Hey, what’s goin’ on? Everyone calls me Dope. I been playin’ ball since I was, like, 2. While ppl like you were learning how to ride bikes, I was workin’ on my handle. Moms made me play at the community centre. She sed I was breakin’ all her CDs and all that. Ooo yea, I grew up in the ‘hood. That’s the spot man. Back to ball tho, I coulda been in a big university in the States rite now. Back in high school I was the man out in these ends. I had hunnies skippin’ class just to chill wit me. All these big time coaches were tellin’ me this and that. At 6’2 in grade 11, I knew I was gonna leave the ‘hood. Before I get to that, Imma let you in on a secret.
Ma was always struggling with them bills, man. She told me to get a job, but I wasn’t feelin’ that. For real tho, that shit is whack anyways. Around these times the squad let me in on the green business. I told moms I was workin’ at a plaza by Tretheway. The money was aight, but the weed was even better. The only thing I maybe regret is how that shit messed my game up man. I just wasn’t as hungry as I used to be. Things just weren’t the same man. In grade 12 my coach dissed me. I stopped hitting shots. My numbers dropped. That’s when the snakes came out of they hidin’ places, y’know? So I was like forget school, man, cuz yo books aren’t for me. Ball is life. So then, all I had were my boys and my green. When the cops came, my boys didn’t have me then. Real talk, everyone’s a snake still. Flippin’ cops even took my weed. Now I’m in this cell shooting this crumpled paper into the trash, but even that shot went in and out. That’s how it is for me with this system now. Imma make it tho, you feel me?