Do Better

17

"You think you'll give up weed like you did lean?"

"Nah, that lean was doing serious damage, that shit had to go. Crazy thing is I ain't even realize it, it was the people around me, but it really hit once my lady had something to say. My body was literally shutting down."

"And that's what happens with a lot of people, but luckily you had people around you to open your eyes before it was too late."

"Heard that, fuck that cup. Health is wealth and I need my bag, I been telling niggas. If it ain't beneficial it's artificial." I spoke. "I got 3 kids to feed and they very observant, I can't let 'em see daddy fail."

"Right, and when you see a lot of these rappers...you know getting killed, it's almost always in their own neighborhood."

"That's factual, it's too much pressure. It put you on this level where you damn near like a God to some people. I ain't wanna put it like that, but it is. And while some respect and look up to you, a lot of niggas hate you and wanna replace you. Especially if you talking about some street shit, niggas gon test your gangsta."

"Yeah I hear that. There were questions going around on social media about you and your son. You two took a picture and the caption was something people had a lot of questions about." He spoke.

"Incubator babies." I spoke and laughed. "Everybody and they mama was in they feelings over that one."

"Care to explain?"

"Yeah, a lot of people know that my son was premature, 2 months early. He was healthy as hell, but me and wifey weren't taking risks with our first born, so he was in an incubator for a week, almost 2 before we took him home, just to make absolute sure."

"And yourself?"

"Yea, I was a crack baby." I shrugged.

"So you were premature as well?"

"No, I was actually born hella late. I think my aunty said after 2 weeks, they induced my mama. They thought I was still-born since I barely moved."

"How'd you find out you were a crack baby?"

"You know the niggas I be around, they all my brothers and cousins, we was always just bagging on each other and they just be telling me 'Nigga, you a crack baby' and all. I'm the youngest, so they all knew a little more than I did."

"Did that ever take a toll on you as a child, or even know as an adult?"

"Naw, I was straight. As long as I ain't got no health issues."

"So, you're originally from Fillmore, grew up in Sunnydale, mom is on drugs and dad is in jail. How old were you when you started getting mixed up in the street shit?"

"Well, I learned that shit early on without really knowing. I was about 11 or 12, grew up thinking it was a way of life since everybody we knew was on it. Wake up in the morning, nobody even cooking breakfast, just crack. At 13 I was hitting house licks, punching niggas out for they bicycles and shit." I shook my head and laughed.

"And how old were you when you first got shot at?"

"Shit, about 15-16. Niggas wanted all the smoke once my brother was gone. I remember that shit like it was yesterday though, hella late on a Saturday and I was with my blooda, Keezy. We were in his grandmother's vehicle, T'd up and slapping Mac Dre when niggas started spraying shit over a dice game. Keezy got hit that night but thank God it only grazed him."