Tyshon
Brownlee
Shidtobehonest,I was prollythebaddestkidinLegacyfrom pre-K allthe wayto eighth grade.You can ask mymama.Bythe way,Ma,Ilove you with all myheart and moveforwardbecause of you.
You could also ask Lisa and Dimitri, or as I call them, Ms. Kenner, and Mr. Hepburn. You could even ask my brothers and sisters or anybody who knew me at Legacy. I stayed inna dean's office and I stayed suspended. Walked on the opposite side of the hallway from the other kids, I had to leave lunch early and couldn't return to some classes without them talking to my parents. Looking back, I realize that I was just acting out for entertainment and attention.
My favorite excuse for acting a fool was “I miss my pops. ” He was in the feds from some messed up choices he made, but that’s another story for another time. I had good grades. I was a smart kid. But when I finished my work, I would start jokes, throwing erasers and doing shark attacks, which was poking people with thumbtacks or popping rubber bands at people.
All of my eighth grade graduation privileges were taken away due to misbehaving so of course I got worse. I still graduated though, after writing a 5 page paper.
I was a child looking for love from his dad but I couldn't because the police took him away from me and my brothers.
I went to DRW high school, still that same funny kid in class. Making jokes out of everything out of boredom.
Wilding out, fighting, smoking in school. I started hanging out a little harder, which got me kicked out before December of my freshman year. Funny, I know right. I was then out of school until February or March.
I enrolled in Legal Prep with the guys. My behavior got worse. I finished freshman year with no suspensions. Why? Let's just say I was smart and smooth. It's funny because I was only suspended one time during high school. A year or so now, it was September 2018. Me and my homie Prince and some other guys get into a big school fight with the seniors. They started stabbing each other, shots get fired, all typa stuff. And you know what else, man?! I GET EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL!! Now I’m out of school til October. My momma enrolled me in Senn High School up North in Edgewater, which was the best school I went to.
I’m playing football again, finished high school math in 11th grade, honors classes, I’m doing it. Got a job and still hanging with bro nem. Then came March of 2020. COVID-19 kicked us out of school and THE CITY went on lock down. This is when shit hit rock bottom. My cousin who I was always around, she basically raised us, had an asthma attack which caused her to become really sick. Let the doctors tell it she had “Covid.” Meanwhile, no school, nobody working, 7 o ’clock weird curfew, everybody dying or sick. So I’m out with the guys 24/7. Outside being teens, getting high all day every day.
May 21, 2020 I was on 18th, the street I grew up on. We called ourselves coming out early for no reason. It’s 10 AM roughly. Someone came off the corner saying “Y’all from right here?” Then shots are exchanged. I get hit in the chest and ran to the white scat pack Charger my cuz had in the alley. My cousin TJ took me to the hospital. I went to Mount Sinai, on Ogden and California. We called it Die Sinai. For y ’all who don’t know, no it don’t hurt being shot. What hurt me the most was seeing how my mama looked on the phone when I called and told her. That crushed my soul. I forgot to mention, I was supposed to be a father. So now I’m thinking I’m finna die without meeting my child, wow.
On the ride there I’m telling myself “This can’t be it, I gotta make it.” I turned on Rod Wave’s No Weakness, and then closed my eyes and said “God send me a girl who gone love and care for me, and let me be able to see my little ones. ” We pull up to the hospital. Cuz run in and tell them I’m shot, but by the time they came out I’m walkin towards them, which is crazy right?
Then they try putting me in a wheelchair. I refused thinking I’m hard body till I got in there and that AC hit my ass. I sat right down. I told them I need to make it for my mama, “ my child,” my siblings and the guys.
When we got to the room, they laid me on a bed and started asking basic questions like my name, my date of birth, and all that good stuff. I told them before blanking out I need to survive, no BAP. No lie in my head I’m saying please I can go like this. I made it all the way here and plus I only got hit one time in the chest. Next thing, I know, I hear my mama voice and feel her hand. I felt a spark and my heart sped up. I open my eyes and she tells me she loves me and everything is gonna be OK.
She then started talking to them. By the way my mama is a NURSE PRACTITIONER who received her MASTERS IN NURSING in March. CONGRATS TO MY BEAUTIFUL QUEEN. Back to it, so now we in a scan room. I send my request out again to go to surgery cracking jokes with the docs. Then outta nowhere, lights out.
The bullet ripped through my esophagus (throat), but missed my heart and ribs. When they removed the bullet I was left with 20 staples. I wake up and tubes are everywhere, man that used to blow me. Had me bugging. Then they came in talking about “Mr Brownlee, it's time to walk.” Messed up my dream about my faceless future wife.
I started to walk again. It’s on. I’m out all night, kicking it with the ladies, lyin about my age, tryna to score a cougar, or vet which I call em. Mission failed but I’m getting better, everybody happy, but surprisingly now I’m mad. I’m still here though but can’t eat, smoke, nothing. Now I’m ready to leave. 7 1/2 days they remained feeding me through tubes in my stomach. Yay!! But let me tell you, that’s worse than getting shot, no bs.
Then removing the stomach tubes felt like an earthquake inside of my stomach. Everything was aching for 10 to 15 minutes.
I got 20 something staples, sore body and hope. But can’t leave till I shit for them and no liquid, a real turd. “Tssk, what I get myself into?” 2- 3 days later I do it after trying to get somebody else to do it for me. Now I’m released on May 31. I’m happy but the city is hotter than the desert. Everybody and they mama is looting. My mama took me downtown to a hotel because of all the looting. Life decent I guess you can say.
So like June 20th it’s gender reveal time! Everybody got on blue or pink. My mama made shirts. Team boy or team girl. While everybody is getting familiar with each other, me and the guys at the park fighting with a group of friends. Yeah I’m still stapled up, but I’m still getting around. Then we go back to the function.
About an hour and 30 minutes later bro get that onnis crowd. We hit the corner. Shots fired but nobody got hit tho, thank God. Now Ma Dukes heated, tellin me I need to chill, we leavin the ‘ raq, all types of shit. I’m like “ yea whatever.” We pop about 3 or 4 balloons. Turns out issa girl and fyi I was team boy.
I’m still healing and going to therapy. Then on the 30th I got the staples removed. Ma Dukes been booked a flight to Killeen, Texas. So yea I’m pissed. I gotta leave and I just got my staples removed. Man, Joe. Anyway, it’s July 1st. The flight to Texas from the ‘ raq took like 3 or so hours if I’m not mistaken. Anyway, we land. I’m fuckin wit it, not gone lie. We wit my mama friend Marissia aka da big sister. We going places. She take us to meet her friends, they cooked for us and everything. I’m layed back chillin.
We go to the drive through petting zoo. I’m geeked. I’m on Facebook live gettin hella views. Life’s great. Then July 11th is when my request was answered, sittin inna front room scrollin through Snapchat. Mind you, this person Tahari had me blocked but somehow I could see her story. It’s this beautiful light skinned, dimples brown eyes, nice body, super sexy smile and 10 onna face tryna get put on.
So you know me. I slide up, say “I want you to delete this, you mine.” Believe it or not she did and sent her Snapchat. I told her I want her number, not her Snapchat. I get the number, we vibing. I fall in love. I’m happy my request has been answered.
Now a week or so in I guess Ma Dukes gets jealous. I was cracking jokes and kickin it with her and she says “I hope whoever that is know you got a baby on the way. ” Why ma? Just why? My girl hang up on me. Now I’m ready to get back to Da Raq. I look on Facebook see “niggas aint shit.” “Man. WTF,” I’m thinking. A day or two go by. She call me, we talk it out. Now we back and better doing us. I’m back in Chicago in August. I see her for the first time on September 5th.
Then we got into it on the same day on a phone call. She claims I kicked her off the block which is a lie, but we still doing us. I meet her mom on Thanksgiving as well as her brother and grandma. Man, when I tell you I love tf out her mama like she’s mine. She treat me like her son, gave me real advice and jewels my own dad didn't, true story. I love you OG Duty. So now I’m locked in with the family. Life's great. We spend Xmas together and New Years.
On January 4th 2021, my homie Jay and Terry get into a car crash after a speed. Me and Swerve was at Shanti which is Mya bestie house. Swerve keep answering the phone for my old leg frontin the move. Mya don’t peep or that’s what I thought cuz 30-45 minutes later she get that “Lemme call this bitch” Damn I’m fucked. That's all I’m sayin to myself. She caught me. I hurt her so bad. To be honest I didn't think we was that locked in. Come to find out, I’m all she talked about to her family and friends. I love you forever my queen.
Wow, now I’m shitty and hurt but luckily Nana-Shanti Gma locked us in the house. So at 3 AM after she told her mama I cheated and everything, we made up. I apologize to her whole heartedly. I’m still sorry for the hurt I caused till this day my love. But I know yall prolly like what she do, man, she bleached, stabbed, poured ajax all typa shit in my wheat Tims. Threw da ring I got her and everything. Worst part was, we was stuck here for 3 days. I ended up jumping out the 2nd floor window. Never again, but we back. I damn near broke my leg. Man, love a make you do crazy things.
you goingtolivethrough me andtheygoingforeverknowyournameSl
ManlosingKareemfucked me up ,I'mstillrecoveringf romthattoday
February 25, 2021, was a day to remember, I’ll always bump that “Drink N Smokin” by Future. But fast forward to me. My life started to go down hill May 21st a year after I got shot. The same homie who said mfs gone die behind when I got shot. Lil bro was found dead by a stranger in the early morning. Ball in paradise, Kareem aka KJ Hawk em Down. I was so hurt. I was ready to crash out. This was the first death since 2019 when my cousin took his own life which I’m still confused about til this day. My girl helped me stay strong. Thank you sugar plum hehe!
But now me and my soldiers on demon time.
Shit started getting hot homies started going to jail. We was going down the wrong path, chasin money, power, and revenge, definitely fame or a better word’s street credit. I graduate high school June 6, 2021 and made everybody proud. I did it for Ma Dukes. Then I started thugging full-time again. Every day all day unless I’m with Mya. Man she used to be on me. Out of 7 days, I was with gang only 3 because she had my ass with her safe. She wasn’t trying to hear shit I had to say to try to get out here, not nothing lol. I’m glad she cared tho fasho.
I go off to college Langston University, an HBCU in OKC. Now I’m back on track. Come back for Thanksgiving messed my ankle up hooping tryna be Mike in front of Bae den shid chillin again. I had to talk with my girl which changed my way of thinking and living. Had my mind set on saying fuck the streets.
College was the best thing that happened to me. That was the place to be. I remember calling home telling everybody they had to go. I was partying, making money and having real safe fun. Most importantly getting an education and making my mama proud.
It’s March now, spring of Freshman year. Then my girls started forgiving me. I go over there, we have a long overdue talk about our future. Now we a lil back. My C day hit, she didn't come cuz I was havin a party wit sis nem (hood sister) (and to tell yall know Mya want me all to herself). Meanwhile we beefin cuz I feel some type of way she aint come. I’m still heavy on da drugs on social media more cuz Mya ain't here to trip. Plus I’m going through it about Kareem.
Got no girl, KJ died, life shitty, I ain’t at Langston no more. “What a failure,” I’m thinkin. Then my cousin died from his second battle with cancer, Forever Ali. Then we lost Cmac-Cynthia we love and miss you cousin, then her dad Hank passed back to back all in April. All that got me really hurt. Then the family still healing from Greg dying, Ball hard fa G Shiesty. Man I’m inna dark room with fire walls closing in. Heart broken. If you thought it couldn't get worse, it did.
But before that, I was hired at Jewels warehouse makin $20 and hour. Yessir, I’m back in the game-NEW LIFE CHAPTER! Me and Draco, my cousin Jeremiah told each other we gotta stop takin losses in the family period. Den May 13th, I get shot in the arm. I’m mad as hell. That ruined my plans of talking to bro nem about the next step for all of us…which was getting all of us to go to college! My girl called cryin her eyes out like a mfa almost took me out this shit. Whole time I’m hit in the shoulder. I won’t even lie though, me seeing her cryin like that messed my head up.
In that moment right there I knew it was time for change!! My girl called back when I was discharged. Told me “Lets put that shit behind us, go out on a date and make shit make sense. ” Next day I’m at a hotel fa TGlizzy birthday. We was high as giraffe nuts moving in slow motion off the syrup. Out of all the crazy shit that happened to me, what happened next on May 15th, 2:32 pm was life changing. Showed me who really fuck wit me and who was just there for the moment. I was arrested. Felt like I was in hell on earth but the whole time I’m in a cold ass cell that feels like a freezer. It’s all good tho. When they free me Imma make a change. Starting with my friends and family den try to help the world.
After all these traumatic events I started to have conversations with my inner self because I need to change starting with myself and who I hang around. I want to get a CDL, run up some money and start an electric company. I want to make my name known for a good reason and make my mama happy and show her that she did raise me right.
Tyshon Brownlee
I Am From
I am from 18th and Avers, home of the villains
From Fat Albert's 18th store and Granny Love Candy Store
I am from Matt 5 house, iced tea and Sunday dinner
I am from Long Live Mr 1800 street signs
Troubled teens with green beans
I am from KJ, Hawkem Down and Tsav
From block parties on Avers N sippin juice N blowin trees
And from short tempers and long clips
I am from wherever you act up at
I'm going to act up with you
And from “Once you 18, you on your own ”
I am from the holy city
And from fried chicken, lemon pepper and mild sauce from Chicago Wings
And from LeBron James and Steph Curry, NBA Youngboy and Rod Wave
I am from I Love My Mama to the death of me
I am from Long Live Draco 7.62 God
In Kareem we trust, get risky TaTsav
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter - African Proverb
