“We was wit them niggaz just before that shit happened!” Groovy recalled.

“Lucky y’all left when you did,” Slick said.

Rel shook his head. “Yo, that’s some wild shit, son. On the real, if we had been there it wouldn’t have gone down like that, word to mine. But see, that’s what happens when you wanna be the man,” Rel said, as if he was schooling Groovy. “I could tell them niggaz wasn’t built like that, it’s just sad they had to get their food ate to prove it.”

The blood of young black men had been spilled on the streets yet again, and Rel was talking out of his ass. Slick had finally had enough. “Yo, why don’t you shut the fuck up!” he barked. “All you ever do is talk about how you do, and how someone else is built. What the fuck are you built like?”

“Son, how you gonna get mad at me for telling my truth?” Rel defended. “Niggaz know who I be and what I represent, so my hood stripes could never be in question, you underdig me? I ain’t trying to shit on they character, they went out like straight Gs. That’s how I wanna go out, kid, word up.”

“Rel, you can’t be that fucked up.” Slick gave an insane chuckle. “Those three cats was about to make it up outta this shit.” He motioned at the projects around them. “And now they asses is stretched out. What the fuck is so glorious about dying in the gutter?”

“On some real shit, son, you need to fall back with all that Pastor Mase shit you’re talking. Them niggaz knew what it was when they hit the block, fam,” Rel said seriously. “Slick, I love you like my fam, but you ain’t got no understanding of this here.”

Slick gave him a puzzled look. “How the fuck you figure? Ain’t I out here holding it down right along side you? When your gun go off, do mine ever stay quiet?” Slick asked seriously. “Don’t try to downplay my street credibility, son.”

“See, that’s just what I’m talking about. I would never question your G, but your schooling was different,” Rel pointed out. “You’ve always had your uncles, so you were able to learn the game under some true soldiers, but you didn’t really have to put in no work. You think on shit too much, instead of acting on animal instincts. Me and Groovy,” he pointed at his partner, “we ain’t never had shit. We come from straight fucking trash, and that’s why we think like goons. Everything we know about the game came from hands-on education. Niggaz know Rel is a solider, ’cause I was a beast in my day.”