Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1) (19 page)

It was like I was part of the movie. Scarface gave me a brief case full of money and left me in charge of his business while he handled business elsewhere, but I was awaken by the television’s static channel after Sinnamin came home and turned off the movie just before the shit started getting thick in my dream. That dream was what inspired me to write that song that I called ‘Addicted to the Dividends.’ So after Jay told me that dude had kicked that song on a mixed tape I searched my place and my notes for it but I never found it. I’m thinkin maybe I dropped it somewhere. I can’t remember where I had it last, but I made sure I memorized it, it went like this:

“Hey yo my man clockin’ kilos on the dirty down low,                                                            the cash flow goes everywhere he goes,                                      all across the country, state to state,                                       ridin’ in a stretch limo like diplomat livin great,                      he kept his cash clean like a laundromat,                           always handle business first, and that’s that(’s)                  what he told me, about the drug game he showed me,             he had to hold me, mold me, sometimes scold me,                                       listen closely, everything else is secondary                                  or you’ll wind up locked up or in the obituary----column,               that nigga startin petty shit don’t follow ‘em,                                                            let that nigga do his own thing don’t bother ‘em                                 think quick, talk slick, and that’ll keep ya pockets thick,                                                                            you’ll have it maaade in the shaaade all daaaay                     millions to swim in, excessive spendin                                              bank accounts in Switzerland never endin

Cause I’m Addicted 2 da Dividends--                                               u gotta be in it 2 win it-                                                                                  if u get the chance betta get up in it--                                            ‘Cause the skyyy’s the limit--                                                                 so make that take that--                                                                          or else, u won’t ever get it back!

Cause I done seen all da bullshit, how niggas pull shit,                     and make them other niggas give up they goods quick,                   if ur dollars make good sense(cents) kid, u betta use it,                  now love it or lose it now here goes the rules kid,                                   {1} play the game never let the game play you,                         {2}change ur name ur real name u should never use,                                                                                    {3}never stay da same watch what u say an what u do,                                                      {4}and maintain all dem nigs runnin’ with cha crew,                                                       {5}remembr this snitches stick 2getha betta watch em,                                                      {6}dem fuckn’ cops always change shifs betta clok em                                                         {7}dem other niggas tryin’ get da block-betta stop em,                     dem old school cats, don’t sweat that, ayo I got em,                                                              {8)& never under any circumstance do you break,                                                                 {9)& always double count da dividends that u make,                                                                 {10}& keep a cool head, all da time, on da right track,                                                                       or else, you won’t ever get it back!”

Cause I’m Addicted 2 da Dividends--                                                 u gotta be in it to win it--                                                                              if you get the chance betta get up in it--                                                Cause the skyyy’s the limit--                                                                       so make that take that--                                                                                   or else, you won’t ever get it back!

So it’s on now we got the whole block locked down,                                                                   and five-o, we got them niggas tic tocked now,                                    niggz strapped with the heat up on the roof top now,                                                                   I’ma new jack like Nino Brown, I got the crown,                                                                  top notch shorties in the crib, assed out,                                           the finest wines smokin’ blunts till we pass out,                                     step outta line nigga u gone get mashed out,                                      cause I gotta get mine, although I’m on the wrong route,                                                                                 remember when I used 2 have nothin now I’m holdin,                                                              down the fort mad cash in my pocket folded,                                               & Mr. Bigg I know he’s somewhere out there chillin,                                                                and when I see em hit him with about half a milln,                                                                 just tryna make a killin feel I gotta give em sumthin,                                                              if not for Mr.Bigg hey yo I wouldn’t have nothin,                                                                Now I’m in it 2 win it cause I’m Addicted 2 da Dividends,                                                            (now)My Organization---Yeah it Never Ends!

Cause I’m Addicted to the Dividends--                                                          u gotta be in it to win it--                                                                             if you get the chance u betta get up in it--                                               Cause the sky’s the limit--                                                                           so make that take that--                                                                                    or else, you won’t ever get it back!”

I memorized the fuck out of that shit too, and now some
other
nigga tryna get the recognition off of the shit I wrote? That corny ass hell! He ain’t even ask me can he get that or nothin’. Shiiit, not if I can help it. Hmmm, as a matter a fact, im put down a better one! Yeah that’s what I’m gonna do. I’ma let mafuckas know that that nigga Gameface stole my shit! Win lose or draw is the way I’m feeling right now. By the time I’m finished with that nigga he gonna know who Da Mann is! I thought as I sat at my kitchen table writing a new Addicted to the Dividends, and when I’m finished with this shit, I’ma put a little something together to get at that nigga and anybody else that try to fuck with me. Win lose or draw, I’ma get at ‘em all. I just wish I knew more about him. My thoughts were interrupted by the telephone’s ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey baby, what you doin’?” It was Sinnimin. “Gettin ready for kombat, what’s up with you, how’s the baby shower?” I whispered. “It’s all right Tiara got some nice gifts too.” She said. I could hear a lot of commotion in the background. “When we start makin’ some more money and get a nice house ‘n stuff , you know I want me a baby too right?” She added.

“What do you mean when we get more money? Sinna we ain’t gotta be rich to have a baby.” I said. “I know, I just don’t wanna be struggling and trying to raise a baby like my mama had to do with me.” She replied. “I can understand that, but if we have a baby, hold up, we already talked about this before. Oh, I see what’s happening now. You at that baby shower with all ya girlfriends, and you see your peoples all pregnant, now you thinkin’ about havin a baby now huh?” I said.

“Yeeah, Tiara looks so happy Korey and now she about to have a little baby. I hope it’s a girl too.” She said excitedly. “Come on Sinnimin!” I overheard some of the women calling for her in the background. “Okay yall, I’m coming! I’ll see you later when you get home alright?” She asked. “Alright.” I replied. “And you better win that battle tonight too, bye.” She said quickly and hung up. “Damn, my girl sure knows how take a nigga out of sync with all that baby talk shit. She knows I love the hell out of her and I couldn’t even think of having a baby with nobody else... but back to the nature at hand. I got a battle tonight and I’m tryin’ to win. So I’m about to black out for a few hours and finish what
that
nigga started.” I thought as I started writing.

Later that evening                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

It was almost midnight when I hooked up with Jay, Raheem and Ivan. Jay picked me up in a black Ford Expedition. Damn I wished I worked at a used car dealership like my cousin, he gets to drive all kinda cars and trucks anytime he wants to.

He said his boss let him hold this SUV for the night but he had to have it back by 9 a.m. tomorrow. I thought as I kept reciting the rhymes that I wrote over and over in my head so I could memorize them. Jay said he told everybody about the battle tonight, and knowing him I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole city showed up tonight to check it out. I thought as I tried to stay focused on my rhymes.

“You betta bust that nigga ass too Kore!” Raheem yelled from the backseat as the music played. Ivan slipped his arm between my front seat and my window and handed me a bottle of beer. We listened to the song that Gameface bit off of me as we headed towards the club and when we finally pulled up we could see that there was a long line that stretched around the corner of the nightclub Foxes.

“Yo, I spoke to my man that be doin’ security here, he gonna let us in through the back door.” Jay said as he picked up his cell phone and began dialing. “Why we gotta go through the back? I wanna see some of them bitches on that line.” Ivan said. “Nigga picture me waitin’ on some line. I’ma V.I.P. all day everyday.” Jay bragged as he held his cell phone to his ear. “Hello... Yeah son we out back now... Iight.” He said and hung up his phone. “Come on yall, my man gonna meet us by that door right there.” Jay added as he parked and then turned the truck’s engine off. We all got out of the truck, walked up to the door and waited. About a minute later the door opened and one of the security guards let us in. “What up Jay?” He asked as he gave Jay a brief hug. “What’s up Big Animal?” Jay replied as we walked past him and into the club.

“Now that’s what I’m talkin about son! V.I.P. like a mafucka!” Ivan yelled. “They gettin’ ready to start the open mic session. You can let your man go on whenever you want him to.” Big Animal stated. “Iight, that’s good money, where the D.J. at?” Jay asked. “Oh, he musta went to the bathroom or something. He was just in the booth a minute ago.” Big Animal said.

“Iight, tell him I need to holla at him.” Jay said. “I got you.” Big Animal replied and walked away. We hung out in the back of the club while Jay went to talk to the D.J. The only thing that was on my mind was gettin’ my hands on that microphone and letting loose these rhymes that I was swelling up in my head. I thought as I stayed in my zone. Jay came back with a few bottles of champagne. “Compliments of Foxes’ y’all, and we ain’t drinkin’ from no fuckin’ champagne glasses either! Yo it’s mad packed out there right?!” He asked. Jay gave us all a funny lookin’ ass wink and then nodded his head. “Word, word Iight that’s what I’m talkin bout!” Ivan and Raheem responded excitedly. Jay handed Raheem one of the bottles then gave them both a plastic pass. “Here yall go now go ‘head out there and get our team amped up. They about to start the open mic sessions.” Jay ordered.

“Yeah iight, we gonna close this fuckin open mic session the fuck down riiight ha ha haaa!” Raheem joked and he and Ivan left and went into the club’s main area. “Yo Mann, I talked to the D.J. and told him what happened. Now we gonna wait ‘til all the rest of these niggas finish they shit. That nigga Gameface gonna go on last, so he thinks. Now look, you know I ain’t no rapper, but I’ma set it off. The D.J. gonna give me one of them mics and I’ma say a lil’ somethin’ and then give you the mic and you can take it from there Iight?” Jay said then took a swig of the champagne.

“It’s showtime right, aint that what you said?” I asked while I nodded my head to the music that was playing. “That’s riiight, It’s showtiiiiime.” and I meant that to the kore as I kept reciting my rhymes in my head. It’s been a while since I kicked any rhymes, and I know lot of these nigga in here heard me rhyme before, but this is like one of my biggest battles that I’ve ever had so far. I don’t know why that nigga stole my shit, ‘cause now I gotta address him. Win lose or draw. I thought as the open mic competition started.

I closed my eyes as some of the rappers kicked their rhymes, I rapped over them in my head as they rhymed. I had to get a feel for the tempo, now I’m almost in my zone...and now…i’m gone. I must’ve blacked out for a while, because I swear it felt like Jay called me as soon as I hit my zone. I didn’t even realize that so much time had passed. “Yo Mann, that nigga Gameface about to go on, come on!” Suddenly I felt an adrenaline rush like I’ve never felt before. I don’t know if I’m nervous, overanxious or what.

“Just get me that mic.” I whispered as I made my way towards the stage. Whoa! It was packed as hell and I finally got to see who that nigga Gameface was. I thought as I stepped around the side of the stage. Oh Shit! It’s that same nigga that I…Oh Shit! That’s The Jakal! That’s the same nigga I beat in the mall a few years back! I thought to myself as soon as I saw him. “Yo Jay, you know who that is right?” I asked. “Nah, who?” He responded. “That’s that nigga The Jakal, remember? I busted his ass in the mall that day, remember?” I reminded him.