Jaime “Shaggy” Flores, who was instrumental in the publication of HEY YO! YO SOY! (Flores did the cover design and wrote the afterword), is publishing his second collection of poetry, Obatalá’s Bugalú: A Nuyorican Book of Sights and Sounds, a follow-up to his first poetry collection, Sanchocho: A Book of Nuyorican Poetry.
In this latest collection, Flores provides an eclectic group of poems that reflect his personal experiences as a Puerto Rican growing up in the U.S., a poet, a spoken word performer, an African diaspora scholar, and a labor movement organizer. By using poetry to “create change with living words,” Flores shows readers that the Nuyorican aesthetic is alive and kicking among today’s Puerto Rican writers. Flores bridges the duality of his worlds-Puerto Rican and African Diaspora-with a poetry packed with word play and musical intonations.
Flores published Obatalá’s Bugalú through his publishing company, South of Harlem Libros, which is currently available for sale on Createspace, with plans for a bilingual edition and extended distribution.
Founded and owned by Flores, South of Harlem Libros, an imprint of South of Harlem Multimedia, focuses on multicultural and Nuyorican works. Flores says “Our books and media cover the African Diaspora with a strong focus on Caribbean literature and the Black Atlantic.” South of Harlem Libros is also the official literary clearing house for the Latino Ultra Secret Society “The Invisible Order of the Chancleta” founded by the Exalted Supreme Leader JH Flores and his principles of Spanglishnetics. For more information on South of Harlem Multimedia & Libros, check out his website at www.shaggyflores.com.
We wish Flores continued success and encourage you to support his press and purchase his latest book, Obatalá’s Bugalú.
