my BMF connection?

So, years ago, I had a neighbor named Jabari. Really cool dude, him and a guy named Tracy. Two cool cats, both struggling to start businesses of their own. I was on the road with India heavy, but I had yet to record an album yet, so we all had similiar dreams of making bigger things happen for ourselves. Jabari's deal was a valet service, and private transportation. He had his own town car and everything. I noticed that he knew A LOT about cars, which I really don't, but he had an infectious passion for them, so I would ask him about them a lot. Unfortunately, the two of them ended up having to bounce, and Jabari lived further out, so we kinda lost touch. I kept abreast of his whereabouts through Tracy, and our other neighbor, a girl named Sha Sha, who's one of the most awesome people ever- miss you Sha.

Anyway, I did noticed that when I DID see Jabari from time to time, that his dreams of owning fly rides had come to life. He would come by in really expensive shit, and it was pretty obvious that he had struck it rich somehow. We all know where fast money comes from around these parts, so my only advice to him one day was, "uummmmm, try to be a little less obvious homey." I didn't ask, he didn't tell, but we both knew.

One day I had heard, Jabari got caught. caught big time.


I've never had much dealings with the drug dealing world, never had to do it, never was an option. I didn't even realize that some folks get caught up in it so early, and as children, get consumed into the lifestyle so early that it seems normal to them. I have grown to know that that can be the case- not necessarily an excuse, just something that I eventually realized exists for some. For many others, it's just some glamorous shit to do,a way to live out rap lyrics, and who knows really just which case any one person is. For me, it's just that I didn't know that it was like that for anyone, thanks to my parents, I was sheltered from that. As crazy as the 80's were, I had NO clue how deep it was til later.

I don't know Jabari well enough to know which one he is, but I found out months later that he was in Waaay bigger than I thought. Creative loafing did a piece on BMF- the Black Mafia Family, which is a group of dudes, who had a ridiculously large operation that ran country wide. I don't know much about them, except what I hear, and it amounts to them being some badasses. They even used to have a billboard off the highway coming from the airport. What drug dealers do that? Oh yeah, they also had a "label", so I guess that was promo. I'll say as lit



SO, I'm reading the story on their rise and fall, and what part of the story talks about this one character named Jabari who was arrested with goo gobs of either drugs or money, I forget which. I chuckled to myself and said, "I know a guy named Jabari, but the Jabari I knew couldn't be this one". Turns out it was. I'll be damned, I actually knew a big timer in the flesh- whodathunkit?

Or maybe he wasn't? fast forward to a couple of days ago, as I'm thumbing through mail
..A letter from who? How the hell? Jabari?! He let me know that someone who actually sang backup for me was in there with him (Dayum!), and let him know where I was. The letter was mostly just a quick inquiry to see if I knew where Sha Sha was these days, but at the end there was a link to a website:

www.forlifepublishing.com

Of course I went STRAIGHT to my computer to check the link, and maybe you should too. Turns out, he wrote a book telling his side, and I'll be honest- I haven't read it yet, but the summary sounds interesting, given the effect these cats have had, and the unique perspective he may have. I can say that I've always thought of Jabari as a pretty good dude, aside from all that other stuff, but we weren't around each other during that episode, so it's hard to say that I even know that side of him. Honestly, from what I knew, I would not have believed it, aside from the fact that you just never really know anybody, do you?

I'm interested to find out that part, and maybe you will be. Hold your head Jab. Maybe there's redemption for you somewhere.