"He has sought to exaggerate differences rather than build on commonalities," said Martin B. Cominsky, director of the Anti-Defamation League's Houston office. "If you give a sound bite on TV, that does not really help a community come together."
Quanell X does not regret his angry past. But he longs for recognition from the world at large -- and one person's adoration remains especially important to him. His tour of South Acres ended in an apartment complex turned convalescent home. He sat in a folding chair, and a caretaker brought out his mother.
She was just 57, but her mind was destroyed by drugs. One second she corrected Quanell X on what brand of shoes he wore as a child: Stacy Adams. Then she blurted out, "I'd whoop his ass, to make a long story short." Later she said something that made him smile: "I think he's one of the greatest young black men in the world, I really do." He kissed her and walked out.
"I can't fault her," said Quanell X, as his Range Rover rolled out of South Acres. He's in the business of redemption now.
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QUANELL X remains a frustrating mystery to many. In the blogosphere, critics question why the news media never ask how he affords his outwardly opulent lifestyle. He says he serves as a consultant to rap artists, helping mediate their beefs, and receives assistance from entrepreneurs who "make sure that Quanell X never goes hungry."
Court records suggest he has struggled financially, and he concedes he has had difficulty meeting his obligations. A former girlfriend with whom he fathered a son sued him for failing to pay child support; they settled out of court. A former landlord evicted him.
"You're not going to get rich in my line of work," Quanell X said.
But the work, he made clear, is who he is.
At the end of a recent day that had already featured two news conferences aimed at evening newscasts, Quanell X's chauffeur drove him to a candlelight vigil on the southwestern tip of town. It was to commemorate Cornisha McCowan, a 13-year-old girl who was killed in a tragic case of mistaken identity. Her uncle, who had picked her up from a skating rink, drove a car similar to one driven by some black gang members. Some other black youths pulled beside them and opened fire.
Cornisha died beside a freeway access road.
