The Life of Rahmique: The Rise & Fall of a True Hustla

By MGE and Jay Castello

Rahmique Jamingson Jr., a.k.a Rah, is a young boy born and raised from Camden, New Jersey, trying to figure out his way through life but hits some tragic struggles along the way. He is raised by a mother who struggles with a drug addiction and a father who he later found out is a drug kingpin.

Taye, who is his older brother, gets locked up on several drug charges, leaving him to fend for himself with a niece and nephew. As Rahmique gets older, he enters the street life, getting fast money to support his family, trying to follow his brother's footsteps.

His best friend, Amir, who he finds out is also his brother, gets caught up at a party, ending in a tragic death. He has flashbacks of his childhood, finding the killer and seeking for revenge. Rahmique becomes successful at what he does with his father leaving him the family business until he is triggered by his archenemy, Mahki, trying to take his spot.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638605652

Book preview

Title Page

Copyright © 2022 MGE & Jay Castello

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2022

ISBN 978-1-63860-564-5 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63860-565-2 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Heartbreaks and Better Days

Chapter 1: Brotherly Love

Chapter 2: Family Hustle

Chapter 3: A Broken Home

Chapter 4: Betrayal by Blood

Chapter 5: The Set Up

Chapter 6: The Breakdown

Chapter 7: Take Me Back

Chapter 8: A Family Visit

Chapter 9: OG Speech/New Era

Chapter 10: Dirty Hands

Chapter 11: The Unexpected

Chapter 12: Savage Ways

Chapter 13: The Come up

Chapter 14: All that matters.

Heartbreaks and Better Days

Damn, I never thought it would be like this. Shits fucked up how it ended. It should have been you and me at the end of the day. If only I would have been there, this shit would have never happened, you were my friend, my brother. A true soldier.

Until we meet again. I love you, my boy.

I thought to myself gazing constantly at Amir’s grave site as a tear instantly started to fill my eyes. Rahmique Jamingson Jr, that is who I be, just a young Black brother, trying to make a living, from Camden, New Jersey born and raised.

Brought up in the streets and dedicated to the game. A man with a plan, strong-minded, willing to do anything to get where I need to be. Married to the streets getting that fast money, living life like a natural born king. A beast ready to eat, looking for his next prey, determined to win. It is all or nothing.

I hopped in my black Lincoln MKZ leaving the grave site heading for the county prison where my older brother was being held on multiple charges. I arrived at the Camden County Jail several minutes later, parking on the visitor’s side, placing my 45mm in the glove compartment. Walking up to the silver gates, officers patted me down from head to toe. Alright all clear. said one of the officers leading me to the visitor’s table. I sat there waiting patiently for him to come out. shaking my head. He came out walking towards the table, with his orange jumpsuit, freshly cut dark waves, built as if he had been working out in his spare time.

It’s good to see your bro. How is it on the outside? How’s Mom been doing? He gasped. I was hit with so many questions at once, I quickly answered them smoothly.

I’m doing good. Just doing what I got to do to make sure were good. You know how Mom is. One minute, she’s clean, then she falls back into it. I’m trying my best to keep shit together.

Rahmique if anybody can keep it together it’s you bro. Yeah, just a lot of shit been going down since you been in here.

Amir was one of our good soldiers. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, He smirked. You’re a strong individual I need you, we need you. Stay strong and whatever you do don’t you give up, I’m really proud of the man you become. If mom was clean, she would definitely be too.

We got up from the table, giving a pound as the guards escorted him back to his cell, going our separate ways. I took what he had into consideration letting it settle in my mind, making it to my next destination.

Washington Park Apartments was where my mother was staying for the time being. Two years clean, and she was starting to look better each day. I walked in seeing her sitting at the kitchen table watching her programs, smoking a cigarette, letting the ashes hit the tray.

Hey, Mique, it’s good to see you. What brings you by so soon? she asked giving me a hug and a kiss. She always had a loving spirit.

I just came from seeing Taye. He’s doing good. He asked about you.

Oh yeah. Well, you tell that muthafucka to stop sending his people to come check up on me I’m good, she roared.

My mother was a true warrior, a hustler, a natural beauty, until she started fighting her drug addiction, and court hearings. Things just haven’t been the same for her.

But no matter what she was going through, she was always there for us. Looking just like your father every time, I see you. She smiled. I know how much Amir meant to you, to all of us. Sorry his life ended so soon.

We sat there, talking about her health and what was the next step for Nika and Shawn, my niece and nephew. They had been staying with me since my brother had been incarcerated. Since then, I had to take on responsibility, become a man, make my brothers proud, for my family, my future, but most of all for, myself. I do what I do, which is get money, and respect. Ain’t shit change because at the end of the day, y’all going to know my name.

The Life of Rahmique

1

Brotherly Love

D evontae Lamar! Do you hear me talking to you? You will learn to respect me! she commanded, getting into his face, as he stood there with anger in his eyes. Taye ignored every word she commanded, going straight into his room slamming the door with force. He hated the fact that Tommy, our mother’s new boyfriend had moved in from doing time in the federal prison.

I sat back watching what went on between my brother and mother, taking everything in. The furious look on her face said it all. She lit up a cigarette, pacing back and forth, letting the smoke hit the surface. You could see that she was frustrated with my brother’s actions.

What am I going to do with that boy? Just like his damn daddy, I swear, she mumbled shaking her head in disgust.

I remember it like it was yesterday. Back in summer 1996, hot and humid, fans blowing in the windows in Washington Park Apartments in Camden New Jersey. My mother got her new job at the hospital in housekeeping, Tommy moved in from doing time in the federal prison, and Taye just came home from boot camp. Me, I was a young kid watching everything that went on around me, taking things one day at a time.

I crept my way towards Taye’s room, opening the door slowly. Seeing him sitting at the edge of the bed with his hands together shaking instantly. Whenever he gets mad, he was not to be fucked with. His mouth was ruthless and uncontrollable. He showed no emotion but anger, especially when it came to our mother.

Shits messed up, man, he mumbled. "Why would Mama do some shit like this?

She is choosing that nigga over me?"

Want me to take him out? I hissed balling up my fist like I was getting ready to do something.

Nah bro, I don’t need you getting into any trouble. He chuckled. What I need you to do is stay focused, and to watch what’s going on around you, okay? he said pulling my head towards his chest.

Me and Taye had a bond like no other. Even though he was six years older than me, I was still right by his side. Through thick and thin, we were inseparable. Growing up was rough in the projects, living with a single mom hustling just to make ends meet.

There was always something going on in the streets, whether it was the feds trying to catch every dealer they see, or dealers competing to claim the next territory, ready for war. You always had to watch what were doing because you never knew what could happen in this part of the hood. Taye was like the cool kid on the block, dressing up in his fly Nike gear, and ice blinging, grabbing everybody’s attention, especially the ladies, young and old.

With his Hershey complexion and light brown eyes setting off his bad boy antics, you could not tell him nothing. Only sixteen with a mind of a grown man, he was welcomed back and greeted with respect by everybody in the hood.

We made our way across the street to the other side of the complex to pay our OG Ramble a visit, one of the realest people we knew in the hood.

We were walking towards the front path as his hit men greeted us, nodding. They knew exactly who we were.

The hit men had their hands by their waist ready for anything to go down, wearing nothing but all black, showing off their masculine bodies and tattoos piercing through going down their forearms. One of them stopped us before proceeding forward. I assumed he was making some transactions or discussing business.

Usually, that is what that indicates when it comes to OG Ramble. The hit man nodded his head letting us know it was okay to proceed in.

What’s up with you, lil niggas? He chuckled. I see ain’t shit change since you got out. How you mother doing?

She good. She home with her new dude. And thanks, I see ain’t nothing changed with you, said Taye, giving him dap.

OG Ramble, was one of the realest gangsters we knew in our hood. Everybody envied Ramble. He was nobody to fuck with, especially when it came down to his business and money. He only came out when he had to do businesses, or to pick him up a lil broad here and there, but other than that, he kept a very low-key profile because of the feds.

The man moved in silence, had all his men in line, working the streets day and night to bring in that paper like clockwork. When it came down for war, he was always prepared for any and everything that came his way, claiming his throne proudly. Standing at six feet and one-inch, dominant, dark dreads freshly twisted and pulled back, goatee, rocking nothing but black beaters and Nike sweats with his 45 tucked in his waist. Ramble had it all, the money, women, but most of all the respect.

He sat down in his brown leather chair, making himself comfortable after doing what he was doing in the bedroom. Showing off his almond skin with tattoos covering his upper chest, Nike sweats, Nike flip-flops, and gold Jesus’ piece around his neck.

The coffee table was full of money and two kilograms of cocaine, with a pistol, ready for pickup. We sat down slowly observing everything that was laid out on the table. I could not take my eyes off it. "Damn, look at all that shit. That’s enough for me to get what I want and more. I thought to myself instantly. Taye was already equipped to the drug game that he knew exactly what was going on.

He was on point.

So, what brings you around? said Ramble sparking up a half-rolled blunt letting the smoke fill the air. I heard what’s been going on over there. Your mother put you out again? What did I tell you about that shit?

No, I left. I couldn’t take it no more. She’s always treating me like I’m a kid. I come back and see this nigga moving in like it’s nothing.

Is that right? He sniffed, nodding his head gently. "That’s still your mother, boy.

Respect her. Look at you, just like me when I was growing up."

A Caramel-colored woman with long dark-brown hair flowing down to her back, nice thick frame, and hazel eyes standing at five feet and two-inches, wearing nothing but a cream Gucci robe with her arms folded suddenly. Suga, was my homeboy Amir’s mom. She made sure Ramble was on top of his game, keeping him on his feet. Making her his A1 woman in his life, dipping her in nothing but the finest there was. She was his ride or die. All the hustlers knew who she was when