Too many to name actually, humble brag but I feel blessed to have grown up where I did because I was surrounded by Black excellence. shyt was all around me. Like I knew from early on there was no alternative other than grinding and shining.
Jamal Lewis used to train round by my Moms crib, would see him running on the Speedsac in the park before school. Later on after he got in that trouble, the dude he snitched on was one of my patnas older brothers. Then when breh got out Jamal gave him a nice piece of change and he opened up a gym. They both was looking funny in the light after that one.
Dwight Howard grew up on my boys street, used to see him at his house hooping or sometimes at the Y. He was a lame then and he’s a lame now.
Would see Javaris Crittenton at that same Y too. He was one of them kids whose mom would drop him off at the gym every day. nikka was like an employee. Str8 latch key status. Actually feel bad for what happened to him, he was blessed in sports but he didn’t stand a chance in other areas. Probably a direct result of how he was raised.
Played a pick up game at that same gym with Cecil Newton. While we was playing some skinny ass kid with a red Afro was in the bleachers talking shyt. That skinny kid was Cecil’s younger brother Cam. Saw him a few years later at a HS game and that same skinny kid had a rocket for an arm
Had classes with Instagram model Sincerly Ward at the first HS I went to. Don’t know her like that but when I see her around she hugs and speaks.
Bobby Valentino went to that same school too, at that time he was locally famous from that Mista shyt, dudes was jealous and always hated on him tho. Actually felt bad for him.
Had a summer school class with Ahmad Carroll
Used to get my haircut in the West End at Killer Mike’s sisters barber shop. He would be in there a lot dropping gems to us young brehs. He gave me some money to go cross the street and grab a plate from QTime for him a couple times.
Went to Atlanta Metro College with Slim, breh who wifed up Vivica Fox back in the day. We was actually cool back then, when he wife up Viv I wasn’t even shocked. Breh always was on some game forward shyt
Used to stay a block over from TI uncle, on the street TI claims he from. His uncle had some pull over there, never saw or heard of Tip being over there tho
Used to see Shawty Lo around everywhere as a git. Might see breh riding thru somewhere once a week. Lo always was in a new foreign, and back then brehs in the A wasn’t stunting like that, so he stuck out big time. Folks even made up a lie and said he had AIDS cuz he was fukking everybody baby mama. I saw dude pushing AMG in the 90s before anybody in the city even dreamed about rapping, can’t tell me he wasn’t really getting money.
Didn’t grow up with him but I had Andre 3000’s Social Studies book in 6th Grade. Went to the same middle school and first day of class when you writing your name on the front cover I look up 6-7 spots above mine and see Andre Lauren Benjamin. This was around the same time ATLiens had dropped, so Kast was the hottest thing in the city. nikkas tried to steal that book from me all year.
DC Young Fly and my gay homegirl grew up together, they thick as thieves. She might pull up and breh in the car like it’s nothing.
And there is actually more but I’m tired of writing. Lol. I’ll add later if I get a free minute.
