Royal La Familia

NINE MONTHS EARLIER… ROCHESTER, NEW YORK SEPTMEBER 10TH 2001



It was a mild and sunny morning in New York. I could feel a steady relaxing breeze drift in through the bedroom window. While I sat at my girl's desk jotting lyrics, I couldn't stop thinking about the move me and the crew were about to make tomorrow morning. I was eager and focused after deciding that we should take our act elsewhere. Atlanta had become a place where aspiring artist settled and kicked off their careers. I was sold on the idea.

Last month we rented a crib out there. I'd pretty much decided to take any place within reasonable condition. Honestly I didn't care if we lived in a gotdamn cardboard box. I just wanted to make my mark in the game.

I quickly jotted more lyrics and quietly practice what I wrote. Police harassing my nigga for his open container-

And when it comes to brutality, dawg I'm not a stranger-

They tried to beat me down and claim I was resisting-

But this legendary hood shit so pay attention-

Back in the 90's we struggled just tryna make a dime-

Me and my niggas was doing a lot of petty crimes-

I got caught by the cops they beat me out my mind-

Right on the yellow line, now that's a hate crime-

They got us fighting a war turning niggas to soldiers-

When Democrats got elected I thought the shit was over-

They sending niggas to Iraq, Ahf-gan-

Killing niggas for something that they don't understand-

I tried to tell my man don't feed into the devils plan-

He signed up for the army now he's a dead man-

And this really true, the ghetto gotta see it too-

And naw this ain't something old, nigga this is something new!

"Ya stay talkin bout somebody in ya raps." Tanisha interrupted me before I could spit my verse again.

Eavesdropper, I thought silently.

I threw a pillow I had resting on my leg at her. "Go back to sleep!" I teased.

"Why ya talking about ya brother like that, though?" Tanisha blocked the pillow and threw it back at me. I tried to weave out the way, but it still hit me in the head. I was thinking she was sleep all this time, but obviously she was listening to me practice. She was referring to my lines about war and the army.

"Because it's true, Joseph ain't got no business being in the damn army! He out there on them battlefield scared as shit."

I was still fucked up about my older brother going to the army. He fought and stood for the same thing I despised and shunned. Lately he'd been calling complaining to me and my momma about the horrible living conditions and all of the murders he'd witness in Afghanistan. I loved my brother, but I thought he was stupid for virtually signing over his life.

"Everyone doesn't see things the way you do, so they do their best. You should just support him while he's out there." She rose from the bed and stretched her arms. I didn't want to blow up nothing simple into an argument, so I went back to reciting my lyrics again. I had my own opinion and that was that.

She strode over and kissed my cheek. "You should have more understanding, Laree. And, if you throw another pillow at me I'm gonna kick ya ass. I'm going to the bathroom." She slapped the back of neck playfully.

I grabbed the back of my neck with one hand and patted her soft ass with the other one as she passed by. That was my girl, Tanisha. I'd met her two years ago during a rap concert at Blue Cross Arena and we'd been together ever since. She was a few years older than me, so at times she thought she could tell me what was best for me. I had a hard time listening to my real momma therefore Tanisha didn't stand a chance. She could be a sweetheart, except when she wanted her way. Then, she could be a pain in the ass. If it was up to her, I wouldn't be moving anywhere. When it came to my career, she didn't really believe in me, and I could tell just from the way she talked about it. She called it a hobby, but this was my livelihood. It was all that I could depend on.