After 9 visits upstate to see Capone, writing our interview out on napkins and scraps of paper with the tiny golf pencils provided for visitors & inmates' card games; I was done. But I still had my job at Gee Street, and business had brought me in touch with Tragedy more than a few times for it to be a "coincidence." So I called him one day and he invited me to QB. I rode the train up, and called him from the payphone in the station. He gave me directions of where to walk up, so I went, and waited. And waited. When he finally did come to meet me he brought 20 or so youth from Queensbridge with him, and he told them, "that's Miranda Jane, she's a journalist, you want to be like her when you grow up, stay in school and you can be a writer like her." At that point I didn't really consider myself a journalist, but I felt golden.
It was 1997, really 20 or so years after the height of Hip Hop in New York, and the jams in the park, or in the case of QB, the jams under the bridge. So we stood in that spot, Tragedy and I, and we built a foundation for business, education, and friendship that stands to this day. It's been almost ten years, but we always stay in touch somehow even though we're constantly moving around the country. As a matter of fact, I had to save this as a draft a few lines back 'cause out of nowhere, seemingly, Trag called to give me his report on what's goin on out there. Mind detect mind, King...mind detect mind.
So when I sat down to watch the screener copy of the feature film, Tragedy: The Story Of Queensbridge; I watch with my eyes accustomed to the gray, foggy environment of QB in the winter. My vision's already been acclimated to the poverty of the Queensbridge Housing projects, with it's endless towers filled with struggling youth and adults who've, in many cases, given up on life. Tragedy's own story, for the most part already known to me, is a multi-faceted kaleidoscope of pain, suffering, poverty, struggle, revolution, uprising, and...tragedy. The film reveals much about his personal life, his personal pain, and all that he overcame to become one of our generation's greatest unsung heroes of Hip Hop. With cameos from Poet, Delorean, Corleone, Capone, Havoc, Killa Sha, Littles, Marley Marl, Synysta, and many other QB MCs, artists, and 'hood legends, the truth about Tragedy Khadafi and his illustrious career thus far is finally revealed; as well as the real deal on how he lyrically fathered QB's most famous MCs.
Article comments
1 - Mark Rucker (QB-RED)
Thank you,
I really dug what you said about the life of a youth growing up in QB. You see I grew up in QB. I left at the age of 19 years old when one of my best friends was gunned down. Anthony was only 19 or 20. I joined the Marine Corps where I felt safer then being home in QB. It took me 23 years to leave the Marine Corps. Don' get me wrong, I owe all that I am to my up bringing in QB. You are so right when you say it must be something in the water. I love QB it will always be a part of me. QB for life Baby! [Personal contact info deleted]
2 - French 41-08 10th street
I lived in Queensbridge for 14yrs,it was the best place to be growing up.We played until the lights came on, riding to the park ,playing handball, and listening to the guys playing drums during the summer months. We even had a garden competition with the other buildings.The neighbors watched what you did and told your parents if at any time you stepped out of line.I currently work in corp America and never hesitate that I was born and raised in the projects.