f you asked me the name of the book I'm reading, and I
answered, "Completely Naked", you'll be fair to assume I'm indulging in a piece of erotic fiction. Especially if you've done your research, you would discover the author's previous title is, In Between These Sheets. Despite what it sounds like, I can assure you Completely Naked is not your typical hedonistic story of passion and fun.
In Completely Naked, Cleveland author, Jameel Davis, fulfills the literature's namesake. He gets naked, and sheds his story for any interested ear or eye. There is nothing pretty about this book. Jameel starts this story, his story from the first time he was abused as a child. Since that moment Jameel tells how it affected his childhood, and influenced his decisions as an adult.
Thirty year old Jameel is a product of the Cleveland Ohio
housing projects. The public housing system shares similarities with the one in our neighborhood, and many across America. The area is predominately African American, impoverished, undereducated, and unsupervised. Jameel faced these factors with a teen mother and lack of positive male support.
Jameel spent a large portion of his life under the influence of
the projects; and will never be ashamed to say it out loud. Just being a kid, mimicking the behaviors he did, or didn't see.
The first behavior he undresses in Completely Naked is cheating in monogamous relationships. Actions that were encouraged, and customary in his neck of the woods. Jameel doesn't remember being given a guide on being the best boyfriend or husband or
even seeing too many of them around. Davis takes responsibility for his actions, and the pain they caused. But he wanted to explore why this was such an epidemic in his community.
The end of Jameel's research led him to the music and media that was bled out to the youth during his upbringing. He observed how the lyrics promoted promiscuity, and any lifestyle that could lead to it. Jameel also observed how his Caucasian colleagues, and kids from the other side of town had no interest, or knowledge in this content. This led him to believe that the media that was spoon fed to us, was never intended to nurture our
relationships with one another.
This led him to one of Completely Naked's focal points, and the relationship which ultimately is his reason for writing thisbook. The relationship with his son's mother. The relationship was young, broken, and resulted in the conception of Jaheir Davis. Jameel details a relationship that was unstable for all parties involved. Even after graduating from Kent State University, obtaining a job in corrections, and providing a home for Jaheir and his mother. He saw flashbacks of his old life in the projects. Refusing to guide Jaheir down that slippery slope, Jameel separated from the relationship in the best way he could, which wasn't easy.
As the relationship concluded, so did the old Jameel. He went on what he calls a reevaluation period. Where he combed over his memories and habits, and decided which ones needed to go. A time where he released himself back into his natural habitat, and learned the world for himself. At twenty four years old. Jameel had decided to eat cleaner, intake healthier media, and take the initiative to secure a better future for Jaheir.
To guarantee Jaheir received all of his father's attention. Jameel pulled a card from an older man's deck. He called his urologist and scheduled himself a vasectomy. Davis regards this as one of the better decisions he made in his life. The procedure sets up Jaheir to be the only biological child in Jameel's life. Babies that are forced to raise babies seem to be a common tradition passed down in the African American community. This robs the older children of their own youth, and thrusts them into responsibilities they didn't create. This Increases the likelihood that the cycle will be repeated, and they bare seeds of their own.
Completely Naked is lined with powerful, painful, and even embarrassing anecdotes from the past that created today's Jameel. He will never find reproach with his nakedness. Which is why he premiered Completely Naked like a blockbuster film. To celebrate this release, Jameel hosted an all out red carpet affair. Where he displayed his sins on a large screen for his family, friends, and supporters to see. Completely Naked is being released on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble, and at most of your favorite retailers on May 25th 2021;. which is also Jaheir's ninth birthday. I would like to wish Jameel, and Jaheir good luck. I also would like to salute his bravery for the way he became Completely Naked, and exposed himself to the world.
Xavier Jones - What was your goal when creating Completely Naked?
Jameel Davis - I wanted to outdo my last project, and be my rawest self in the process. I had discovered a new creative mountaintop to deliver the content. I knew while writing it that Completely Naked would scare some, and make others uncomfortable. It was my goal to identify the thin line in-between the pretty and ugly, and send readers on a trip.
Xavier Jones - What was your process for writing Completely Naked?
Jameel Davis - When I sat down, and I got started I was working from a fresh mindset in comparison from In Between These Sheets. The initial inspiration was from the poem I included in chapter one. It's original title is "I Wish I Was a Virgin" the piece was too deep to play around with. So I decided to use it for this book. But there were punches I pulled back from my book,
How Success Became my Focus. I wanted to protect some certain members of my family from my opinions. This time around I got raw, and uncut in a nineteen day sprint.
Xavier Jones - What was the goal for the reevaluation period?
Jameel Davis - I had to take the ugly, uncomfortable times,
uneasy moments, and put them through a mental filtration system. Out came the person that I needed to be. Not for the government, for a woman, or even for my own mother. But for Jaheir, so I can be the man he needs me to be.
Xavier Jones - How were your romantic relationships after Jaheir's mother?
Jameel Davis - It took a while for me to get into another relationship. About two years. I was too busy being great for
myself. The next relationship started cool, but eventually went downhill. I assumed I could fix her, but that left me in drama with a shot up car, a girl fight, and an hour in the back of a police car. My current relationship is in a good space, we have our ups and downs like any relationship. The two of us grew up in the same projects, went to the same elementary school, and officially met each other at Kent State. We have too much history, understanding, and communication for us to end up like the others.
Xavier Jones - What would you like Jaheir to learn from Completely Naked when he's old enough to read it?
Jameel Davis - I want him to learn how to be his true authentic self! Jaheir please, embrace the good, the bad, the ugly. Just be you. Unveil what you are going through! Sad, mad, frustrated, let it out son. When you read Completely Naked I want you to
know it's ok to be undressed. In mind, body and spirit.
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