Introduction Like a certain singer's voice, the air in the south is thicker somehow. It's richer. It oozes from your pores, down into the core of you, broiling you from the inside out. There's no controlling this species of heat, no conditioning of air. The only thermostat is internal. It kicks in with the quickness, submerging your entire body in sweat. You sponge desperately at your face and neck, opting for a little last-ditch damage control. But, then you decide not to trip. After all, you're meeting Gerald Levert, of the sing-til-they-scream school. You're pretty sure he's seen them hot and wet before. When he walks into the room, he's not what you expecting. You know who his daddy is (Eddie Levert of the O'Jays). You've seen all the videos (Levert until the present). You even met him once back in the day (at the NAACP awards in 1991). But, somewhere there's an x-factor. Where he thought he'd be less, he's more. Where he you thought he'd be more, well, he's even more. Within seconds, you're telling him about your life, and he's really listening. Within minutes, you're chopping it up about Jesus, Satan, and the music/slavery business/system. The brother is deep. And throughout his southern recording sessions, you'll get to tread deeper. You'll get to look beyond the music at the sole supporter of a hefty organization. You'll get to listen to the still easy laughter that can effortlessly transform a room. You'll get to learn why you feel about him the way you do. The inexplicable is your guide and an x-factor your companion as you attempt to unravel the the living layers of Gerald's World.