The Team: For LJ

Earlier I said that Swim wasn't my oldest friend cuz I met him in the 4th grade. THIS is my oldest friend. LJ and I started off in kindergarten together in the same classroom. We stayed in the same classroom until we graduated elementary school. Then we went to the same middle school. After that, we went to the same high school until 10th grade, when we finally got separated for the first time. Not that we really got separated at first, cuz she stayed right around the corner from my grandma and grandpa, lol.

Speaking of grandma and grandpa, I think my whole family has met LJ at some point. To this day they still ask about her all the time. They talk about how beautiful she is. And yeah, LJ is bad, and very classy. LJ was the girl who, when we were playing kickball, would foot it clear out of the backyard no prollem. At the same time, LJ was never the girl who carried herself like a floosie. You had to respect LJ no matter what. Out of all the girls I've known in my life, she was definitely the realest; LJ is the survivor. From her earliest days, she'd put you in mind of the Maya Angelou's and Sista Souljas; nowadays some cats even call her Jill (Scott), for resemblence, but I'd say for the way she carries herself too.

While we're in the neighborhood, LJ was also the one who introduced me to rap. Matter of fact, my cousin Gator asked me about her the other day, because he was there the first time LJ and I got into a studio (it was his studio) and he was so impressed with her. Before LJ, I never imagined I'd be spitting, but she got into it and brought me along. Now it's a huge part of me. She's always been the most expressive of my friends; the poet of the crew if you will. And she's so pure wit it, which is kinda the only discrepancy she and I have ever had... kinda. S'not really that big a deal: I'm expressive too, but I work within a more "confined" space; she likes to burn her innermost thoughts and feelings BRIGHTLY, for better or worst. The differences in writing styles reflect the differences in personality. But the cool thing is, in being so free she never puts limits on me; I've prolly tried to limit her more often than the opposite, and for that I'm sorry.

lol... I just realized why so many cats disappoint me. I've been around LJ so long that I'm dying for cats to express themselves the way she does. I think she's the first person I met in my city... okay, PERIOD, who had true passion. And now that I'm older and I'm seeing how devoid of passion the world is, I miss kicking it on the porch with a pen, a pad, and my homie LJ.

A while ago, LJ had her first kid, so I kinda backed down a bit so she could focus on raising her. But after a while, I got so bogged down with school and music that things kinda went stale. Not to mention my musical interests have moved to a totally different place; I don't love hip-hop like I used to, I embrace a wide range of music, and if I ever was "confined" musically before... WHEW, lol. I mean, I personally don't feel confined because I have a whole different perspective and different priorities; my spirituality is a huge part of that. But whereas I'm pretty much against profanity except in specially-calculated-appropriate-no-other-way-and-for-the-express-purpose-of situations, she's more liberal and puts more value on capturing her emotions in the most honest way possible.

Still, I wanna get back tight like we used to be. I read the uninspired writings of others and think about the heat she used to apply to paper. She was like a female Tupac, lol. And I'd be bogus if I didn't admit that she was the one who got me my start. Her fire sparked me, even if I went in a slightly different direction; and I say slightly because I don't believe we would've been so close so long if we were truly so different.

So... a ginger beer toast. All Love to the homie LJB-)

(remind me to hip you to this ginger beer thang cuzzo)