We adhere to street codes and live and ride for our city. When you are  a “Street Star” you will remain a whisper, a legend and cautionary tale.  Karlton Hines is now a Legend but he is not living.  Talent, looks, and money  were his traits that caught the stares and jealousy from others. That will also his downfall. Karlton,a Basketball Star that family and friends revered and perceived as a Hero knew he was a leader and a born legend.  We all have a chance to get out of the hood! However, urban men are told the only practices that will gain them wealth are pimping, drug dealing or Sports. No one even attempts anything else without doubt. We are programmed to believe that these are the only components to accomplish hood wealth. We don’t realize that money is from other hands that know we will eventually destroy our neighborhoods forever.  Someone needs our men dead, and we are helping them achieve this feat, every day.Karlton Hines played Basketball, and he knew he had the fame and admiration of everyone. He was raised in a single family neighborhood.
Karlton  could be seen in PS1 Park playing at 3:00 AM.His coaches wouldn’t push his studies, because he benefited them. Game  was already in front of  him. He  was under the impression that his grades were second to his ability for the game. Karlton had over 30 recruiters at a time offering him scholarships. That power and understanding of game is that the people that are left behind, sometimes want your impending failure. Karlton  quit because of a disciplinary problem. He also lied about his address to play at the school of his choice. He was caught after hours breaking the rules, and  instead of dealing with repercussions he left school. He quit school 4 months before graduating with his High school diploma Of course, he was attractive and had charisma that would always propel him to another level. Karlton won MVP when he was only 13 and 14. Older children were intimidated by him,because of his game with ladies, and with the courts. Karlton(nicknamed “C”)did not bite his tongue on the court. He had physical and mental strength that other ballers envied at a young age. Karlton was the baby,but garnered more attention than his older brothers, and street soldiers in the game! Karlton could have made millions legally, but he couldn’t leave the hood values and backwards mentallity. His brothers were not blessed to receive Karltons gift of street intelligence,that would later be his curse. He was 6’5  and athletic, cocky and was given every persons admiration, and full attention.

He loved the “Stage!” Yes, the hood has its on stage and community that is the mecca of the dealers,players, and goldiggers. They know how to get chose, and be seen. Once you get chose to be a part of “The Life” you are too afraid to leave what you know to be morally incorrect.

  In the hood it only takes a “New York Minute” to change your entire life. Karlton and his friend were walking from the store. They were in an  altercation with a neighborhood friend “Tweedy” and  “Tweedy” pulled out a knife. Karlton defended himself with a bottle, it went across  the neck, of  “Tweedy”  and was pronounced dead at the hospital.  Karlton stayed on the run for 11 days. He was arrested but later set free, because it was ruled self defense. Karlton walks out a free man, but that one moment changed his entire life. He was damaged to recruiters,  and already entered the system and his life had a few limitations. He could no longer be  a Hood Celebrity  by the Basketball Game, so he the chose the other side of the game.

Karlton’s street soldiers  had him walking around with thousands  in his pockets. He could not forget his hood. “Duncan Hines” had that rush of adrenaline and that mental choice to be the Legend. He didn’t want basketball to  infiltrate his street credibility. He chose to leave his talent, and go for the blood money. Karlton decided to walk further into the pit of destruction. His looks and personality started to change. He also blamed Coach, old teachers, everyone  for  not having  his back, and he was too ashamed to go back to school, he went further in the  drug game!

PETER “PISTOL PETE” ROLLOCK

Pistol Pete and the Blood affiliated Sex, Money and Murder gang were the scourge of the Soundview section of the Bronx back in the day. In his teens and into his early twenties Pistol Pete acquired a reputation as a ruthless killer, who made millions in the drug game in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He was known as one of the most feared and powerful men in New York during the crack era, who could get people killed with his word alone. His influence and organization stretched south from the city’s five boroughs reaching out and touching states all across the eastern seaboard. Pistol Pete was one of Soundview’s Original Gangsters, setting the bar high for his hood and the Northeast Bronx. – Gorilla Convict http://www.gorillaconvict.com/peter-pistol-pete-rollock-2/

       One thing some don’t understand about “The Game” is that you always are competing.  You only live once, but someone is always ready to shoot you, and make an example of you, and tarnish your legacy. What you build is a charade of evil and an “Execution chamber” This game will never have a winner.  Karlton  Hines found that out the hard way,  with his friend Carlos.  Pistol Pete who is know serving Life stole Karlton’s chance at a new life.  karlton Hines was 25 years old when he died. He was found with $5000.00 in his pockets.  It’s a game that we will not win. No matter how many times we live it and remember it,we hope it will be diffrent. Karlton Hines died on April 8th , 1994 and that money in his pocket could not keep him breathing, so what did it give him?

We are getting caught up in these movies, and images, and giving props to men behind a cell who can’t even go outside when they want, but we idolize them. We even study where they went wrong, so we won’t make that mistake. No one wins the game, and it is a trap.  Karlton Hines is in a casket  and Pistol Pete is in a a cot on a box with stories and commissary.  We are destroying our own existence and making single moms raise the babies without knowledge on how to make a man survive. Karlton Hines chose the wrong game to gain fame. Even though we know, no one wins in the game but everyone thinks they will be different…