99 Problems Finding the 1: A Love Story(Sort of)

Part cultural criticism, part picaresque adventure, professor and punk musician G’Ra Asim tackles chronic lovelessness in the post-covid era with heft and humor

In 2004, Jay-Z released “99 Problems” and song became an instant classic. The grammy award-winning rapper details the many problems in his life, expect romantic love. Fast forward over 20 years, professor and punk musician G’Ra Asim is facing his own set of problems, except they all focus on modern romance.

Contemplating his singledom and mishaps in dating, Asim takes the reader through a literary, speculative, and thoughtful meditation on chronic lovelessness. Using a process he calls “thinkful wishing,” Asim scopes out modern love, romance, and ambivalence to manifest a more loving and lovable future. Or at least someone he can list as his emergency contact.