Download or read book From the Hood to the Holy Land and Back Plus More written by Al Hajji Robert J. Rowland and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2009-04-24 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Robert J Rowland, A.K.A. ( Squirrelly ) Al Hajji Omowalle Alif Abdul Rakiem, Which means The first son, who has return home a servant of God, the writer, who has made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Al Hajji the poet, songwriter and Manager, was born in Mayfield , Kentucky and raised in E. Palo Alto California. He now resides in Nashville, TN. He went back to college and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management at Mid-Continent University in. Mayfield, KY. Al Hajji creative side goes back to his first musical group in California called the Ambassadors, a five man singing group, with showman ship and harmonies that drew much applause in local talent shows and nightclubs in the San Francisco Bay area. He left California after High school and attended Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN., on a baseball scholarship. At TSU , he developed his poetry and songwriting skills, and was a member of the Natural Experience singing group, where he played percussion. He also co-founded the Poets and Songwriters Association of TSU, which is still a charter organization on campus. Al Hajji also was a member of the Total Experience Record Company, where he signed and artist and songwriting contract. There he befriended the Gap Band, Yarborough & Peoples, Goodie, Val Young, Lonnie Simmons and Don Alexander the owners. Over the years he has been active in the music industry, giving workshop on writing and the business end of music. Singing at weddings and receptions and work with Alicia 4bia Cherry as a personal manager, where he became friends With the late Lisa Left Eye Lopes ( N.I.N.A. ) Raina ( Raindrop) Lopes, Kisha Spivey of the group Total and the girl group Egypt. May God have Mercy on our world