Deeming himself a scientist, Omar Tyree a New York Times Bestselling Author, spoke to a half-filled Charles Winterwood Theatre Wednesday night.
The lecture ranged from books he has written such as “For the Love of Money” and “Single Mom,” to the psychological state of black people in America.
Tyree said his books are scientifically written with the current state of black society in mind.
“Nothing I write is a fairy tale,” said the recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature Fiction. “I write real stuff because I am a real person.”
During the question and answer session, Tyree proved his writings weren’t fairytales by making a correlation between “Addiction,” a novel that addresses the addiction men have for fame and sex.
However, writing about black America’s state of mind is not the only thing Tyree has done. Tyree admitted that his book “College Boy,” is a mirror image of his colege experience at the University of Pittsburgh, a predominantly white school in Pennsylvania.
“I was the Laurence Fishburne character in Spike Lee’s ‘School Daze.’ I was a revolutionary Afrocentric black man. I felt as if I was an island, with no one to relate to,” he said.
Although Tyree has written 12 novels, he is most known for “Flyy Girls.” At the mention of the title, women in the audience began to clap and cheer in adoration. Tyree used the moment to address what he considers to be a problem with women in the black community.
“‘Flyy Girls’ was one of my best sellers. It was about a woman who made all the wrong choices. She’s a sister in the hood,” he said. “But in the follow-up, I allow the main character to mature and graduate from college with a master’s degree, and I received negative e-mails from sisters all over saying they couldn’t relate.”
“Why is it that you all can relate to the hood, but not a master’s degree?,” Tyree asked the audience.
The next topic made some in the audience, who were on the same wavelength concerning most other issues, quickly put their nods of approval on hold.
Tyree said he believes polygamy is the solution needed to improve the black family.
“People such as Michael Jordan can afford to have more than one household, with more than one wife. There could be more privileged black children if wealthy, successful, black men were able to marry more than one woman,” he said.
Tyree, who also posed for pictures, signed autographs and sold books, said he wants to come back to the University.
“After I release ‘Cold Blooded’ in August, I want to come back and have a session where men and women can go at it concerning why good women love bad men,” he said.
While some attendees didn’t agree with all Tyree had to say, some students said they would come back to hear him speak.
“I didn’t like everything he said, but overall, he is a great writer,” said Kia Folsom, a junior broadcast student from Cincinnati.
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