A WARNING TO OUR YOUTH "You'll be the only one keeping it real" By Shawn Harris

 This ain’t what you want. Do not come here. I know men doing 25 to 50 years for

keeping it real. I’m with guys on their 37th

year, 21st year locked down in this bitch

with 10 to 20 years left to complete. I see men sentenced to die in this hell hole for

keeping it real. A young dude shot another guy for beating on his sister. His own

sister came to testify against him at trial. He’s locked up and she’s still out there

with the guy who was beating her ass. She actually told on her own brother, now he is

in here for keeping it real! I got a little cousin who decides to rob a dope dealer with

three of his homeboys. They didn’t find the dope or the money and end up killing the

dope dealer. Somebody snitched so they all get picked up. Once they’re at the police

department, the three homeboys give statements on my cousin, but he remains silent

and doesn’t tell on nobody. He was the only one keeping it real. And what’s the prize

for keeping it real? He got life in prison. His three homeboys testified on him in court

for lighter sentences. I know men who have taken the weight for the crime allowing

their friends to walk, to avoid prison time.

So what do those friends do? Well they don’t write him or send money. They

try to fuck his woman or his sister. They keep his dope and his cars without paying

him for it. They don’t honor their debts nor do they honor the friendship. What

happened to “death before dishonor?” What happened to “honor amongst thieves?”

What happened to “the code of the streets?” You’ll be the only one keeping it real.

And in prison you’ll need money. You’ll need deodorant, toothpaste, soap, a comb,

brush or pick. You’ll need gel, hair grease, or lotion. You’ll need beard trimmers and

a t.v. You’ll need jogging suits, boots, and gym shoes, and you’ll need a footlocker to

protect and lock up all your shit. What about food? The prison will not feed you

enough. You’ll need oatmeal, peanut butter, bread, noodles, cakes, cookies, and

chips. You’ll wanna talk on the phone. You’ll wanna reach out and maintain

relationships with your kids, your moms and your girl. Who’ll pay for the high priced

calls? $3 to $4 for a 15 minute call. $8 to $10 for 30 minutes on the phone. Who’ll

visit? Who’ll drive 3 to 6 hours to see you? Where’s the love gonna come from?

Who’s gonna keep it real and hold you down for 6 to 7 years, 10 to 20 years straight?

Who’s gonna love your woman, who’s gonna touch your woman for the next two weeks

not to mention the next 2 to 5 years? Who’s gonna teach your son or little brother?

Who’s gonna raise them right?

And the betrayal don’t stop once you get in here. You can clique up and find

your hood, your set, your fam, your nation, your gang, or your crew in here. And they

will embrace you. And they will use you because you are brand new to the system.

You might keep it real and stash a knife for somebody or sell some weed. You might

smoke and drink some prison wine. You might stick somebody. You might jump

somebody. But what happens when you put somebody in critical condition or you

break his jaw or stab his eye out? What happens if he dies? That’s a brand new

fucking case, more time. Is everybody keeping it real? Are you sure nobody in your

crew will tell on you to get time taken off their sentence? Are you sure they won’t

tell on you to get parole? Are you sure that hard ass dude you stabbed won’t turn

bitch and snitch on you? Who’ll pay the restitution? The prison will take your money

out of your prisoner account to pay for the medical bill of the victim. You will pay for

every stitch, every bandage, every pill, every mile in the ambulance, and every day

he spends in the hospital. All of that comes from your account. So you will not be

able to buy anything from the store, and you can’t order anything until that entire

medical bill is paid. This is not what you want. Do not come here. Your gang or crew

will turn on you. Someone may be ordered to stab you to get rid of their gambling

debt and somebody in your crew will set it up. Your own men may grow jealous of

you because you talk on the phone, get mail, or go on visits like they used to during

their first 2 years down. But now they are 15 years in and shit has changed. They’re

lonely and bitter cuz ain’t no love coming in from the streets, no woman, no more

mail, no more phone, no more food, no more visits. And you’re fresh off the streets

shining, just “doing you.” But in his twisted, bitter mind he sees you as bragging and

flashing. He’s boiling in jealousy and envy. So he plants a knife under your bed.

Officers are informed. They swarm on you. They find it in your area. You go to the

hole. Segregation for a year. Now you don’t get visits. You don’t get food. You don’t

use the phone. Your mail is delayed. And you’ll be the only one keeping it real. The

streets, the hood, the block, are the same as prison. It is filled and flooded with

dishonor, hate, rage, greed, jealousy, envy, deception, and destruction. This ain’t

what you want. Do not come here. Hard core killers, Thugs, Hoods, Rebels, and

Ruffnecks will tell on you. With the right amount of pressure & pain, with the threat

of prosecution & persecution they will testify on you. They will inform the authorities

on you. There is no loyalty. Selfishness is the only loyalty. Selfishness is the only

reality of the city block & the prison block. All you got is you. That’s why you’re the

only one keeping it real…

Lastly remember this, some police officers won’t even keep it real. Crooked

cops will lie, fabricate & falsify evidence. If they’re frustrated because they can’t

catch you legally, fair, and square, they will set you up. When driven by the rage of

racism they’ll harass you. When fueled in a frenzy of fear they will shoot & kill you.

Your reputation in your area may be that of a hardcore hard head & trouble maker.

The police may pull you over based on that rep. And on that one day you may

actually be clean, riding with no drugs, no weapons, but the cop has been itching to

bust you for a long time, itching to shoot you for an even longer time. Is he gonna

keep it real, is he gonna let you go, or will he turn your car into a casket? Is the full

time correctional officer also a part time farmer planting razor blades in your cell so

you can sit in segregation for a year or 2? Do you really wanna put your life in the

hands of a crooked cop? Do you really wanna leave your life in the hands of your

homeboy? Do you ever wonder if you’ll be the only one keeping it real?

Author - Shawn Harris Wiseman #