Kewalnam Christ Gives Broad View on Upcoming Novel "THANK GOD FOR DRUGS"

Cubist novelist, Kewalnam Christ, gives us a detailed insight into his versatile novel due July 1st, "THANK GOD FOR DRUGS", involving everything from love, injustice, sex, to society and humanity.

Kewalnam Christ: My name is Kewalnam Christ. I was born in Toronto, Canada. Raised in Brooklyn, New York. I'm a Cubist novelist, film writer and aspiring fashion designer. I'm 24 going to be 25 in October.

Urban Time: What genre would you consider yourself? Where does your work stand in the artistic world?

Kewalnam: Good question. Well, I’ll say this. E. H. Gombrich defined Cubism, as “the most radical attempt to stamp out ambiguity and to enforce one reading of the picture – that of a man-made construction, a colored canvas.” I believe that my genre is cubist. It's a combination of several styles and genre's, a rubix cube. One single reading doesn't refer to a single perspective (which is ambiguous) but to an understanding of all possible perspectives.

Urban Time: Speaking on your upcoming book, "THANK GOD FOR DRUGS", how does it incorporate that concept?

Kewalnam: [The book] is really me dialing into 24 years of subconscious uncertainty and discussing many broken perspectives and flawed logic. It's as much about me as it is about the rest of humanity. A great friend of mine named Bria put together a focus group for me of amazing women of color who bled in that conversation and bared their bones with me, I wanted to make sure that I wrote something that captured humanity as clear as a photo. Of course, there's filters and alterations added for effect, but the story is all cubist in it's narrative.

Urban Time: You released an excerpt from the novel! What part of the novel is it and why that certain part?

Kewalnam: That's the final chapter of the second act and I chose that one because of the various realms of discussion it goes through. There's many layers in this chapter (in all chapters really). There's religious and societal juxtapositions that requires several read through's to really digest and understand.

Urban Time: Can you give us a quick summary of your novel.. something that would be on a back cover.

Kewalnam: Funny thing is there is no description on the back cover. The story is about love and sex, art and life. It's about a woman's search to find herself, a man's search to find solace. And humanities escape to find God.

Urban Time: In a "literature" sense would you say this would be Man vs. Self, Man vs. God? Would you consider this a "hero's journey"?

Kewalnam: All of the above, with a surprise ending.

Urban Time: What inspired this writing? Was it a specific life event that sparked an epiphany?

Kewalnam: My biggest inspiration was the world around me and the relationship I was in with myself and a young woman. Every time I turned on the news or logged onto twitter, I was faced with countless injustices against our people. Sandra Bland, Darrell ‘Hubbard’, Tony Robinson, Naeschylus Vinzant, Trayvon Martin, Jamar Clark, Anthony Hill, Freddy Gray, Terrance Moxley, Brandon Jones, Mike Brown. These stories were real and at our front doors, in our homes and pervaded our subconscious. I wanted to write a story that showed America just how far it had gone and how little we have left of the edge. We are at CODE RED, and I wanted to write a pop culture American classic that captured the struggle for love, life and identity in this time. It's the first love story in a long time that's really modern but still holds levels of nostalgia and history to it, one of those books that are mirrors.

Urban Time: It seems very intellectual, did you have to do some research? What was the writing process like?

Kewalnam: Thank you, It's an intellectual art piece, one of those books you can read in a group setting and have in depth discussions about. The writing process was very raw, very hip hop. I'm inspired by hip hop that's how I come up with my tone and theme. I listened to Channel Orange, To Pimp a Butterfly & 808's & Heartbreaks. Wanting to channel the strengths of each project through my voice. CO for the metaphors and descriptions. TPAB for the raw, unapologetic black tone and 808's for the emotion and atmosphere. Music writes my literature.

Urban Time: Great projects! What is the meaning behind the name "THANK GOD FOR DRUGS"? Will this be printed and sold or will it be digital and through what media?

Kewalnam: Both, but print first. I'm not sure if you saw the cover but it was designed by an amazing designer named @mohxmed. And the meaning of the title is actually about how our humanity has turned everything into a drug. Love, religion, sex, It's all become a coping mechanism to deal with the ill-reality we live in.

Urban Time: What state is the novel in currently? Is it finished? How long did it take?

Kewalnam: The novel is currently in the editing process, I'm adding scenes here and there as the universe instructs me, just being a perfectionist about everything until I have to send it to the printers. I've been writing this story for the past 3 years and it finally comes out July 1st.

Urban Time: Was it continuous writing brainstorming ect.?

Kewalnam: Yeah, several drafts were written, The story was finished, trashed and rewritten over, and over again, and over again...

Urban Time: What kept you on track?

Kewalnam: Ambition. Fear of dying without ever living. My family. The amazing collective I'm apart of called BLKKK KINGS. Drive. Faith. Drugs. Sex. Kanye. Cudi. Hip hop.

Urban Time: Tell us about yourself, your collective, how you started writing.

Kewalnam: I'm a weird guy, with self awareness, who knows what he wants, who he wants to be and what he's here to do. I'm a comic book nerd, I'm an R&B fanatic. I love reading, I probably digest books the way people digest music. I started writing at 3, so my mom says. She used to make me get the mail from this apartment we lived at in Toronto and open it and read it to her, I would sit down in front of the TV and rewrite episodes of my favorite cartoons. I sat down with my uncles and watched episodes of Def Poetry Jam and fell in love with words. It was music that introduced me the power of the written word.

BLKKK KINGS is a collective of great artists that range from every field from Music, film, art, to design and travel. Dharam Laphilos, Marcii, Tah, Jah, Chris, Von, Fla$$$hy, Ace, Val, Pacman. Tom and A.Luis. A connection with music is huge in the world of creating.

Urban Time: What does being in this collective entail?

Kewalnam: Yes it is. Well we all collaborate together and push each other to the highest versions of ourselves. There's no room for complacency or sluggish dreaming. We are constantly working to bring out the best in our craft. We believe in cultivation and innovation. We're not here to be popular, but rather to offer something of quality, no matter how long that takes. Marcii (@PharMarcii) has an EP coming out in August called #AlbeeSquare that is so refreshing and energetic. We've been in the studio with him really making sure were creating something undeniably amazing. Tah (@TVH___) has an ep coming out called #NOMAD that's a beat ep and it sounds so 80's club house but in the year 3020, we are always talking about the future and are planning on doing a soundtrack for my book, we already have these two songs from a singer named Violet that sound amazing. Dharam (@DharamLaPhilos) does film and designs the merch, he's been working on learning more of the art, instead of giving the world some champ tee's and calling it culutre. Some are working, some are ready. But were all pushing towards a higher form of dialogue in this art world, even if it means we come out after the rest.

Urban Time: Where would you consider yourself to stand among society? In other terms, how do you think your work and your collective's work will impact the audience?

Kewalnam: That is a great question, I feel like Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump in the scene where he was running. I know what I'm here to do. I'm here to lead a generation, and I'm not saying that this is the book I will lead with, but its the one that starts a long conversation between us. A long jog around the world, in which we all find ourselves however long it takes. The message I want them to grasp is "STOP, WE'VE GONE TOO FAR." We need to reverse sit down and figure this life thing out.

Urban Time: Definitely looking forward to the release!!! Is there anything else you would like to say? So nice talking to you!

Kewalnam: Thank you so much, it was nice talking with you as well. I'm a huge fan of Urban Time and how it showcases raw, authentic talent in such a real way. If there's anything I'd leave off with it would be to chase your genius, chase that shit until you're too tired to. Chase it until your dying breath. Take your time and build YOURSELF before you go outside and try to build with a team, and know that this whole success shit is a journey, none of us are finite. There's so much more growth to go. I pray this story starts a conversation that goes skin deep and that we break down the barriers in publishing for future authors to come. Thank you again for this interview, and I can't wait to give you guys the story on JULY 1ST.

Kewalnam on Twitter: @iamkewalnam

Read excerpt from "THANK GOD FOR DRUGS" HERE.

Interviewer's Twitter: @b0nsang