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Username: H_i_c_k_s_o_n
Post Number: 49
Registered: 05-2006
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 26, 2007 - 11:56 am: | 
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Damon "Amin" Meadows:
Urban Lit with a Twist
by Seth "Soul Man" Ferranti
Urban Book Source
October 2007
Violence, sex, and drugs are usually at the core of street lit but Damon “Amin” Meadows flipped the script with Convict’s Candy, his venture into the book game which he co-wrote with Jason Poole, the Essence best selling author of Larceny. The two authors wrote the book at FCI Manchester, a federal prison in Kentucky, and while Jason was released in January 2007, Amin is still incarcerated, now doing time at FCI Loretto in Pennsylvania. His book, Convict’s Candy, which is based on a true story, is a unique entry into the street lit genre as it deals with sexual identity, prostitution, and homosexuality within the prison system.
The story follows Candy Sweets, a teenaged, pre-op transsexual, who gets locked up in the Feds one week before his scheduled sex-chang. Candy soon finds himself caught in several love affairs with men who have families, girlfriends, and wives at home waiting for them to be released. Candy learns about prison life through sexual harassment, violence, stigma, and HIV exposure. But Candy doesn’t kiss and tell; he understands the code of silence – what happens in prison stays in prison. Yet with Convict’s Candy, Amin was courageous enough to break that code, exposing the world to the reality of men on the down low while in jail. The book takes a serious look at a serious matter and explains how the HIV virus spreads rampantly through the prison system.
It also reveals how the dangerous and deadly disease is transmitted back out to society to unsuspecting women in the community when infected inmates are released and return to their homes and loved ones bringing their diseases with them.
“Being incarcerated for over 14 years, I’ve seen a lot of these so-called men in here fall weak to homosexual activities,” Amin says. “And some of these transgenders they have sex with are HIV positive.” But don’t get it twisted, ain’t nothing homo about Amin. Damon “Amin” Meadows is an African-American Muslim who grew up in the hard, fast streets of South Philly. This brother keeps it thorough and lets the world know about some of his fellow prisoners in Convict’s Candy, the homo-thug segment that is.
“These so-called men go home or go on visits with their wives or girlfriends as if they’re still heterosexual,” Amin says. “Kissing and hugging all over their women on the visits or having sex with their women when they go home knowing they were just kissing, hugging, and having sex with other men.” Those women could be my daughters one day or other women in my family so I feel I have an obligation to make these realities known.” And with Convict’s Candy, Amin has. The book has made waves in the outside world, shocking and disgusting in equal manner. Wendy Williams, the radio personality and Queen of Drama choose the controversial title as the book club’s pick for the month of March, saying “The real deal about jail life. If you have a man doing a bid, you must read Convict’s Candy.” Don Diva put the book on its Top 15 Urban Book List. Even hip-hop superstar Lil’ Kim read the book saying, “I really loved Convict’s Candy, the book is ill.” And for real Amin and Jason got a little ill writing the book, as in sick ill, concerning the subject matter.
“The characters are definitely true characters,” Amin says. “Jason and I conducted interviews with transsexuals but living in this controlled environment we’re forced to see lewd acts even if we don’t want to. The very sad part is that it’s so common that people are becoming desensitized to it.” Of the endeavor Jason said, “Damon had the idea and he sat down with me and asked me to help him with it. I sat down and listened to his idea and thought it was something we really needed to do. It was very hard to stomach some of the things that went on but the information needed to be out there.” The book is urban fiction but with a twist and in his attempt to raise AIDS awareness Amin has crafted a riveting story that reads fluidly from start to finish.
“I started writing novels because I knew I could tell a hell of a story and I’ve never been scared to go against the grain,” Amin says. “I’m taking the title of controversial author. Urban authors have to step out of the box they put themselves in because there is so much more to write about than drugs, killing, and getting money.” But still Amin supports his fellow prison writers. “I love the fact that the brothers and sisters are doing something positive,” he says.
And Amin has traveled a long road himself, starting his federal case in 1993. “I was the youngest person hit with a conspiracy indictment,” he says. “Eight of the fourteen testified against me which caused me to get a life sentence without the possibility of parole. But I kept my faith in Allah and kept fighting. I’ve been successful with two of my several appeals and now have an up and coming release date. All praise to Allah.” And Amin’s success has brought many fans.
“I’m getting feedback from fans and supporters,” he says. “One 17 page letter I got made me name the writer DT for Detective Tee because she has literally spent 8 ½ months finding out who each of the main characters were in real life and she’s 85% correct. But one of the most meaningful letters I’ve gotten thus far was from a muslimah ( a female Muslim) who told me that my book moved her so much after reading it that she got tested for HIV and found out she was positive. She thanked me because she found out in the early stages and with today’s medicines she’ll be able to stay healthier longer if Allah wills.” And Amin has more plans too.
“My next novel will be Boy-Toy, which is about three young men upgrading themselves to court wealthy unmarried older women,” Amin says. “Also I’ll have the screenplays to all my novels because moving to movies is definitely on my agenda.” So as you can see this brother isn’t playing. He’s coming up from the pen. But still for Amin it all comes back to his faith.
“The most important thing I’m learning is true Islam because there are so many misconceptions about what people think Islam is,” Amin says. “I am taking full advantage of my incarceration to better myself mentally, spiritually and physically, which will in turn prepare me to become and efficient citizen in society.” So check out Convict’s Candy, available on Amazon.com and everywhere books are sold. And if you want to reach out to the author you can contact him at:
Damon “Amin” Meadows # 46705-066
FCI Loretto
PO Box 1000
Loretto PA 15940
Seth Ferranti is a contributing writer for The Urban Book Source and accomplished journalist having written articles for Don Diva, Slam, King, Feds and many more. View more of his articles at: www.gorillaconvict.com
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