A-Real says “July 8, 1987 is when it all started. I spent the first 10 years of my life on Long Island, New York where I would chill wit my cousin Claude almost every weekend. He was instrumental in introducing me to da whole hip hop culture and whatnot (you know everybody got that person they look up to, to be cool when they were young). I attribute most of my swagger to him... and I hope to see him as soon as he gets out. Back to the script... '97 is when I made that trip down to VA, and trust me when I first came down here I wasn't feeling' it until... I got to the 6th grade and bumped into my dude Ace in the first period on the first day of school. The first words this dude said to me was "Do you smoke?"... dudes still be trippin' on that to this day. Moving along... not too far into my 6th grade year my dudes Biz and Phatso moved around my way and we became friends, like chillin' everyday. They became aquatinted wit Ace, because he use to come over my crib and eventually we all was chillin. Most of the time though I would go over Ace's crib instead of him coming to mine, and that’s where I met my dude Stick, and around this time is when me and Ace started rappin. As I kept goin over Ace's crib, me and Stick got cooler and we would just chill, smoke, whatever. As time passes the memory bank gets bigger, and it was in 2001 I split from the side of town all my peeps was on, but it was all good because that same year Biz and Phatso moved too, but they was still on the west side on town. Though I was on the "othaside" I would still go to Ace's crib, and me, him and Stick would get together and write raps. Eventually I bought our first mic, and we went in Biz and Phatso's garage and set up shop, no insulation or nothing... That's right... so in the summer it's crazy hot in there and in the winter its so cold you cant even roll up. We still recording in that garage to this day too... we goin make it out one day though, just waiting on that deal... Ill let you know later on about the updates.”