Real talk, when you was 16 how old did you think you'd live to?

[RoadRage]

Back then, times was wild as fuck and there was so much death around me that I really saw myself dying at an early age...
I really thought that it was unlikely that I would make it to 30...
Good thing I didn't commit myself to this thinking (like so many of my peers) to the point that they lived recklessly and wind up making it a self for filling prophesy..

 

[J.E.T.S]

Back then, times was wild as fuck and there was so much death around me that I really saw myself dying at an early age...
I really thought that it was unlikely that I would make it to 30...
Good thing I didn't commit myself to this thinking (like so many of my peers) to the point that they lived recklessly and wind up making it a self for filling prophesy..

I really didn't think about it then.

Around 20 or so I started to question my time here. I became homeless and confused. Living wreckless. I said I would survive 3 to 5 years tops before I died or went to prison.

 

[RoadRage]

This is where I blame rap music, because back then they painted such a gloom and doom picture of the future that many of us brought into the bullshit and your outlook in life can alter or change your behavior...

 

[Mello Mello]

I remember they use to always say most black boys wouldn't make it pass 21. Like we were all drug dealers who played with guns and were just bad.

I guess it was true for some of us.

I had a high school teacher who was from NY tell me about how many young black boys never came to his class, parents didn't care and how he found out many of them got killed on the street selling drugs. Dude was so pissed off and passionate about it he always had some anecdotal horrible story from NY school system to tell us to stop getting in trouble or fooling around in class.

 

[D Kline]

80 plus I wasn't weak minded believing what some guys in a down trotten neighborhood believed for their own life. I knew I had options and many safety nets . Outside of grades, practice and robotics team that's I had to worry about. I had it easy and I was surrounded and reaffirmed from day one.

Its nothing some history book could have told me about myself. I knew I was nice I didn't need black history to tell me who I am. I know without a doubt. I didn't give a damn white nor black scholars what they said. I came from land owners we control our destiny. We don't cry that johnnie a meanie poo poo head.



I am living black history. I didn't take on the ideology like brothas are encouraged to do now.

My kids will be the same way. Forget a ball player or rapper as a role model that's low level thinking.

 

[BGLR1212000]

My parents kept me out them streets. I used to be mad about it, guess they knew better than me. Even when I was old enough to make my own mistakes I was still smart about it. Was too scared to disappoint my fam.

 

[woodchuck]

I didn't then, I don't now. When she sings, she sings. If you can't do anything about it, why think about it?

 

[ankhheru]

When I was 16 I was being shot at, stealing cars, trying to shoot other people, drinking Wild Irish Rose wine and smoking weed. I had no plans for my future life. My mother had to step in and sign me up for the Army when I was 17 against my will to get me off the streets. Death was my friend and I owed him money.

 

[Naha-Nago]

I didn't then, I don't now. When she sings, she sings. If you can't do anything about it, why think about it?

This....

Known people who died before their time.

Known people who I've openly prayed that they drop dead and they keep on living.

Plan like you'll live forever and live like you'll die tomorrow.

When she sing she sings. The only thing we can do is sing back 'not today' and hope she listens...

*two cents *

 

[kew]

21... thanks to menace to society and boyz n da hood