Reviews - The Real Bling

Below is simply a taste of what lies within the pages of The Real Bling.  But don't just settle for a taste!  Eat the whole meal!  BUY THE BOOK!

With proficient use of Hip-Hop, Brian McClellan motivates the reader into securing Freedom: Freedom from our restricting jobs, phony friends, false sense of values, and misguided goals. Excellent motivational read.

With a rudimentary knowledge of Hip Hop and its language, when first presented with this book, this reviewer thought this would be a tough read. Maybe even an incomprehensible one at that. How wrong my first impression was! This turned out to be an outstanding read.

The author Brian McClellan, a former rap singer and current career counselor, puts together a treatise on how to gain Freedom - or The Real Bling -- in many aspects of one's life, particularly in one's professional endeavor. Systematically, he explains in easy-to-follow and logical steps how to make progress in achieving these goals.

He first defines what he calls the "Institutional Man," the person who slowly and almost imperceptibly becomes lost in the Company's policies, no matter how skewered they may be. In short, the "yes" man; one who becomes part of the corporate flowchart of nonentities. He shows that the way to real Freedom is to break away from this environment to go it on your own.

He then delves into detail just how to accomplish this. His system includes surrounding yourself with the right supportive team of coworkers, training your mind to focus on your goals and to be passionate about them, eliminating people around you who prove false and detrimental to your agenda, and a concept he calls "reciprocity," acknowledging the good people around you and rewarding them accordingly.

Throughout, McClellan uses strong metaphors to illustrate his ideas. Although I may not understand fully all of the quotes he borrows from the rap and hip hop genres, enough sunk in for me to be impressed. Ultimately, McClellan proves he is a terrific motivational speaker. His teachings jump through the printed page. I can't help wonder if he's this good in his writings, how great he must be live in an auditorium. I highly recommend The Real Bling to anyone who has every experienced the feeling of "stuck." 
   Thomas Gabrelli, Reader Views


The Real Bling by Brian McClellan is a new twist to an old message. Mr. McClellan reinforces to the reader the need for self-determination. The word freedom flows through the pages of this book like water. Freedom to be all you should, through your own work is the general theme. The Real Bling is a well-written and easy to read self-help guide that does not become preachy, but sends the clear message, we are all responsible for our own success. This non-fiction guide is as entertaining as many fiction titles. What makes The Real Bling stand apart is the hip-hop influenced tone of the book. Chapters begin with catchy phrases such as, `Know the Game' and 'Floss Wisely.' The chapter titles are followed by verses from well-known hip-hop artists. Tupac Shakur, Lauryn Hill and other famous artists' verses are interjected throughout the book. The verses and titles are then expounded upon, filling out the chapters with words of self-empowerment. The Real Bling is recommended for anyone looking for the message of self-actualization, told to a hip-hop beat. 
   Angelia Menchan , A Place of Our Own Book Club


Not only does The Real Bling offer individuals a new definition of freedom, it describes and enables the "right mind" necessary for making changes. McClellan clearly shows readers how to operate successfully in a fast paced, cutthroat world without succumbing to its rules. 
   Hudson Valley Press


Brian’s book challenges readers to insist upon strong leadership, build self-confidence and refuse to make excuses any longer for not controlling their on destiny. Using quotes from famous hip-hop artists and metaphors derived from hip-hop culture and a former rap-artist himself, Brian seeks to motivate those burnt out on self-help reading. 
   Neighborhood News (Gwinnett County, GA)


The Real Bling: How to Get The Only Thing You Need by Brian McClellan makes some very good points throughout the book, e.g. "no excuses, choose to win, floss wisely, never lose passion, and know the game.” Overall, the book explains the survival of the fittest among humans today and the society in which we live. I would recommend this book to anyone who can read and understand strong views of life. 
   OOSA Online Book Club


Using hip-hop culture as a metaphor, McClellan offers some no-nonsense advice for readers who may be burnt out on the usual self-help or motivational genre books. In essence, he teaches how one can put their mind in the right place to achieve personal success. 
   Alan Caruba, Editor, Bookviews.com


The Real Bling is inspirational and motivational. Brian McClellan does a great job of relating the Hip Hop culture to Corporate America. His analogies and metaphors really grab the reader's attention and draw you right in. The Real Bling is valuable because there are so many people out there who are not getting what they want, and mainly because they are not doing what they want to be doing. The author does a great job of bringing out the reasons why we might not be doing what we want to be doing. He then provides strategies to help us move in the right direction. These are practical, real life strategies that work! This is an extremely effective and empowering book, and I recommend it to anyone that wants to take their success to the next level! 
   Christine Belknap, Organizational Development Consultant, Ernst & Young


I commend you for taking the initiative to write a book that talks about how one can control their destiny. I also like how you have incorporated quotes from entertainers, athletes, etc. The quotes are catchy for readers of all age groups. The message is a good one. It is my hope that people of all ages will take the time to grasp it. 
   Dr. Cheryl Cephus-Vickers, Director of Career Services, Gadsden State Community College


I thoroughly enjoyed The Real Bling. This is a marvelous motivational book that should find a wide audience. It’s a reader-friendly, lively exploration into finding success, which is so aptly defined as freedom. 
   Gail Chadwick, Former Michigan State University professor of journalism