“Eight million stories out there and they’re naked, city it’s a pity half of y’all won’t make it.”
–Jay-Z, Empire State of Mind
For a while it seemed that author Frank C. Matthews wouldn’t make it. The New York City native grew up with the same dream as so many other young black boys in the neighborhood, who thought their options were limited. He wanted to be an NBA star, but his hoop dreams quickly faded when he got caught up in the drug game. The street life and fast money were too much to resist and he eventually found himself serving a 10-year sentence, constantly transferring into some of the state’s most notorious prisons. His story could have easily ended here, but Matthews took “90 days … while in the hole with nothing to do” to pour his soul on paper and evolved from inmate to author.
Respect the Jux is Matthews’ debut novel and it has taken the urban literary world by storm. Described as a work of “true fiction,” it’s an account of brotherhood, greed, and power that chronicles the life of the Jamaican born hustler, Cat.
As an independent publisher, Matthews sold over 20,000 copies. Next thing you know, Jux ended up in the hands of legendary director F. Gary Gray (Set it Off, Friday, The Italian Job).
“By the time Simon & Schuster signed me, I had already had the [movie] deal with F. Gary Gray,” he offers about Respect the Jux the movie, which will start filming in spring 2011. The publishing deal with the literary powerhouse resulted in the nationwide release of the book, which is in stores now.
Jux has also grabbed the attention of hip-hop artist 50 Cent who raps, “If you want to party with crooks you have to learn to respect the jux.”
Matthews could easily be content with this success, but instead he’s chosen to pay it forward and has started The Dream Ink Foundation, an organization dedicated to inspiring young authors and giving them the tools they need to launch their writing careers.
