Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1) (12 page)

“You see Mann? Now you see why I always be tryin’ to get you to come with me sometimes when I be comin’ to these parties. My man Gunna already made two albums that almost went platinum, but most of his record sales came from overseas. You ever heard any of his songs or seen any of his videos?” He asked. “Nah.” I responded. “Damn nigga, where the hell you been!? Yo Mann you gotta keep up with that kinda shit if you wanna be a rapper my dude! I know you heard him say he gonna put you on one of his joints on his next album tho’. Make sure you’re ready when we go up in that studio nigga! This might be the exposure you need to get somethin jumpin’ off. Now even though my man Gunna ain’t go platinum in the U.S. yet, he probably will soon because he ain’t never quit! But you gotta start somewhere and every little bit helps cuzo you feel me?” Jay explained.

“I’m sayin’ tho’ Jay, how you get to know him all goody like that, like y’all knew each other for a long time or somethin’.” I said. “Nah, we don’t be chillin’ like that, and I ain’t even known dude that long either. That’s just politickin’ Mann. You find out where them niggas gonna be performing, or where they hang out. Then just make it your business to be there, and when you see ‘em just go up to ‘em and run your mouth. You gotta understand, these niggas be real busy and always in studios and writing music, or on the road. They got families and kids and always makin’ moves n shit like that. So they don’t have time to be paying attention to whoever’s paying attention to them. You gotta find them niggas and get in wherever you can fit in, feel me? Sometimes they might talk to you and sometimes they don’t be beat. You just gotta keep poppin’ up where they be and show mad love. If niggas got love for they fans and most of them do, it’ll come out eventually.

“Just keep runnin’ your mouth that’s the only way you gonna find out. That’s how I do it, and it ain’t fail me yet.” Jay explained as he took a big gulp of champagne from his bottle. Shiiit, a nigga can get used to this V.I.P. shit, this is sweet. I thought as I looked around and observed the scene. I saw 50 Cent and some of his G Unit niggas, I saw Common and Mos Def at a table, Lil Kim and Nicki Manaj not far from each other. I saw Fat Joe and a few of his dudes too. Damn, I saw Nas kickin it with my man from Brand Nubian and KRSONE. Everybody was either sitting around the lounge talking or standing in small groups conversating, but one thing was certain, and that was nobody in the V.I.P. area was dancing and everyone was sipping on some either some wine or champagne, no beers and none of that cheap shit like I be buying.

I noticed there were a lot of other celebrities on hand, and Jay seemed to make it his business to be seen by as many of them as he could. I started imaginaging how it might feel to be a rap star. You know? Signing autographs, having pictures taken, being known by millions of people and the V.I.P. treatment all day. I began imagining me living the life of a platinum rapper. With a crazy hot ride and big mansion type house with a crazyass pool, but that fantasy was quickly interrupted when I saw the Born Criminals come into the lounge.

They were headed towards where I was standing. I looked over at Jay who was standing a few yards away talking to a woman. He had his back turned to them as they slowly made their way towards me. Suddenly everyone began to cheer and clap as the Born Criminals made their way through the lounge. I watched Jay turn around and smile as they got closer. “Happy birthday my nigga!” Jay said loudly. I was startled that Jay, my first cousin was as well connected like he was, unless he really didn’t know them and was running some of his game on them. “Jay Swift, what’s good baby, now how come I knew we was gonna see yo’ ass up in here tonight?” Xaviar said. “That’s because I get around like Tupac my nikka.” Jay responded as he and Xaviar embraced. “Yo Ciph, yo Right look who’s here!” Xaviar yelled. Cipher and Righteous came over to Jay and gave him handshakes and hugs.

“Yo what’s good y’all, yo this my cousin Mann right here I was telling y’all about before.” Jay introduced. They all shook my hand. “What up Jay? We goin over there to our area to sip on some of that complimentary Cristal they got chillin for us come on, you and your cuz can chill with us for a while before we get ready to perform in a few.” Xaviar said as we all walked over to their reserved area and sat down. I was beginning to feel the effect of the champagne as me and Jay sat drinking with the group. “Hell yeah ha ha, I remember that time this nigga Jay right here climbed up on stage when we was performing at the Palladium. The bouncers got him off stage one time, and I don’t know how, but somehow this nigga got backstage, came into our dressing room and still managed to get some pictures of us. This nigga was a mafuckin Paparazzi before there even was a mafuckin Papparazzi. Talkin bout, I need this picture for my little brother in the hospital. We knew you was lyin, sneaky ass nigga ha ha ha.” Xaviar joked.

They all laughed, and I was bugging at the way Jay seemed to be so popular to so many of these celebrities. They was telling me some stuff about my cousin Jay that I had no idea about. Jay never told me about any of this. I thought as I chucked in amazement of how cool they all seemed to be. I guess Jay really do be makin moves like he says he does, hmmm, I’m impressed. I thought. “Yo, but it did feel good to know that we had that effect on some people. I mean to go through all that just to show love to us, now that’s a true fan.” Cipher said. “Yo Jay, I wish you coulda been there when we was on tour over in Japan. Now that shit was crazy. So we was over there right, and some other group was performing that night, these Japanese mafuckas, and the whole fuckin crowd man, I mean the wholllle mafuckin crowd dawg, like damn near a hundred thousand mafuckas.

They all started screamin some Japanese shit over and over and over, so I asked this Japanese cat, like yo what they sayin?” And he told me that what they all was screamin, Born Criminals! Born Criminals! Born Criminals! So I was like, Wow, that’s what a nigga call love son, Japanese style, word up.” Righteous said. Xaviar put his arm around Jay and said. “Yeah Mann, your cousin Jay right here, he was like our number one fan for a minute, it’s cats like him help who put us on the map. Cause yo, this country was born on criminology, starting with this monetary system that we’re all enslaved to. So believe it or not, we’re all criminals in some way or another, but if some folks say if I stole something, then that makes me a criminal, right? but they stole. So what does that make them huh? Righteous?
Hell no they definitely not righteous!”
Righteous interrupted. “
So why should I be---          so I’ma take what da fuck I want ---and I wants da moneey--to complete my cipher
!” Cipher interrupts. “
Yeah, Cipher that’s me! Now watch me complete this cycle---cause that’s what I was Born to do--and every once in a while we just might start a fight or 2, or 3 or 4 or more because we are
…” Xaviar and Righteous joined in
. “B.C. Born Criminals ROX we won’t STOP--till’ the last shell POP and the last nigga DROP! There’s a criminal being born everyday so---that’s why we say!”
The whole lounge joined in.
“FUCK IT! WE WAS BORN THIS WAAY!”

Woww! I thought as everyone cheered and was having a good time as we all drank, and I was feeling a little drunk off the Cristal, up in this V.I.P. lounge, with mad rap celebs ‘n shit. Chillin. Damn! This is the mafuckin high life ain’t it? I could get used to this shit real real fast. These Born Criminal mafuckas are cool peoples, so I’ma kick back and peep this shit out and learn me some shit tonight. Whoa, am I drunk? I thought as I listened on. “Yo we was just talking about yo ass tha other day right Ciph?” Xaviar added. “Yeah X was sayin’, I wonder what ever happened to that nigga Jay Swift. Now that nigga know how to crash a party fo’real. We just knew we was gonna see yo ass somewhere when we was on tour. I ‘m surprised you didn’t stowaway somewhere on our plane overseas.” Cipher joked.

“Shit I wish I could move around like that. Y’all know I’m down with y’all 100%, but yo my cousin Mann right here, he got mad skills too Cyph, he writes his own shit too y’all.” Jay continued. Oh shit! No Jay not telling them about me. I thought, but yes he was. I mean these mafuckas are major platinum status cats, MTV, BET, worldwide & universally renowned, and Jay is over here telling these guys about Me? I was getting nervous so I kicked Jay in his leg so he would shut up. “Ouch!” Jay yelled. “Born Criminals up in two minutes!” yelled one of the stage crew members. “Okay we up in two y’all!” A guy yelled as he walked up to the table. “Oh yeah Jay, this is our manager Kenny Artwell.” Xaviar said. “Yo Kenny, this is my man Jay and his cousin Mann.” “DA Mann, is his name.” Jay interrupted. “Nice meeting you guys but we gotta go B.C.” Kenny added. Cipher and Righteous gets up and leaves. “Yo Jay, y’all niggas be good!” yelled one of them as they exited. Xaviar slid out of the lounge chair booth.

“Yo Jay, I’ma give you my number again so call me, but if you don’t reach me, leave a message on my voicemail. We’re headin’ out to Chicago to start our U.S. tour tonight. We should be back this way in about 12 weeks. We leavin after this show, so leave your number and I’ll call you back. We can hook up and chill when we get back in town. We shouted you out on the next album too, I’ma send you a copy. Make sure you call me.” Xaviar said quickly as he wrote down his information and gave it to Jay. They hugged quickly and he stuck his hand out to me. “Nice meetin you Mann.” He said. I reached out and shook his hand then he left the VIP area along with the rest of their entourage towards the stage. “It’s Showtime!” I heard a few guys yell as Jay and I headed towards the stage to see the Born Criminals’ show.

13                                                      
IT’S SHOWTIME!                                                                      
(Korey)

I grabbed my bottle of champagne and headed towards the stage behind Jay and the rest of the crowd. We managed to find a good spot where we could see the Born Criminals perform as they made their way to the stage. By now I was well past tipsy. I looked over at the crowd and saw how anticipated they were. So was I as I posted up along side of the group. I couldn’t believe that I was actually on stage with a famous rap group. The Born Criminals slowly walked up to the microphones.

“Yo yo, that’s right we back! And we about to let y’all know why we are, who the fuck we say we are!”
Xaviar screamed.
“Yo c’mon now Mr. D.J. crunk that matherfuckin’ shit up!”
Cipher yelled. Suddenly the music crashed through the speakers so loud that the whole club seemed to jump off of the floor. Everybody went bananas as the The Born Criminals began their performance.
(Cipher)
                                                                 
“Yo yo, yo these streets ain’t safe no more not like b4            It’s real dangerous out there ya betta lock ya doors                    ---and keep them windows guarded up                                        ---make sure them shit’s barred up                                               ---b4 you get scarred up---4 actin hard up                                   ---cause I’ma part of--a new age crime wave                                 ---I can name more than 99 ways--crime pays                      I’ma Criminal--so I react to crime--like a chemical                   U can keep that peace and love shit---to a minimal                               I’m that “O” from the R.O.X. but u can call me Cipher---bcause I got da eyes and I strike like a tiger                             what goes around comes around--                                            what goes up must come down--                                               I’m heaven sent--but u can say now-- I’m hellbound                    I mix da good with the bad turn the livin’ to da dead               turn white clothes to red---with two to da head                                 I’ma B.C., so fuck it I was Born this way                             smokin blunts drinkin liquor I get on this way cause we be da

Born Criminals ROX nonstop till that last shell pop                  and that last nigga drop--                                                                      there’s a criminal being born everyday so                                    dats why we say fuck it, we was born this waay!

(Xaviar)

there’s a criminal being born right now while I’m speakin--    I be dat B&E repeated offender---still creepin

up in ya crib when u went away fo’ da weekend                      my bad, I ain’t know u was still in ya bed sleepin                       ---I took ya life at one fifty one, a.m.,                                              ---but at one fifty a.m.--you was on ya knees prayin                and at one fifty and fifteen seconds--I started sprayin               and by 2 a.m., that’s when ya body start decayin                      Who’s next!? Fuckin with “X” I snap necks                                I drink 1-5-1 Proof Bacardi with Becks                               brews imported--U big Willie niggas—extorted         kidnapped and videotapes---yea---recorded                           now u robbed up--gagged up—hostage—ransom                while im dancin wit da devil like Charlie Manson                  I’m a Criminal--so fuck it---I was born this way             Xaviar--ROX nigga--that’s all I gotta say---B.C.!

This performance is off the chain! I thought as the crowd sang along with the chorus. I felt the energy of the crowd so much, that I instantly imagined that I was performing up here with the Born Criminals, and that the crowd was really cheering for me, just like in my dreams. “I‘m fuckin’ lovin this shit right here and now!” I thought as I continued to rap along with the group.
(Righteous)
seasons changing---everything’s gettin strange                        got you in my range---about to bring da pain                          Righteous da name--I represent da ROX for a reason                 and I’ma be a B.C.---till the day I stop breathin                            cause I rob da rich an give 2 da poor--dats ME                         then we rob the poor so we can get rich--dats WE                     
(Who are we?)
                                                                                   B.C. we been around waaay B.efo’ C.hrist                                     mafuckas had cold hearts waaay befo’ ICE                            everytime we come off--dat makes us way mo’ NICE tricknowledge criminology waaay befo’ WHITES                         damn right we been gamblin waaay befo’ DICE                               while U stuck n dat dike---I can see wit no LIGHT                           and I know a lotta Criminals Born befo’ me                      robbin for da wrong reasons befo’ dey saw me                          Righteous dat’s what dey call me---but I’m a sinister                   cause nowadays to get by it’s like u gotta be a-----------------Born Criminal, B.C.!