M E N T A L

cry for you.

"Um...technical difficulties?" I heard officer Newman say. I thought it was staged but those white people kept having there nervous laughs making me know shit was wrong.

"Yo tell me why I'm scared?" Royalty said clinging onto my shoulder.

The big screen was writing something.

To say that justice can't be found is like saying aka wasn't meant to be put on this earth for a reason.

I smiled widely. People started cheering. Everyone knew what aka stood for.

First, let me introduce myself. I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana. I lived on Applestone st. In a small room up on the 2nd floor. Room number 17.

The first question I wanna ask is...

have you ever gone to sleep with the sound of gunshots?

Her signature was being signed on the screen. Arielle K. Alsina.

A picture splashed on the screen. It was Arielle and Auntie Key.

Under the picture said, "mama, we made it"

I seen guys dressed standing on the aisle with smoke filled. People were all looking since there was so much smoke in the aisles.

One thing I could say. Everyone was standing with phones out getting hyped. We knew this was a moment that needed to be remembered.

The guys stomped people got quiet.

"Ion give a fuck. Ion give a fuck. ion give a... Ion ion give a fuck" noises through the speakers

I could hear someone rapping. I could hear the loud yelling. But I was trying to see. I couldn't see shit. I took my heels off standing on the chair.

"I been stomped out in front of my mama
My daddy commissary made it to commas
Bitch, all my grandmas dead
So ain't nobody prayin' for me, I'm on your head, ayy"

I got hyped with royalty by my side. We all was getting hyped. Arielle was standing walking with this hoodie on on her head along with these glasses blocking us from seeing her eyes.

"Auntie on my Telegram, like, "Be cautious!"
I be hangin' out at Tam's, I be on Stockton
I don't do it for the 'Gram, I do it for Compton
I'm willin' to die for this shit, nigga
I'll take your fuckin' life for this shit, nigga
We ain't goin' back to broke, family sellin' dope
That's why you mainey-ass rap niggas better know"

The way she rapped had people loving it. She was sounding as if she did this her whole like. Auntie key was bopping her head with uncle dk. Everyone was just hyped.

Arielle dapped a few people as she rapped, "If I gotta slap a pussy ass nigga Imma make it look sexy"

She was in some rappers faces rapping and dancing. She dapped up Christian and Quincy. She walked up and down the aisle all turnt. I loved it. She had on this huge jacket that was almost up to her knees with white shorts that fell to her knees. She had these black boots on her. She just was vibing. She was a different person all of a sudden. The music stopped and another song came on with voices talking

"This is why I say that hip hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years"

Arielle went over to the guys now holding u.s. flags and rapped lighting it up with fire.

"Fuck ya life.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
This is my heritage, all I'm inheritin'
Money and power, the making of marriages"

All of the guys went mad dancing and shit. Lighting up flags. There was  one guy with a huge flag that was lit up going up to the officers who were getting scared.