I Wasn’t Supposed To Make It!
(The Miraculous Transformation of a B-Boy from the Hood)
By Kamal Imani
© Copyright 2017 Kamal Imani
All Rights Reserved
978-1-387-10521-2
Preface
As I began to write this book, I kept asking myself an intriguing question. The question is “What is that intangible thing that is missing from children who don’t have Fathers in their lives? Some answers are evident such as the child may lack discipline or they may not know how a man is to treat a woman or how a boy or girls is to relate to a man. In many cases children work in their fathers business or the boy follows in his dads career footsteps.
When I was almost finished writing this book, the answer came to me. All children have innate gifts and talents, but they need confirmation from their biggest role models. That is their mom and dad. Along with the confirmation and encouragement is guidance. In our busy, fast moving and stressful world, we all could use some confirmation, encouragement and proper guidance from time to time. Sometimes hearing and feeling it from just one person or several friends and family members isn’t enough. If children have a consistent father in their lives that will never give up on them and never let him or her give up on themselves, they will have a high probability of success in this world.
As you read this book, you will find many of the men and women who became my village, although I couldn’t see it until later in life. To all of them I give eternal thanks!
“Focus On A Goal Take Control and Roll
Let the Whole World Know That You Got Soul
Like the Atom In the Womb of the Universe
That Grew Into the Sun
You’re Number 1
Be Determined and Rise Like Helium!
Blast Off!”
Kamal Imani
Dedication
This book is dedicated you, the person who didn’t get the memo, the person who didn’t get the manual. This is dedicated to you if you ever find yourself saying “They didn’t teach me that I could do that as a career, while I was in school”. It’s dedicated to you if you come from a broken family, if the village failed to prepare you for the future. And in particular, for people who grew up without a stable father in their lives. This book is dedicated to my “special education” students who God blessed me to get to know. I feel your pain and hope that you will gain some insights from how I made it from being “Fatherless to Prosperous”
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Acknowledgements |
88 |
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Chapter 1 |
You’re a Shining Star |
9 99 |
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Chapter 2 |
First Impressions Are Lasting Ones
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111 |
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Chapter 3 |
You Gotta Believe!
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113 |
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Chapter 4 |
Avoiding Career Self Conflict And Indecision
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114 |
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Chapter 5 |
To Box With My Father Again
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116 |
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Chapter 6 |
Father Figures
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223 |
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Chapter 7 |
My Spiritual Giants
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432 |
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Chapter 8 |
“No Time for Hesitation”.
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433 |
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Chapter 9 |
Your Mind Is Infinite |
435 |
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Chapter 10 |
Ignorance on Fire Is Better than Intelligence on Ice
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436 |
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Chapter 11 |
What’s Your Purpose in Life? Lessons from Sugarpie |
538 |
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Chapter 12 |
Charm Em!
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541 |
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Chapter 13 |
Where My Dogs At? |
543 |
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Chapter 14 |
Bounce Back
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545 |
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Chapter 15 |
It’s All About Money
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647 |
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Chapter 16 |
Supreme Hustle The Importance of Entrepreneurship
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649 |
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Chapter 17 |
Bees in the Trap?
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651 |
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Chapter 18 |
Develop the Leader in You
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653 |
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Chapter 19 |
Gain Power!
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754 |
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Chapter 20 |
We Gon Make It |
756 |
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Chapter 21 |
The Improvisation of Manhood
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757 |
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Chapter 22 |
The Side Hustle You Must Have Additional Streams of Income!
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759 |
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Chapter 23 |
I’ll See You at the Top!
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760 |
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Quotes Poems & Rhymes! |
761 |
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my wife Dian who’s undying support is forever appreciated. To my students who find a way against all odds, my mother Marilyn Wilson for her sacrifice, struggle and inspiration, my grandmother “Sugarpie” who told me to write a book about my life when I was in my early teens. Kathy Sermon who God sent to me to remind me to write the book, my son Hassan who allowed me to practice being the father that I never had, Carey Oats for taking care of my biological father in his golden years and Kim Phelps, Dale Cummings, Khalil, Akil, Justine, Frank, Will and Justin for keeping the family vibe alive! And last but not least, my biological father, Mr. Karlton Oats for coming around, even if it was part time. Like most of us, I’m sure that know one gave him the manual on how to be a father either.
I can’t forget my Teaneck New Jersey crew, too numerous too mention, for truly “Good Times”. Also my Brothers in Law Fill and Greg, my Brother Chef Robert Moore, Vulenzo Blount, Islam, Chill Will Broughton, The Curry Family, Mr. Robert West, Mike West, John Currence, Sheik Lateef Ali, Imam Pasha Salaahudin, Baby Ra Magnetic, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Minister Munir Muhammad, Englewood Study Group, Malik The Warner, Surerock, Saadique Hinton, Janine, Cleo and Eric, Derrick, Lisa and the Evans Family, The Young Family, Janine Ellis, JC the Barber, Steve Robinson, Pastor Victorian Brown, Prince Master Purvis, Jazzy Lamel, Born Cipher, Steve O, Derrick Evans and James Ellerbe.