From Streets to Soundtracks

I was valedictorian material until the Crips rolled up to my school and everything changed.

Straight A student, honor roll every semester, teachers loved me. Then these older

guys started showing me respect I never got at home, giving me money my single mom couldn't

provide, making me feel like I belonged somewhere. Within six months I went from debate

team captain to carrying a piece in my backpack. My grades tanked, I started selling

at school, got suspended twice for fighting. The final straw was when my mom

found a brick of product under my bed. She didn't even yell,

just looked at me with these broken eyes and said get out. I thought the streets