Walk With a T.H.U.G From Ferguson

By Lorenzo Davis

Walk With a T.H.U.G (Talented, Hardworking, Underrated, Gentleman) From Ferguson is a must read book of poems by Lorenzo Davis, Jr. who shares his transition from the streets to corporate America in hopes to inspire his elders and generations to come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robinson Anderson Publishing
• Release date: Aug 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781736069769

Lorenzo Davis

Lorenzo Davis Jr., a Saint Louis Missouri native by way of Ferguson, has experienced many hardships; many being self-inflicted. He has overcome drug addiction, the judicial system, street hustling, gang violence, childhood trauma and mental health issues. Most young black men are taught not to open up, to not how emotion and to always be tough, which are good lessons, however, we are just as human as anyone else. Being able to express yourself however you see fit is a beautiful thing. So yes, stay strong, but be transparent, show emotion through your work and always provide and protect. Being a young entrepreneur and community leader has lifted Lorenzo up to new heights mentally and physically. In sharing these poems of his mental transition from the streets to corporate America, he hopes to inspire his elders and lead generation Z by example.We don't always choose the hand we're dealt but we do decide how we play it. - King Zo

Book preview

Prologue

Growing up a product of our environment they label us as low lives, needy, poor etc...  Many of us are told that we won’t make it to see the age of eighteen. In my city of Saint Louis, Missouri, unfortunately, most won’t even make it to sixteen.  With that in mind we choose to live the fast life, blow our money, and do everything we see our elders do because the lesson we are taught is, you only live once. However, we aren’t told that we can do better. We also are not told that it doesn’t matter what tax bracket we are in or what our family members did before us. I believe that the righteous way is always the best way despite what I was told by those close to me at a young age. Through the years, I’ve done many things I’m not proud of but in my eyes doing wrong felt right because it was easy. Doing the right thing felt awkward to me because for so long I was doing the wrong things, living the street life which also including abusing drugs. However, I have come to learn that doing the right thing gives you peace of mind and you get better results.

Growing up a black man and loving rap/hip-hop music in my opinion, programs black men to use and sell drugs, be attracted to a certain type of female, party every night, stunt with material things, hate cops, rob, steal, kill, hate people and not be there like we should for our children.  But in reality, we should do the opposite. We should try to increase our knowledge, save money instead of spending it, employ ourselves instead of selling drugs, live within our means instead of trying to impress others and better our community instead of destroying it.

We are quickly killing the generations after us by being a bad example. Kids are having babies at earlier ages; they are experimenting with drugs before they even reach high school and they’re not even thinking about the repercussions of their actions.  Furthermore, they want the easy way out without doing the work. But what they don’t realize is that if you don’t work hard for the things you want, they become of less value to you.

Many kids begin to run the streets during junior high school years, some start even earlier.  We see the hustlers on the corners after school with fancy cars, pockets full of money, popularity, and power.  What many kids don’t see is that same hustler crying at night because of the people and things that they have lost.  They don’t see the police officer who harasses, extorts, robs and/or beats that hustler.  Not all hustlers are bad.