They say Kings Never Die.
While that might be true in theory, their legacy, all that shit; it don't mean a goddamn thing when the great beyond comes callin'. It can be God, singular or many, whatever the Hell you believe in. When it comes for a King, just like a lowly peasant or asshole, it'll take you just the same. And while it never took me, never killed me, I wanted it to.
How badly did I wanna fuckin' die!
In a way you could say I did.
And what King's life is any good without his Queen, really…?
That's what I thought, anyway. I was lost. Maybe I never really knew myself before. I don't know. I met Mo when we were kids, man. She was ratty haired twelve year old girl and I was fourteen goin' on thirty. I thought I'd seen it all, you know? I thought I'd been through the wars. I had no idea. This girl, you know, she'd really been through it. I saw her across the playground. The first time was like I'd been struck stupid. The second time I saw her, she was bein' bothered by a bunch of shitheads. She was fightin' 'em off but it wasn't turning out too hot. So, I got 'em off her tail, you know? She thanked me. I told her nobody'd ever hurt her again. Big promises, right? For a juvie in the system it's hard to keep tabs on your underwear, let alone a girl you like. But I did… She was placed and I'd sneak out, find out where she was or we'd meet up. I did my best to never get placed, man. After I met her, I couldn't chance it. You know…? I had to protect her. I told her I would. I gave her my word.
If somebody would've told me then my ego, I, would get her killed… I would've made somebody shit their teeth.
Mo wouldn't lemme touch her until we were both out of the system; so, when I aged out at eighteen she snuck out of her foster home and we did it right there in the park under the stars. It was some crazy romantic shit, right!? If it wasn't her screamin' that brought the cops it was me goin' crazy when she gave me head! Shit! That was it for me, man! Only girl for me, right there! Also, happened it was my last free night for a bit. No good legal counsel and I was sent up river for statutory rape and public nudity. I got the rape thrown off my record later when I had a pricy lawyer fix my shit; plus, I married the same girl so climb down outta my asshole, right!? Christ! Bar brawls and reckless behavior, a couple stints being incarcerated later and she was still with me. I didn't know how good I had it. Not before it all got ripped away…
Maureen Mary Hope was killed by a bullet from a gun.
I didn't pull that trigger but I instigated a fight where that gun was used. I killed my wife. It doesn't matter what anyone else says. They tell me I've got to forgive myself. But for that…I never will.
But enough about all that; that's the past…
Nothing can change that now.
I'm supposed to be tellin' you about what happened after…
Everybody thinks they know what happened to me. The papers and the online heralds, they all wrote about it. The news interviewed everybody but me about it. They all think they know more about my life and my shit than I do!
Well, guess what?
Time to set the record straight!
It's time you heard it from the Champ, himself.
This is my story. Beyond the rise, the crashing fall, losing everything, and rebuilding from the ground floor up. This is the rebirth of Billy the Great Hope.
I am the man. I am the father. I am the brother, the son, the lover.
I define myself.
I took back my story.
I survived and now…
Now I'm really living!
This is it…
You ready!?