Kamal Imani © October 9, 2011

Under the gun since day one, at the age of 3 me an my little sister robbed in Harlem while watching Sesame Street, 2 men broke in with stocking caps over their faces and swords, they took everything but the TV and we was like “thank you lord”. We were unattended and it was recommended that we didn’t unlock the one lock on the door. Back then in Harlem on Morningside Ave we had about 4.
In the Bronx my babysitter pushed me into a building when I started to watch a man get shot
Over a dice game. I really wanted to see it. I thought that was so unfair that I couldn’t check out the action.
Another day I was running across the street on Davidson Avenue when a car slammed on its breaks as I stood less then half an inch from its front grill. I’ll never forget that day I almost got killed so I know there is a God. But one of the nosey neighbors like Ms Jenkins told my mother when I got home that I ran into the street and I was like “See what had happened was”…
But to see the posters all over the Bronx with a mans face who was cutting off little boys dicks
Made me paranoid, scared, nervous and sick
I watched my mother faint from working too hard and being underpaid
And the cops coming when I was recruited by the Jr Black spades and some kid snitched on me from day one, before I could even commit a crime
Now that was some shine, juvenile delinquents setting me up and dropping dimes. From day one!
From day one the bully at school running our pockets at the pizza shop
My mother made me kick his ass. I almost killed him, strangling him at school. It took 3 teachers to get me off of that fool. I was in the third grade.
When I was only 6 going to the store for some bread and milk 13 year olds would chase me down the isles of the supermarket. One day I slid down the isle like James Brown spilling my groceries all over the floor to look up and see all of the people on line looking at me in horror as the 13 year olds ran out of the store. I was embarrassed.
And for some reason I still loved our people, wanted to fight for our people, even though from day one I wasn’t treated right from my people like um…where was my father?
But I didn’t bother I just ran the streets, being a small time hustler, risk taker and dancing to the drummers beat, soul makousa and I feel like busting loose, jumping the turnstyle and hanging out on forty deuce, watching the karate flicks. Me and my click was sick.
And to tell you the truth, I don’t know how I got through all of it. Cause this is only chapter 1 early childhood elementary type shit. Life for me wasn’t no crystal stairs, early on I found out it wasn’t fair
It’s had it’s joy and pain and I’ve been hit real hard, but through it all I found out that I’m a survivor and a fool protected by a mighty God!
From day one!