You ever seen a dope-fiend beg you for a dollar so they can get their next fix from the blow house. You ever seen a little girl mom become a call-girl so she can provide for her family. Life is viscous as it get from the jungle. I went to school everyday and got called ugly by my peers because I did not have the latest pair of gym-shoes at my disposal. I remember standing in line eating reduced lunch because I could not even afford the price of a full school lunch. Man oh man, I remember the days going to school felt like I was stimulating a penitentiary system. Growing up, I had to do things I did not want to do in-order to survive. I had to wear clothes I did not want to wear because it was affordable. When I was younger, all I ever wanted was a piece of the bigger pie. My dad was busy working at a factory all the way out in Detroit. We usually worked twelve hour days so he can provide food on the table. Then this man had child-support garnish his wages unfairly. Because the crazy woman he had dated from the projects way back in his younger days strikes with vengeance. She only let him see his kids on the weekend.

The heartbreak we felt as a family growing up was tough. The struggles I had to endure was tremendous. I never seen so much poverty in my life until I stayed in the ghetto. I was happy when the simple times rolled around and we get a chance to celebrate. In the name of Jesus I was grateful for Christmas. Each and every time Christmas rolled around and then my little shine on had passed. I real life thought selling dope was the answer for my selfish desires I wanted in life. The coolest kid in my class had all the best games at his finger tips. The respect had came on me when I had the new Bred 11’s people was throwing a rage about. Them shoes had all the girls stopping too stare at me for a couple seconds. Flushed in the face with dropped eyes. The bully that took my lunch money every noon even gave me some dap in the hall-way. Man oh man, them struggle days where something.

Now I can be the grown man I always wanted to be in life. I am now the calmest person ever when I work so hard and see my benefits multiply. I do not even need to have the fanciest shit ever in my life. I grew up not having it. I grew up not knowing what is to be spoiled. I swear I was like Rolf from Edd, Ed and Eddy. The man that grew up in ol country times, yet had to get it off the muscle.