Scenes from My Life: A Memoir

Reading about Williams’s insecurities and growing up the target of bullies makes it hard to believe he so fully embodied Omar on The Wire, one of TVs toughest iconic characters, who had no doubts about his life and choices. Williams’s first break was as a backup dancer for musical acts and starring roles in music videos. From there, he modeled and began his acting career. He discusses his addiction at length and is clear that he would never be free of it. Raw and vulnerable, narrator Dion Graham helps listeners relate to the poverty, success, addiction, and struggles that led to Williams advocating for criminal justice reform, helping at-risk youth, and giving back to the community. The examination of his past and a direction for the future illuminates an unlikely journey. While Graham never disappoints, it would have been amazing to hear this in Williams’s own voice. Unfortunately, this memoir was not finished when Williams died of an accidental overdose in September of 2021 at the age of 54.