Outgrown

One of my favorite shows in the past few years has been Power, created by Curtis 50 Cent Jackson and writer Courtney Kemp. The show's theme from my perspective has been centered around a NY drug dealer trying desperately to get out of the business of selling drugs to become legitimate. I may be over simplifying it, but that was the message that I always got. From day one I appreciated what the character Ghost was trying to accomplish, which made him my favorite character out of everyone on the show. I've never lived the lifestyle that Ghost lived, legally or illegally, but I've had friends that had very similar lives, and in a few cases they pursued the same goal of being free.

I understood those situations so well that I wrote a song on my album The Audacity of Hip Hop titled "Still," in which I described how someone I knew had struggled to get away from his position in the street. He dealt with some of the same issues that Ghost had, most of them actually, but me being something of a younger brother I was only allowed to know so much. I learned early that a little ignorance can be a good thing. The complexity of Power, and Ghost's struggle to clean his act mainly came from the people closest to him, his wife and his best friend. They had taken the ride with him to become a successful drug dealer and both were happy with the status quo.

When Ghost played by (Omari Hardwick) talked to his wife Tasha, played by (Naturi Naughton) about getting of the drug business she talked against it. When he asked what she thought he'd be growing up, she replied the biggest drug dealer in New York!

I've come to understand and even appreciate that everyone you start out with, won't be the same ones that you finish with. Although sometimes it's difficult to separate, and you may feel guilty about making the decision, it's usually the right one for you. When people have tunnel vision, and see you only one way, it's ridiculous to try to change their perception. It's better to use your energy making yourself better than trying to convince a made up mind.

"I wasn't feeling you putting me in tight jeans and small shirts"

JuscallmeDon, "Back Home" The Audacity of Hip Hop

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