Donald Goines (pseudonym: Al C. Clark; December 15, 1936 – October 21, 1974) was an African-American writer of urban fiction. Donald was the middle child of three, and the only son.

At age 15, Goines lied about his age to join the Air Force and fought in the Korean War.

Adult life

During his stint in the Armed Forces, Goines developed an addiction to heroin that continued after his honorable discharge in the mid-1950s. In order to support his addiction, Goines committed crimes including pimping, larceny, robbery, illegal liquor manufacturing and theft. He completed 16 books. On the Real Brothas album by hip-hop duo B.G. Knocc Out & Dresta, the latter mentioned the author by rapping "take a good look because you're looking at a crook/my life done been took, right outta Donald Goines' book".

Ludacris mentions Goines in his 2006 song "Eyebrows Down". AZ compares himself to Donald Goines' work in "Rather Unique", with the line, "Your mind's boggled but I'm as deep as Donald Goines' novels". Nas also named the song "Black Girl Lost" on his sophomore album It Was Written after the book by Goines. The New York rap trio Cru had a song called "Goines Tale" where all of Donald's book titles were incorporated into the song's lyrics.

Rapper Jadakiss referenced Goines in the Sheek Louch song "Mighty D-Block (2 Guns Up)" with the lyrics "Yo, the revolve' or the mati's cool, Knife game like Daddy Cool's, since Bally Shoes". The rapper 50 Cent writes in his self-help-autobiography Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, that "Personally, I didn’t get into reading until I found writers like Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim who wrote in a voice that felt familiar to me".

Goines' books have been used in several prison literacy programs. His novel Dopefiend has been taught in a Rutgers University class. when a couple of his titles were reissued with bold new covers to local bookstores.

Adaptations

Films

Some of Goines's works have been adapted into film. His book Crime Partners was turned into a 2001 film starring Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, and Ja Rule, and in 2004 his book Never Die Alone was also released as a film starring DMX.

Graphic novel

In 1984, a graphic novel adaptation of the book Daddy Cool was released by Melrose Square, a division of Holloway House. There have been reproductions since 1984 but it was the only graphic of its kind by Donald Goines that was published by Melrose Square.

See also

  • List of homicides in Michigan
  • List of unsolved murders (1900–1979)

References

Further reading

  • Allen, Eddie B. Jr. Low Road: The Life and Legacy of Donald Goines. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2004.
  • Nishikawa, Kinohi. "Donald Goines." Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2009. 102–6.
  • Stone, Eddie. Donald Writes No More. Los Angeles: Holloway House, 1974.