


The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition

Author: Joel Whitburn

Publisher: Billboard Books

Published: 2012-07-18

Total Pages: 914

ISBN-13: 0307985121

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The Essential Reference Guide to America’s Most Popular Songs and Artists Spanning More than Fifty Years of Music Beginning with Bill Haley & His Comets’ seminal “Rock Around the Clock” all the way up to Lady Gaga and her glammed-out “Poker face,” this updated and unparalleled resource contains the most complete chart information on every artist and song to hit Billboard’s Top 40 pop singles chart all the way back to 1955. Inside, you’ll find all of the biggest-selling, most-played hits for the past six decades. Each alphabetized artist entry includes biographical info, the date their single reached the Top 40, the song’s highest position, and the number of weeks on the charts, as well as the original record label and catalog number. Other sections—such as “Record Holders,” “Top Artists by Decade,” and “#1 Singles 1955-2009”—make The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits the handiest and most indispensable music reference for record collectors, trivia enthusiasts, industry professionals and pop music fans alike. Did you know? • Beyoncé’s 2003 hit “Crazy in Love” spent 24 weeks in the Top 40 and eight of them in the #1 spot. • Billy Idol has had a total of nine Top 40 hits over his career, the last being “Cradle of Love” in 1990. • Of Madonna’s twelve #1 hits, her 1994 single “Take a Bow” held the spot the longest, for seven weeks—one week longer than her 1984 smash “Like a Virgin.” • Marvin Gaye’s song “Sexual Healing” spent 15 weeks at #3 in 1982, while the same song was #1 on the R&B chart for 10 weeks. • Male vocal group Boyz II Men had three of the biggest chart hits of all time during the 1990s. • The Grateful Dead finally enjoyed a Top 10 single in 1987 after 20 years of touring. • Janet Jackson has scored an impressive 39 Top 40 hits—one more than her megastar brother Michael!


The Lovin' He Wants, The Thuggin' She Needs 2

The Lovin' He Wants, The Thuggin' She Needs 2

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2019-08-21

Total Pages: 181

ISBN-13: 1648407544

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Jonessy Price is high on life. Although the death of her father is tragic, it’s a rebirth for the oldest Price daughter. Jonessy steps into her purpose, with her steps turning into strides as she juggles her relationship with Casanova and moving again after her world has remained still for so long. Just as she's settling into the rhythm of her new life, tragedy strikes, and the lives of both the Wildes and Prices are changed forever. The sturdy bond formed between the two families is shattered by a scorned ex playing a clever hand. With his identity rooted in his command over the streets, Casanova is forced to deal with a rebirth of his own, one that might lead him on a path to self-destruction unless he removes the hate in his heart for the woman he loves. In the end, Jonessy has to decide whether she will fight to keep Casanova in her life or move on. On the other side of this love story is the silent Blanc, who shares a face with his twin brother, but not the double life he's been living. On the other side of town is a piece of Blanc unknown to the rest of the world, hidden from view due to one reckless night. Blanc's vow to remain chaste is one of devotion which he plans to carry out until the end of time. What he doesn’t expect is for the turbulent Mali Price to get under his skin. As beautiful as she is seductive, Mali has eyes for Blanc, but after several rebuffs from the oldest Wilde twin, she takes a chance on the charismatic Maciej Hines. Unbeknownst to her, there's a possibility that Maciej possesses a darker side, one responsible for the death of her father. In the second installment of The Lovin’ He Wants the Thuggin’ She Needs, the strength of the Wilde/Price families are tested by outside forces looking to destroy the bond they’ve created through death. New loves are tested by old enemies, unlikely alliances are formed, and in the end a wildcard appears, making the stakes higher than ever.


The Lovin' He Wants, The Thuggin' She Needs

The Lovin' He Wants, The Thuggin' She Needs

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2019-07-17

Total Pages: 182

ISBN-13: 1648407536

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From the age of twelve, Jonessy Price has been the backbone of her family, picking up where her mother left off after walking out on her father seventeen years ago. Unlike most of the women her age, Jonessy is burdened with caring for her mentally handicapped sister, Persia, and hustling up law school tuition for the middle Price, Mali, while running Price Funeral Home. Jonessy isn't content with the life she leads, but she sticks to it because she knows her sisters need her. However, one night and four bullets change her entire family’s dynamic. When tragedy strikes, Jonessy is forced to lean on a trio of infamous family friends, the notorious Damage Wilde and his trigger happy twin brothers, Casanova and Casablanca. What starts as a promise to a loyal friend to keep his daughters safe quickly turns into a love story. With an unorthodox takeover story, the Wilde Brothers have reigned over Brooklyn for over a decade. Their reach spans further than the borough, with solidified relationships throughout the city’s underworld that make them a force to deal with in the financial world. At the helm of the operation is Damage, whose mysterious nature is felt more on the streets than he is seen. Casablanca is a moving shadow, content with being the action behind his brothers’ words. A trap ethicist with a trigger finger as lethal as his heart, Casanova Wilde lives up to his surname, commanding the streets with a presence that the reclusive Damage lacks and picking up the role of mouthpiece that Casablanca has rejected. When Damage proposes they take in the Price Sisters after the murder of their father, Casanova is convinced the trio moving in will make for an uncomfortable living situation. His assumption proves to be right; there’s static between him Jonessy from the jump. What he doesn’t bank on is that static turning into the pursuit of the first woman to ever leave a warm impression on his cold heart. In the midst of Casanova and Jonessy’s love affair is an unknown enemy hiding in plain sight. Leon's death acts as not only the end of life as the Price Sisters know it, but the beginning of a war standing to destroy everything the Wilde Brothers have built.


When A Heartless Thug Holds Me Close 2

When A Heartless Thug Holds Me Close 2

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2018-02-20

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1648407579

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“I need to make sure Yara’s really for me. She’s seen the good, had my back through the bad, and I need to know if she’ll stick around for the ugly.” Still reeling from Quade’s near-death experience, Yara handles being the girlfriend of a savage with kid gloves. She showers Quade with the affection he’s been missing while in exchange he gives her the loyalty she’s always craved. Fair exchange quickly becomes robbery when Quade demands more from Yara than she’s able to give, and sends her straight back to the dark times of her childhood. The monsters that haunted Yara’s childhood have nothing on Quade’s wild side, a side of him he’s always been able to suppress but never tame. When their relationship takes a devastating turn, Yara has to decide whether or not love will be enough to salvage a relationship that’s falling apart by the seams. Quade has always lived life recklessly, with his acceptance and encouragement of death a rare trait, but in the eye of the very thing he’s always welcomed with open arms, he finds a new reason to live for: Yara. Her beauty, kind heart, and smart mouth have given him a new reason to live, and only as he accepts it his life is put on the line. Yara helps nurse him back to health, which proves to be a high point in their relationship until they reach the ultimate low. Quade’s inner demons come out to play, demons that he hasn’t relived since he lost the first woman to ever love him unconditionally—his mother. With his actions speaking louder than his words, Quade has to fight one of the toughest battles of his life with an enemy equally as lethal as he is. If he loses, he stands to lose the very woman to make him breathe again. Known jokingly to everyone as an aspiring Griselda Blanco, Cash starts making serious money moves. She’s got a distributor in her pocket, her clientele is expanding, and the styling business she’s been dreaming of is nearly ready to launch. Cash goes from being a kept woman to keeping up with the Joneses, and for everything she has, only one thing is missing: a relationship with Savion Townsend. In order to keep their situationship thriving, Cash piles one lie on top of the other to the point where she doesn’t know what the truth is anymore. And once those money moves turn bloody, Cash finds out exactly how ruthless the game can be when she goes from being the one holding the gun to the one staring down the barrel of it. The second installment of When a Heartless Thug Holds Me Close weaves a story of being stuck on the wrong side of love. Will Quade be able to mend his relationship with Yara? Can Cash command the game and Savion’s heart? And most importantly, when given the opportunity to start over with a man that offers everything Quade has without the baggage will Yara accept, or does her love for Quade run deeper than she imagined?


When A Heartless Thug Holds Me Close

When A Heartless Thug Holds Me Close

Author: Tya Marie

Publisher: Sullivan Group Publishing

Published: 2018-01-22

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1648407560

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"After watching my mother be beaten in the name of love, I always dreamed of having my own perfect love story void of pain. One where my very own Prince Charming would sweep me off of my feet. And then I met Quade, who showed me that love should be everything but perfect.” Yara Samuels has experienced her fair share of hurt in life. Growing up in a home ridden with domestic violence, Yara was taught at a young age that if it isn’t painful, then it isn’t love. It takes watching her mother be beaten to death by her stepfather for young Yara to learn that love taps shouldn’t send you to the grave. All grown up, she searches for a man who knows how to love a woman with his heart and not his fists. After years of looking, Yara believes that she finds the embodiment of this philosophy in her boyfriend, Amir, until she discovers that while he may provide physical peace, the mental isn’t there. With her sense of self-worth challenged, Yara is content with loving Amir when Quade comes hurtling into her life. The youngest of the infamous Townsend Brothers, Quade isn’t your run-of-the-mill hustler. A walking oxymoron, Quade has a baby face with a heart bred cold courtesy of the streets. Quade has been given the gift of sticky fingers, a trap king philosophy, and a trigger finger that hasn’t missed a target yet. When his aim leads him straight into the path of Yara while in the midst of a hit, Quade's heart melts and he's drawn to the mysterious Yara, who for some reason unbeknownst to him, can't stand him. Never one to back down from a challenge, Quade pursues Yara with the same recklessness that he handles business, and it makes for the start of a memorable love affair. Beneath her expensive clothing and designer handbags, Yara's best friend, Cashmere, is a woman tired of being kept at the expense of her sanity. While putting on a brave face for the world, Cash hides her frustration with her boyfriend behind her Chanel sunglasses. There's nothing picture perfect about the couple, and with each of Vito’s antics worse than the last, Cash finds herself seeking a backup plan in the event that her days of being a hustler’s princess are cut short. When Cash is greeted with an opportunity to secure the bag, she jumps at it immediately and finds herself on the path to becoming the queenpin that the streets have been begging for. What's standing in her way? Savion Townsend. Cash has got it bad for one of the Townsend Brothers, but between forming her own empire and her complicated relationship with Vito, Cash has to decide if she's willing to risk it all in the name of love.