Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1)

by Mike Middleton

  Murder in the first degree! Mo murder mo murder comes first to me I gotta have it everyday it’s like a curse to me! and when I do it, a John Doe is who I have to be! cause they after me!”

  So after I finished takin’ out The Jackal with that shit, he did admit defeat, but swore that he’d return for another rematch. His own crew even had to admit that “Da Mann” was the better man that day. Now I wasn’t much of a freestyler, but when the words come to me and my flow starts flowin’. Watch out! Some people say that I have what it takes to be a rap star, but I don’t know. Sometimes it seems like the music business is mad shady. And like them Born Criminals cats say: There’s a criminal being born everyday so, and I know there’s a few waiting in the midst for me. Waitin’ for a nigga like me to slip up so they can get the upper hand on a nigga. Nah, I ain’t tryin’ to let some shit like that happen to me, now this nigga Gameface? If what Jay was telling me is true, then that nigga crossed the line for real. Whoever the fuck he is I just hope for his sake that it’s not true and all this shit is a big misunderstanding, but we’ll see tonight, fo’ sho’ we gonna see. My cell phone rang. I checked my phone’s screen which read UNKNOWN ID. “Hello?”

  “Yo Mr. Korey Jackson, what’s up?”

  “Who is this?” I asked. “Ha haa, you don’t know me but I sho know yo punkass.” They said. “Fuck outta here.” I hung up the phone and walked into the bathroom where Sinnimin was taking a shower. “You know that’s fucked up, you gonna get me all hot and bothered and then just step the fuck off like that there.” I joked. “You just betta win tonight,” She chuckled. “So, are you sayin that if I don’t win I can’t get none?” I asked as I examined myself in the mirror. “I don’t know I’ll have to think about it.” She teased. “Aww you cold Sinn, you have to think about it huh? Oh don’t get it fucked up I’ma win.” I protested. My cell phone rang again. It was another UNKNOWN ID. “Hello?”

  “What’s up Da Mann?” They said. “Who is this, Jay? Stop playin’ on my phone Jay!” “This ain’t Jay nigga! And you ain’t Da fuckin Mann either! Yousa sucker ass nigga!” The man’s voice said harshly. Ha haa, you don’t even sound like Da Mann, and I’m bettin’ yousa bitch nigga too! My mic skills is bonafide son and I’ma see about you for real, so you betta be ready!” He screamed at me through the phone. “Yo my nigga, see me when I got that mic in my hand dog and fuck you very much hatin ass nigga!” I shot back then hung up the phone. “Who was that?” Sinnimin asked. Gameface? I bet that was him. I thought. “Oh, some ol crazy ass phone hacker musta hacked my phone.” I answered.

  Now im wondering how that nigga got my number, I ain’t gonna sweat it tho‘cause only bitch niggas be the ones callin’ the next nigga phone. I thought then my mind shifted on how dude mighta got his hands on my music. Did I drop it somewhere? I don’t remember bringing my notes anywhere. What’s bothering me is how could a mafucka kick somebody else’s rhymes like he wrote it if he didn’t even write it? Now that’s whack. Oh well, time to get ready for battle. I thought as I walked into the bedroom. After Sinnimin finished taking her shower I jumped in after her as she got ready for the baby shower that she was going to. I scrubbed myself quickly and vigorously as the lukewarm water splashed over me. After I rinsed off I got out of the shower and looked at myself in the mirror.

  My cornrolls were looking a little shabby. “Sinni!” I yelled. “What!” She answered from the bedroom. “You think you got enough time to braid my hair!?” I asked. “No babe, I’m getting ready to leave in a little while!” She wined. “Iight!” I replied as I inspected my braids in the mirror. Damn, I don’t feel like takin these braids out. I thought to myself as I reached for the comb. I was combing out my cornrolls when she came into the bathroom, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and left. The thought of battling tonight lingered in the back of my mind as I loosened my braids one by one. I got niggas stealin my rhymes ‘n shit. I got mafuckas callin my phone, poppin’ all kinds of bullshit at me. Psssss, mafuckers tryin’ to make life hard for a brother and what not, but I’ma show all of them what the fuck I got. I thought.

  And that nigga GAAAMEFACE... I’ma bust dat mafucka in da DAMMMN FACE. Bitch nigga betta gimme my DAMMMN SPACE. Bring dat heat cook dat nigga like a PANNNCAKE. I rapped to myself as I stared in the mirror while loosening my cornrolls. It’s always good to get a freestyle session in. Keeps the brain crispy with the word play. To possess the power to pull words out of your mind and make them rhyme ‘n sync with the music that gets a reaction from a crowd of people. That’s the best feeling ever for real. That’s a challenging, almost scary feeling when all eyes and ears are on you and you gotta say somethin’ hot or hard enough to spark a crowd.

  In a battle, tou gotta say something so bad or so ill about an opponent to hurt their feelings so badly to make them bow out. No holds barred, and the more personal the better. Shit I done seen niggas win battles with a few lines, sometimes with just a one liner and, oh snap! I suddenly felt an idea come to mind, somethin’ that could help me in this battle tonight. I began to chuckle aloud as I lay on my bed conjuring up my battle plan. I’m tryina win this shit for real, and with a bang that’ll be remembered forever, because tonight at Foxes, it’s gonna be. Da Mann vs. Gameface!

  17 TIME TO DO THE DOO (Korey)

  After I finished taking out my braids, I called my mom to see if she would braid my hair for me. She agreed, so I got dressed as quickly and headed out the door with my hair in a big fro. As I walked towards my mom’s crib, I stopped to fool around with some of the neighborhood kids that were playing basketball in the courtyard nearby. I shot a few hoops then walked away while they continued playing their game. When I turned the corner of the block where my moms lived I saw Ol’ Man pushing a shopping cart filled with empty cans. Ol’ Man was a homeless man who roamed through the hood, or any other place he could find to lay his head.

  He’d been homeless as long as I can remember. I used to wonder why he wouldn’t get a job or somethin’, maybe then he could find a decent place to live. When I was younger we all used to make jokes and throw rocks at him. He’d just keep walking as if nothing was happening. I crossed the street and met up with him as he was digging in the garbage collecting some cans. “Sup Ol’ Man?”

  “Hey Korey?” He responded as he dropped a few of the cans on the ground and smashed them with the heel of his worn out boot. “Working hard huh? Aint you out kinda’ late to be collectin’ cans Ol’ Man. You supposed to get ‘em before the garbage man come and get ‘em.” I said. “They already came on dis block the other day and they don’t work on Sunday’s. That’s the Lord’s day son.” He said as he picked up the smashed cans and threw them into his shopping cart. “So why you working today then if this supposed to be your day off, shouldn’t you be in church or something?” I asked. “Boyh these streets is my church, and I pray all the time. Shoot, I’m praying right now.” He said as I walked with him. He stopped to pick up a few more cans. “Oh, so you in church right now huh?” I asked. “Yep, and you is too.” He replied.

  “Word, but I don’t see no pastor, or no choir, and I don’t see no Bible in your hand. So how you in church Ol’ Man?” Ha ha ha haaa, I don’t need all that stuff Korey. God is in me, and in you too.” He said as he began to smash some more cans with his boot. “Ahh. So you God now too Ol’ Man? You betta stop drinking that cheap ass Night Train, cause that shit got you flying high like God himself” I joked. “Boyh, I’m your age times three, so whatever you might know, or think you might gonna know, or think you can or will ever know. Times that by three then come see me, ha ha haa.” He bragged.

  “Ooh so you a rapper now too Ol’ man, you tryin’ to kick some rhymes at me?” I joked. “Boyh go’ head and get on up outta here, you ask more questions than a detective, am I under arrest or somethin’? Hey listen, grab those two over there for me?” He asked. “Ol’ Man, I’m not pickin’ up no dirty ass cans man. I don’t know who mouth been on those.” “Boyh you goin’ right over to your ma ma’s house, you ca
n wash off your hands there.” He said as he pointed towards the cans that were on the ground.

  I walked over to the cans, picked them up and brought them over to Ol’ Man. “Don’t give them to me, drop ‘em on the floor and smash ‘em. Don’t you pay attention? You just seen me smash ‘em before I put ‘em in my cart. “Stop playin’ Ol’ Man, now if I do that then I’ll be doin’ your job, I’ll be working for you then, and I ain’t doin’ that Ol’ man!” I said as I threw the cans into the cart and began walking away. “Boyh you mess be doin’ this here same thing I’m doin one day ha ha ha haaa!”

  “Yo Ol’ Man I’m holla back!” I yelled as I hurried down the block and into my mom’s building. My moms buzzed me in after I pushed her bell. I stepped in the elevator and rode up to her floor. My mom already had the door cracked open a little bit. "Hey ma!" I said when she let me in. "Hey Korey?" She asked as she grabbed my head and inspected it. “When was the last time you washed your hair? You got a lot of dandruff down in there I see.” She said. “Ow Ma, I don’t know maybe two or three weeks ago.” I answered. “Hmm, look more like two or three months ago.” She replied. “Go get the shampoo and a towel from the bathroom and make sure you take off your shirt.” I just walked in the house and already my mother was givin me orders. “Sinnimin got you walking around here looking like one of those Samoan wrestlers, come on and bring that big head of hair over here.” She commanded as she rolled up her sleeves while looking at me. “Why are you looking at me like that ma?” I asked.

  “Cause you look kinda cute with you hair all over your head like that, it reminds me of when you were a tiny little thing and I used to wash your little behind up in this sink. “Aww dang cut it out ma. What’s up with Kev?” I asked concernedly. “He hasn’t been saying too much of anything lately. He’s outside most of the time. I think he goes over to one of his friend’s houses. Tyrone mighta talked some sense into him. I hope so because it’s bad out there.” She said as she walked out of the bathroom and back into the kitchen where I was. “Come on take your shirt off.” She ordered as she turned on the water.” I paused. “Dag ma, why you say it like that?”

  “Boy if don’t take that shirt off, don’t nobody wanna see your little no muscle havin’ chest.” She joked. “Aww you cold Ma.” I said as I took off my shirt and put my head under the running faucet. The water was lukewarm, just how I like it. I thought as my mom began to shampoo my hair. “Korey I don’t know why you and…that didn’t make no sense, all I asked you...talk to... want y’all to... I could only hear bit and pieces of what my moms was sayin so I had to cut her off.

  “Hey ma! Ma!” I screamed from beneath the running water. “What happened, you got soap in your eyes?” She asked as she pulled my head up slowly. “No, I can’t hear what you’re sayin because my head is under the water and I got water in my ears.” I confessed. “Oh, I’m sorry baby ha haa.” She giggled. “Let me finish your hair.” She added as she continued to wash my hair and by the time she finished washing and braiding my hair it was about 4 o’clock.

  My mom is too cool. She got that cool, hip, church woman thing goin’ on, and despite having to raise me, my brothers and my sister, my mom still managed to make it to church on some Sundays. I know it was rough for her, but she rarely showed it. Sometimes I’d catch her in one of her deep thoughts. Sometimes right here in the kitchen, or in her bedroom. I even caught her crying a few times, but when I’d ask what’s wrong? She’d seem a little startled, and would wipe her face, smile and say that there wasn’t anything wrong, or she’d go ahead and play somewhere. That’s when I knew that something was wrong.

  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 t
hat 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.