/Chapter 1/

------------------------------June 1991-------------------------------------

"Some people say Im strange, I tell them aint shit change, Im still the same lame asshole with a different name, Who came late to the last show with a different dame, Brain ate from the last "O" that I sniffed of caine, You know your spaced the fuck out like George Lucas when your puke is turnin to yellowish-orange Mucas, So when I grab a pencil and squeeze it between fingers, Im not a rapper, Im a demon who speaks english." 18 year old Marshall Mathers rapped, never stopping, never breaking the chain of words that flew out of his mouth, his eyes looking around everywhere, words spilling out of his mouth faster than his brain could process them. "Freak genious, too extreme for the weak and squeamish, Burn you alive till you screamin to be extinguished, Cause when I drop the science, motherfuckers tell me to stop the violence, Start a fire and block the hydrants, Im just a mean person, You never seen worse than, So when Slim gets this M-16 burstin', You gettin spun backwards like every word of obscene cursin, On the B side of my first single with the clean version, Stoppin your short life while your still a teen virgin, Unless you get a kidney specialist and a spleen surgeon, In the best hospital possible for emergency surgery, To try to stop the blood from your ruptured sternum internally, Ill take it back before we knew each others name, Run in a ultrasound and snatch you out your mothers frame, Ill take it further back than that, Back to lovers lane, to the night you were thought of and, Cock block your fathers game, I plead the fifth like my jaws were muzzled, So suck my dick while I take a shit and do this crossword puzzle, And when Im down with ten seconds left in the whole bout, Ima throw a head butt so hard, Ill knock us both out."

"Fuck," DeShaun Holton laughed. "That was fuckin slammin' kid, I cant wait for Friday."

"Shit, yeah," Denine Porter agreed. "Hip Hop Shop wont know what hit em when we get up in that motherfucker."

Marshall grinned, proud of his accomplishment. He looked around the stoop that he was sitting on with his friends. There was him, Deshaun, Denine, Matt, Joey and Murry. The 6 of them had formed a group, they called it Da Brigade. The six of them sat out on these same steps for the past 3 months, writing rhymes, freestyling to each other, battling, talking, joking, planning about their lives when they got big and famous. The simple things that kids did when they hung out with their friends. They were big around the underground in Detriot.

Denine was even close to getting them some studio time, his cousin knew someone, who knew someone, or something. They were close with each other, extremely close. You never saw one of them walking around the nieghborhood without another one.

DeShaun was the one who did alot of the planning, and battled Marshall in his freestyles, they would practice on each other, rapping against each other, and they knew each other best. So it was easy for them to rap with each other. They were best friends, they had been, ever since DeShaun heard him rhyming against Murry in a parkinglot one day. They had met and Deshaun invited both of them to the hip hop shop, when they were 16. They had showed up, somehow gotten into it and battled. Since that night Marshall and Deshaun were attached at the hip. DeShaun was sitting on the top of the steps, legs apart, baggy jeans covering the tops of his shoes so you couldnt see his laces. His shoes were a greyish color, had once been white. He was wearing a tee shirt, and a black visor sideways on his head. He was the most well known MC in Da Brigade, but right up there with him, at his heels was Marshall.

Skinny white boy, buzzed hair, blue eyes, and a pointy nose, how else could Marshall be described? He had such a way with words, such a way to put what he wanted to say, and he spit it so well that it wasnt even a contest when he got up on the mic. Whoever he was up against, had it coming. And they knew that, now. When he first started rapping though, not everyone took him seriously. In fact not many people took him seriously, at all. A few of his friends and thats about it. Now he had respect, in the underground. Well earned, but respect just the same. He was going to make something of himself someday, and he was ready to do all the work it took. He wrote rhymes, and rewrote them until he thought they were perfect. He sighed and wiped his hand across his forehead, the hot sun gleaming down on him as he leaned against the porch, standing on the sidewalk. His baggy shorts went down to his knees, and his wifebeater hugged at his chest. He was skinny, but he had some muscles. Ya had to give him that.

Sitting in front of DeShaun was Murry, thats what they called her. Instead of Miranda, which she hated being called, they called her Murry, and adopted her as one of the boys. She was quick at the mouth, had a temper like you never seen before, and was one of the biggest smart asses around. She was a real, bitch, if there ever was one. But they loved her anyways. She really was one of the boys, and if you told her otherwise, she'd be kickin' your ass before you knew what hit you. She had short hair, very short hair, like a pixie cut, she had bleached her hair so that the tips of it were bleached blonde, but it had grown out more, so that the roots were coming in a dark brown. She wore a black visor, with grey stripes on either side of it, and a black spegghetti strap tank top. Her jeans flared out at the bottoms, with rips in both knees, and she had a jean jacket on over the tank top. Who'da thought, a tiny white girl, rapping in the big boys game?

Denine, the promoter of the group, was the one who got them all motivated. Kept them in check. He had connections, and he planned to use them. His management skills plus connections could get them far, and he knew it. They just had to have the right motivation and thats what he did. He was all over the place, he had to talk to everyone, he always had something to say, some comment, some feedback, something to help his friends with their rhymes. Thats what everyone liked most about him, his honesty, his way to express what he thought about them, that could help them in their next rhyme. He could tell them they sucked, but he had such a way with his words that they wouldnt get mad, only try harder. Gifted? Maybe. He was sitting next to Murry, a little to close than she liked to think about. He definatly had a crush on her. He was wearing a baseball hat, and black wifebeater and black kikwear pants, with white seams. His elbows rested on his knees and he was staring intently at the ground between his feet, where an ant crawled across the sidewalk, spazzing as the shadow of his foot loomed over it. He grinned and looked up, putting his foot down, and grinning straight ahead at Joey, who was standing on the sidewalk beside Marshall, in front of the stairs, shaking his head at Denine.

Joey was a tall kid, dark skinned and thin. He was stronger than he looked, he worked out, or so he claimed. He had green eyes, that seemed to see everything, and notice more than people liked. Murrys favorite out of the whole group, was defintaly Joey. Just the way he treated her, like she was really one of the guys. They had known each other since they were little, grew up in the same 2 family hours, Murry lived on the first floor, him on the second. Joey came up with some pretty fucked up rhymes, and it amused the rest of the group. He got along with everyone, him and Denine had their rough points, but for the most part he was easy to get along with. He was tough, but he could be a softie when it came to his friends. It was all how you treated him, and once people learned that, they got along with him just fine. For the most part.

Matt was sitting on the curb in front of the porch, his back to the rest of the group. He was holding a twig in one hand, looking down at the ground boredly and stabbing a leaf with the end of the stick. Now usually he was up with the rest of them, freestyling with Marshall, or starting fights with Murry, just to piss her off. Today was sort of an off day, however. He had refused to tell the rest of them what was wrong with him. Its not like he knew anyways, he was just in a bad mood today. What did it matter anyways? Who cared whether he battled them today, or whether he talked shit about their rival rap group. He just wasnt in the mood.

"I think, Im gonna get going." Matt stood up, and brushed the back of his jeans off. "Ill see you guys tonight."

"Aight man," Joey replied. The rest of them said their goodbyes and Matt nodded, turning towards his street and slowly started walking, hands in the pockets of his jeans, eyes on the ground.

"Yo, Joe!" DeShaun called after him. "You sure your straight dawg?"

"Yeah," He called over his shoulder, as he turned in between two buildings to cut across the alley to the other side of the street, short cutting his way to his house.

"Ha," Marshall laughed. "Hes bout as straight as Murry..." That comment earned him a punch to the arm from Murry, and a laugh from DeShaun and Denine. Joey just shook his head. The irony of it all, was that Murry wasnt straight, she was bisexual.

"Would you shut the fuck up?" Murry said, cracking a smile. She had a sense of humor about herself, thats what the guys liked about her so much.

"Dyke!" DeShaun taunted her, shaking her shoulders playfully.

She laughed. "Yeah, and this 'dyke' is gonna fuckin' kick your ass if you dont shut your fuckin' mouth."

"Wait, Fridays a battle right? Who exactly is battling?" Denine asked, turning around to look at DeShaun, aware that he was changing the subject.

DeShaun shrugged. "Shit, I'unno." He mumbled. "Uh, Matt, Marshall, Me, Murry, You and Joey said you guys didnt want to, so you guys arent, um... The new rapper from down on east side of 5th, I think his names Royce, Um, I didnt really look much at the lineup."

"Oh, okay." Denine asked.

"Uh, you guys, I think I'ma get going." Murry said slowly, staring in the direction that Matt had left in.

"Where you going?" DeShaun asked.

"I dont know, I think I'ma just go, to the park or something." She shrugged.

"Okay." DeShaun shrugged. "You comin back tonight?" The guys were all going to sleep over at DeShauns tonight, they had been planning since 3 weeks ago, when they found out DeShauns parents were going out of town and his sister would be staying at her boyfriends.

"Yeah, what time is your sister leaving?" She asked, standing up and hopping off the steps onto the pavement in front of Marshall. Marshall jumped back and glanced at Joey.

"Uh, 7:30. Come at like, 8." He shrugged. "Are you gonna talk to Matt? Because I forgot to tell him what time."

"Oh, I have to go by that way anyways, Im gonna bring Kim and Denise with me, we are meeting Kenny in front of gilberts, when he gets out of work, and going down to the park. Ill just stop by his house on my way to Denises. Ill tell him." She said, taking her visor off, and putting it on again, pulling it down so it was more comfortable.

"Aight, girl. We'll see you tonight." DeShaun grinned at her. "Tell Denise I said whats up."

Murry rolled her eyes. DeShaun liked Denise, but Denise was going out with Kenny. Tough shit for DeShaun. "Will do."

"Hey, wait," Marshall grabbed Murrys arm and she turned to face him. "Tell Kim I need to talk to her, before tonight."

"Okay." Murry said, sighing. Marshall let go of her arm and she shook her head. Marshall and Kim, scariest relationship she had ever seen. "Bye guys."

The guys said their goodbyes to her, and she walked away, in the direction that Matt had gone, cutting through the same alley he had. They watched her go and then looked at each other.

"Yeah, I worry about her." Marshall said, sitting in her place next to Denine. Denine moved away a little bit, there was no need to sit as close to Marshall and he had been sitting to Murry.

"Why?" Denine asked, blankly.

"Think about it man," DeShaun exhaled loudly, a little annoyed at Denine. Did he know anything about Murry?

"Yeah, um, you didnt know Murry like 3 years ago, did you?" Joey asked, biting his bottom lip as Denine shook his head. "Yeah..." He glanced at Marshall. Marshall looked down. Murry 3 years ago... Interesting flashback for him.

Him and Murry dated, 3 years ago, only for like two weeks. They decided they were better off as friends, the chemistry was there and everything, but then, Murry introduced him to Kim. And as soon as Kim came into the picture, they broke up and Marshall fell in 'Love". Kim was Murrys best friend, and that caused some problems for a little while, but Murry eventually gave her blessing and Marshall and Kim began seriously dating. As long as it was alright with Murry, then Kim would. Murry also had her own shit going on, Marshall didnt fit in with it. She had her own group of friends, and Marshall didnt like them. When Murry hung out with them, all they did was smoke. And Marshall smoked sometimes, but he didnt see the point of smoking like 5 times a fuckin' day.

Murry had realized what it was doing to her, and she had cleaned herself up, with the help of Joey, but in the last couple weeks she had been progressively getting back into old habits, hanging out with old friends, making decisions that would run her into some big trouble sooner or later. She knew that, but she didnt seem to care. Or maybe she did, but didnt know what else to do, didnt know how to handle herself, so when she was on drugs she didnt have to deal with it.

"You know what Murrys like when shes high?" Joey asked Denine.

"Yeah." He shrugged.

"Yeah. Well thats what she was like 3 years ago, everyday. That was when she was dating Marshall. Then they broke up and she went into other drugs, and then me and Marshall got her out of the habits, but yeah. History repeats itself. So Murrys going to hang out with Kenny and Denise and Kim, and thats interesting because I happen to know that Kenny is a dealer," Joey said matter of factly.

"Yanno, I wasnt supposed to say anything, but shes dealin' now... Didya know that?" Marshall asked, raising an eyebrow. Joeys eyes went wide and he looked pissed.

"Shes gonna fuckin' get herself in a fuckin' bad position one of these fuckin' days."

"Yeah, and shes gonna take us with her." Denine sighed.

"Fuckin' no." Joey shook his head. "I wont help her out. Shes big enough to sell? Shes big enough to get herself out of whatever shit she comes into. She better not fuckin' come to me, thats all I gotta say."

"I dont want her to go back to drugs," Marshall sighed. She used to do it like 4 times a day, she would wake up, smoke on the way to school, smoke on the way home from school, smoke as soon as that wore off, nd then before she went to bed she would smoke too. And start all over. They dropped out of highschool around the same time, he had other shit going on, and she just wanted more time to smoke. Thats when they realized she needed help.

"Im not worried about her." DeShaun said. "I think she knows what she can do and what she cant. I think she will be alright."

"Wish I had that faith in her," Joey said quietly, looking down at the ground and stepping on a leaf that blew across the sidewalk.

Murry sighed, shoving her hands in the jean jacket she wore. It was June, but it was slightly chilly out. She knew that Joey knew where she was going. Why she was going to the park, with Kenny, Denise and Kim. She didnt care. Joey could shove it up his ass. Joey was probably the only one out of all the guys that she listened to about shit like this. If DeShaun was to lecture her, shed tell him to fuck off before he opened his mouth. They all knew that. It wasnt just DeShaun, it was everyone. Except for Joey. For some reason she respected his thoughts about her. And when he was mad at her or annoyed by her, or uncomfortable with what she was doing, usually it really bothered her. But for some reason, she didnt care about what he thought about this.

She did drugs, so what? She smoked weed, so did he. Maybe not as often as she did, but still. Who is he to tell her what to do? If it was the other way around, she wouldnt try to tell him what to do. If she sold drugs, and got money, he should be happy for her. Shes making more than he is, working down at the corner store for a few hours everyday, or whenever it was that he did work, it wasnt that often because he was always broke and always with the other guys. Thats what bothered her about him.

If he had the money, he would probably smoke just as much as she did. And it just so happens she smokes, for free. Kenny hooked her up, he always has, always will. And now that she sells, she has easier access to it, and if she needed to, she could buy her own. Things were looking up for her, she felt better when she smoked, why didnt he understand that?

Out the corner of her eye she saw a familiar figure leaning against the side of a building, staring straight ahead. Matt.

Something was obviously wrong with him, she just didnt have any idea what. But she was going to find out, and he was going to feel better about whatever it was. She would make sure of that.

She walked over to him, silently and leaned against the building, a few inches away from him. She looked at him, and followed his gaze to try and see what he was looking at. Some little kids across the street eating candy outside of the drugstore. "You look like your gettin ready to jump 'em." She commented, watching one of the little boys slap the other one when he tried to take the candy bar from him.

She coulda sworn he had cracked a smile.

"Whats wrong?" She asked, tilting her head to one side, and looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Meh, just... Fuckin' in a shitty mood."

"Oh, I hear ya on that one." She nodded, and grinned, bumping her shoulder against his. "Im on my way to Denises, picking up her and Kim, then we are goin to gilberts to meet Kenny. Wanna come with me?"

"I dont know, I kinda just feel like-" He sighed and she interrupted him.

"Going home, doing nothing, sitting alone in the dark until later tonight when you probably will feel even worse because you have been bored and alone for the past 5 hours? Then go to DeShauns and deal with them bitching at each other, because you know they will. Joeys in a mood or something, I fuckin' swear." She started off trying to finish his sentence, and ended pissed off at Joey. But what else was new?

Okay, he DEFINATLY smiled on that one. She grinned at him. "Come on, we are gonna smoke, itll get your mind off whatever shit is eatin' ya."

"Fine." He said, almost reluctantly. "They wont care if Im there?"

"Why would they? The more the better!" She chirped, cheerfully. "Come on, you'll feel a shit load better."

She pushed his arm gently and he pushed off the building and they started walking towards Denises house. The way to Denises, they talked about anything but the guys, anything but what was bothering Matt, just everything that they felt like talking about. Thats the great thing about their friendship. Yeah, they fought like brother and sister, but he loved her, she was, Murry.

When they got to Denises, Murry ran around the back of the house, Matt waited on the sidewalk, looking around warily. He hated this street. It was just freaky. It was one of those typical ghetto, trashy, nieghborhoods. Cars lined the streets, apartment buildings were more common than houses, and if it was a house, chances are it was a 2 family house, or a run down peice of shit that no body wanted to live in. Sometimes, he just wished that he would make it out of this shithole they called home. Detriot was great, it taught him alot, but he was sick of the same old bullshit. It was a love hate thing. He loved to live there, it was where he knew everyone, but if he knew everyone in another nieghborhood, a nice one that peope were actually safe to walk around after dark in, he'd be alot happier with that place. It was like that for everyone though.

"Hey, Matt!" Matt turned around and saw Kim, walking out from behind Denises house, followed by Denise and Murry.

"Hey," Matt grinned. He nodded at Denise. "Whats up Denise?"

"Hey, you comin to the park with us?" Denise asked.

"Yeah," He nodded.

"Matt needs to get some shit off his mind." Murry said, ushering them down the sidewalk. "We're gonna be late to gilberts and Kennys gonna kill us all."

They started walking, off in the direction of Gilberts, which wasnt that far, just a few blocks away. Murry led the way, talking to Kim mostly the whole time, Matt and Denise behind them, making small conversation every couple of minutes, but mostly just listening to Murry and Kim talk.

Murry and Kim had that, bond, between them. Sure, Kim would tell you that Denise was her best friend, she practically lived at Denises house, so that she didnt have to walk all the way across 8 mile. Her and Denise were almost inseperable, and Denise considered Kim her best friend. Murry wouldnt admit it for a second, that Kim was her best friend? Maybe before all the shit that had happened, but no, not at this point anyways. Her best friend was Joey. Or at least thats what she told people. But Murry and Kim, were just what they were. Murry and Kim.

They had known each other for so long, they didnt even remember a time when they didnt know each other. Murrys dad had grown up with Kims dad, and their mothers babysat them together almost everday. So many memories, so many times they had been through. They wouldnt admit it, but they loved each other. Best friends, for the past 17 years. Theyd always have that bond between them. Theyd always be Murry and Kim, they had each others back.

Sure they were better friends, before Marshall came into the picture. But niether blamed Marshall for what happened. Murry and Marshall didnt work out, and although it bothered Murry that Kim and Marshall had gotten together, back then, she was over it now. They all were. Murry didnt have feelings for Marshall anymore, and she respected the fact that Kim and Marshall would rather be with each other, then alone. And she couldnt blame them. Secretly she knew they made a good couple. As fucked up and scary as their relationship seemed to her, she wanted them to be together, to be happy.

When they got to Gilberts, they saw Kenny, sitting on the curb in front of it, elbows on his knees, a ciggarette in one hand, headphones on. He stood up as he saw them walking towards him, and reached out his free hand for Denise, as she leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Sorry we're late," Murry said, looking up at Kenny, and biting the inside of her cheek.

"Fuck it," Kenny shrugged, and grinned, wrapping an arm around Denises waist and tossing the ciggarette butt on the ground in front of Matt. Matt stepped on it, grinding it into the pavement with his heel to put it out, staring at it the whole time. "What up, Matt." He nodded at Matt and turned his headphones off.

"Hey," Matt reached out a hand and Kenny shook it.

"Kim, did you bring the shit?" Kenny asked, looking at Kim.

"Uh huh." Kim grinned and held up her purse. "I got it."

"Yeah!" Kenny grinned, chuckling. "Fuck. Murry did you sell the 8th I gave you yesterday yet?"

"No," Murry shook her head.

"When you gonna have the money by?" Kenny asked, raising his eyebrows. "I need to get the money to Carl by Friday, and I need the money from you."

"Its only a fuckin' 8th, gimme time." Murry shrugged, ignoring the look that Matt was giving her.

Matt stared at her, and sighed loudly. Murrys sellin' to? He wondered if Joey knew about this. "We goin' to the park?" He asked, looking at Kenny.

"Yeah, Kenny, lets go, I been waiting all day." Denise said, nodding towards the street the parks on.

"Shit, I hear ya." Kim agreed, grinning at Murry when Murry turned and started walking, leading the way down the street to the park.