“Yo, it’s mad bitches out here, kid,” Rel said, coming around the truck to stand next to Slick. Rel was a nigga who was getting money back in the days, but habitually going in and out of the prison system. His inability to get a handle on his drinking and drugging, thwarted every attempt he made to get back on his feet. Common sense dictated that if you kept fucking up at something, then maybe it wasn’t for you, but Rel wasn’t known for his common sense. He was hell-bent on getting it by any means necessary and this is why Slick kept him around.

“You know Don B. and them niggaz attract the pigeons,” Groovy said, joining the two men. Groovy was Slick’s gunslinger. He was about nineteen years old and dying to make a name for himself in the game. His father was a spineless coward who served as an errand and whipping boy for Slick’s uncles. Groovy used his father as an example of how he wasn’t going to grow up, and went out of his way to insure he never wound up in that position. These two men were the core of Slick’s crew.

“You niggaz just maintain your cool when we get up in there. We’re on some VIP shit tonight, so let’s act like it.”

“You know I keep my cool at all times, Slick,” Rel said. “I was the coolest nigga on the block back in the days. I kept a bad bitch and a fresh knot every time you seen me. I been away for a minute, but the hood still recognize. I’m going in there on some mack don shit, baby. Any bitch I choose to lay this game on tonight should consider herself lucky.” He bust out into a snicker.

Slick laughed along with his friend and shook his head. Rel would go on like this all the time, reminiscing about his days on top. Slick never had the heart to tell him that the song was over, so he let him live in the moment.

“Yo, I got something on that kid who robbed Ralph’s punk ass,” Groovy remembered. Slick listened intently as he was given the rundown. “He calls himself Jah, at least that what Ralph knows him as. I asked around and his name is ringing off on some old Billy the Kid shit. He’s a young boy, but he’s carrying grown-man weight.”