Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1) (18 page)

I thought maybe she missed my dad, or was still mad at him from what happened many years. “How’s you job coming along?” She asked. “It’s iight, Sal told me that it might start slowin’ up because we be fixin’ them cars too good. Ain’t nobody bringin’ no cars back. I bragged as I checked my braids. “Boy please, so y’all just fixin’ cars that won’t never break down again huh?” She teased. “That’s right ma, we got the Midas touch, me and my man Mike be puttin a hurtin’ on them cars.” I boasted. “Oh so y’all do do y’all? Well why your car always breakin’ down then? Huh?” She added playfully. “Ain’t nothing wrong with my car ma, I just don’t be drivin’ it that much ‘cause I be drivin’ the hooptie from my job.” “That’s good baby, I’m just messin with you. I know my little man does good work.” She said, smiling lovingly.

“Shoot, I had to get it from somebody, and I spent most of my life with you.” I told her. “That’s so sweet Korey.” She said, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. My mom is a strong woman. She always seemed to know how to patch things up and smooth things out. “I’m getting ready to head over to Clara’s house and play some cards. Shoot I won $200 last weekend.” She boasted. “What ma you ain’t go to church today?” I asked. “Yeah I went to church boy don’t be silly.” She said. “Dag ma you mean to tell me y’all go from church to a card game?’ I asked. “Boy shut up, we gotta have some kinda fun too. It’s better than going out to some bar drinking and having a whole bunch of sweaty, drunken men hanging all over your shoulder.” She confessed. “Yeah you right, you don’t need all that. I hope you have fun at your card game ma.” I said. Suddenly the doorbell rang.

“Could you see who that is?” My mom asked. I went up to the intercom and pressed the talk button. “Who is it?” I asked. “It’s me, Jackie.” She answered through the intercom’s speaker. I pressed the door button and buzzed her into the building. “Who was it?” She asked as she checked herself in the bathroom mirror. My mom kinda reminded me of me as she checked her hair thoroughly in the mirror. I stepped into the bathroom and looked into the mirror also. “Dag ma, you gotta get all dolled up to play some cards?” I asked her as she checked her hair in the mirror. “Hm, boy, that’s a woman thing you wouldn’t, and couldn’t understand, understand?” She said softly. “Because I know all y’all good ol church goin’ God fearin’ women don’t be havin’ no men around playin cards with y’all do y’all?” I joked. “No, well this guy Frank comes over and plays with us sometimes.” She answered.

“Oh don’t tell me and all y’all be tryin’ look all pretty for this Frank guy huh?” I joked. “No, I’m not trying to look all pretty for nobody, I do look good and I don’t need to dress up to prove that to no man.” She confirmed. “Hey momma!” Someone yelled from the living room area. It was my sister Jackie. “I’m in the bathroom Jacqueline!” My moms answered. I walked out of the bathroom and saw Jackie walking towards me. “What’s up lil’ bruh?” She asked as she walked past me and into the bathroom where my moms was. “What’s up Jack? Don’t tell me you hanging out with the old heads tonight.” I joked.

“It ain’t that bad for me yet Korey.” She replied. “Still making em wait uh sis?” I asked. “Stay out of grown folk’s business boy.” She joked. “But for the record, I’m just dropping her off, you ready momma?” She added. “I’ll be ready in a second dear.” My mom answered. “Hey Jackie, give Tracy my condolences.” I said. “Thanks, I’ll make sure I tell her. Are you going to the funeral?” She asked. “Now you know I don’t be doing no funerals Jack, but me and Sinna will probably stop by the house afterwards.” I told her. My mother called Jackie into the bathroom to fix the chain on her neck as I walked into Kevin’s room and looked around it. I turned on the T.V. checked the Playstation game console to see if there was a game disc inside. Kev had the new All Madden football game disc in there, so I turned it on.

As I played the game, I could hear my mom and my sister in the other room talking. My mom was telling Jackie about the fight that Kev and I had the other night. I don’t play these video games a lot but this All Madden team be kickin’ ass for real. I thought as I played. “So you and Kevin got into it yesterday huh?” I looked up and saw Jackie standing in the doorway. “Yeah a lil’ somethin’, Kev be wildin’ out and what not. He was actin’ up tryin’ to show off up in here for his lil friends.” I explained. “Oh, o.k. so he’s going through that teenage rebellious, I can do what I wanna do phase I guess. Well, I don’t like to hear about my two little brothers fighting and carrying on like that, but somebody had to step up. It’s getting crazier by the day out there in them streets now Korey I tell you.

"Tracy is working on a story right now about some little girl who killed her father, shot him in the face, and the craziest thing is, she did it at her mother’s funeral. Now if that ain’t the Devil’s hard at work then what is? These kids these days and where the hell do they get all of these guns from? It’s like those things must be growing in somebody’s backyard somewhere around here or something.” She argued. Even though it wasn’t funny, I had to giggle at the thought of guns actually growing from a tree or a bush.

“Ha ha, you right Jack it’s crazy as hell out there. It ain’t safe no where no more, and it don’t matter who you are either.” I agreed. “It’s like the world is goin’ mad.” I added. I could see that Jackie was about to get started on her pro black fight the power stuff. Jackie probably would have been a good black panther. I watched her change when she came home from college. She went from a big earring wearing fly girl, into the beautiful young educated black woman that she is now in a matter of a few black history courses.

My mother raised her well. My sister’s probably no angel, but she always carries herself like a lady. I can remember older cats used to show me a lot of love on the strength of my sister, as well as my older brother but mostly my sister Jackie. Me and Jay used to get the older dudes to go into the liquor store to buy us 40 ounces sometimes, or maybe throw us a joint or two for us to smoke. “You betta not let your sister find out either.” Some of them would say to us. We never told either, nobody wanted to hear Jackie’s mouth. Jackie had a way of making you feel stupid whenever she would see one of us doin’ somethin’ wrong, but the thing is she never yelled or got upset. She would just ask you shit like, so how do you feel about yourself now? Are you glad you did that, was it worth it, or are you proud of yourself now?” She made you think about what you were doing or were about to do. My sister is the kinda person that would always help to keep me on my toes and sharp on the mind, and she always supported my music too.

“Hurry up and drop that album Korey so I can meet Q-tip.” She would often joke. “Stop playing girl, what you gonna do with Q?” I would then ask. “Hmm, you don’t know? When that brother be singing that Vivrant Thang, he’s
definitely
talking about me.” She giggled. “What you know about that Ms. I’m going to a poetry reading exhibition or whatever they call them.” I joked. “It’s all about the flow of the poet my brother, all poetry is poetic justice.” She said. “You can get that type of love too if you just stay focused, and put more thought into your music, and definitely watch your back as far as your finances is concerned.” Jackie said as she touched me on my shoulder. “Remember Korey, everybody that’s with you, ain’t down with you, and don’t forget that. Most importantly always stay true to your roots baby brother.” She added. Aww shit, here we go again with the pro-black speech. I thought to myself as I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling. “It’s about brotherhood.” Jackie stated with a serious look on her face. “You see Korey I don’t just come around Kev and treat him like a kid. We hang out and catch a movie sometimes, or we might go to the beach once in awhile. I know he only goes because he likes to watch the girls in the bikinis, but it keeps him off the streets, so I don’t mind. You need to get to know your little brother better, and stop trying to be his father. He needs all of us. I try to show him that there are other things to life besides hanging on the corners, smoking weed, and having babies. I promised to take him to Jamaica when he graduates from high school next year. Maybe we can all go.” Jackie said with a smile on her face.

“Maybe we can even take mommy with us too.” Jackie said. “And what makes ya tink I nev’r been to Jamaica befur yung ladee?” My mom’s interrupted while walking towards us. The bugged out thing was that she was trying to sound like she was from the islands somewhere. “Come on Jackie we’d better get goin’ I don’t want to be late.” “Are you staying here Korey?” My mom asked me as she put on her jacket. “Nah I’ma finish this game and then I’m gonna finish some of that fried chicken you got on the stove in there.” “Okay, well save some for your brother and make sure the doors are locked when you leave, bye baby.” My moms ordered. Jackie saluted me with a wink and a two finger peace sign followed by a pat on her upper chest as she and my moms walked out the door.

18                                                
GETTIN’ READY FOR SOME MENTAL KOMBAT

(Korey)

I left my mom’s crib after I finished playing the video game and was walking back to my apartment when my cousin Jay pulled up besides me driving the latest E Class Mercedes Benz with the top dropped down. “What’s up Mann? Damn nigga everytime I see you you walkin’. What’s the matter with your car?” He asked.                                                                         

“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with my ride, I just like to catch a little fresh air sometimes, know what I’m sayin’?” I said.

“Me too nigga, that’s why I got me a drop top tonight, so I can get alllll the fresh air I need Mann.” Jay joked as he stuck his head up over the windshield. “Tonight is what’s up, you ready to take that mafucka out or what?” He asked. “Get in cuz what you scared to ride with me now or somethin’?” he added. “What’s up with that C.D. you told me about?” I asked. “I got it right here, get in and listen to this shit and then you tell me if that nigga bit your shit or not.” He explained. Now as bad as I didn’t wanna ride with Jay, I really wanted to hear what was on that CD even more, so I ultimately found myself in the front seat of my wannabee NASCAR driver cousin of mine again. I thought to myself as I was again quickly thrusted back against the seat from the force of Jay’s quick departure. “You iight over there, maybe you should try putting your seatbelt on.” Jay smirked as I regained my balance in the front seat. “You damn right I’ma put my seat belt on cause you tryin’ to kill a mafucka’ for real.” I joked as I strapped myself in.

“Yo Mann, listen to this shit.” Jay ordered as he put the C.D. into his car’s console and the C.D. began to play. When the beat came on, I started to think that there was no way that anyone could’ve gotten their hands on the music that I wrote. But when that dude Gameface started rapping! I couldn’t believe what my ears were hearing. I knew right off hand that nigga bit my shit, and I’m not talking about a line or two, he was spittin’ the exact same shit that I wrote about 6 months ago.

“Yo! How the fuck that nigga!?.. Who the fuck!?.. Oh shit!” I yelled as I listened on. “Who is that nigga Jay!?” I asked him as I asked myself why I never heard of this nigga before!? “I don’t really know too much about him but I know he be runnin’ with then niggas from Da Woodz sometimes.” He answered. “Who, Big Ox and Jamar and nem?” I asked as I grew angrier by the second. “Yeah them niggas and you know them mafuckas like to stay involved when the bullshit comes into play.” Jay replied. Iight then, well we’ll see tonight. I thought to myself as the song came to an end.

“Yo Mann, Yo Mann!” Jay yelled. “Huh? Oh, what’s up?” I answered after I returned from cloud 9. “Now I know you pissed and that’s good. Sometimes this battle shit is kinda healthy nameen? Now I know you gonna wipe up Foxes’ floor with that mafucka tonight right!? Know what I’m talkin bout!?” Jay yelled excitedly. But I wasn’t excited, not even a little bit. I was still baffled about how that nigga got his hands on my rhymes. “Yo Jay?” I said. “What’s up?” He replied. “Take me home.” I told him. “Why what’s up? You’ve been in battles before, now I know you not gonna let that shit...”

“Yo Jay!” I interrupted. “Take me home! I got work to do. I gotta get ready for some Mental Kombat.” I told him. I looked over at Jay as he glanced my way while still driving. “Iight, I understand.” He said. I guess he could tell that I was very upset, and I was, but I’ma see about this shit tonight. I thought to myself as Jay brought me back and dropped me off in front of my crib. “I’ll call you later on.” He said as I got out of his car and went into my place.

By the time I got inside it didn’t matter to me where he got it from. That was my shit and I’m gonna let that nigga know whose shit it is. So I grabbed me a pen and some paper, sat down at my kitchen table, put on some instrumental beats and started writing. At first I wanted to get at him on some straight up battle shit, but I never saw him before so I couldn’t talk about his appearance or anything personal about him. So I decided to keep it professional. I’ll kick some songs and do it like a show, and when I see him, I’ll size his ass up and then get at him on some personal shit. You see, I’m tryin’ to be a recording artist one day not just a street battle rapper runnin around town rhymin on street corners and battling everybody that can rhyme.

I want to be an entertainer and still keep my music on some street shit because the streets is the truth, but at the same time I wanna make some music that everybody can listen to. Now the song that that nigga Gameface got his hands on was a song that I wrote about a dream that I had after I fell asleep while watching that movie The King of New York. I dreamt that Frank White came to me in my hood and showed me how to sell drugs. He rode me around in his limo and showed me the ins and outs of the drug game. Of course the movie was still playing so as I was dreaming I could sorta kinda hear all of the drama that was going on in the movie too.