editor’s note I’m Just Sayin’tho by D-Ray
T
he things I’ve been experiencing lately are a lot to deal with during the holiday season. People need to realize that money isn’t everything! Some people think it is, but to rob a Chuck E. Cheese that’s packed with children is a lot for me to swallow. You should probably really think about what you’re doing. Just say no! Drugs make you do the oddest things (maybe it wasn’t drugs, but that would be a better cop-out)! But really, you’ve traumatized a few children for a few dollars.
Dear Mama Dez,
I know people are going to do as they please and the world is full of ignorance, but just think how you’ve affected each one of those kids that was just trying to have a fun evening with their family. Just a thought: if you’re brave enough to rob children for pennies, why don’t you try to challenge yourself and move up your target? You’re never going to get rich robbing Chuck E. Cheeses for $311.
Love you! R.I.P. Mama Dez, Forever in Our Hearts!
The holidays are a time to appreciate what we have instead of focusing on what we don’t have. We all could fill up the “I DON’T HAVE…” list pretty fast. That’s why I was having a hard time getting up enough strength to go visit a very dear person in my life, Mama Dez a.k.a. D-Bo; you can call me selfish if you want. She got cancer a few years ago and beat it, but last year, she learned she had cancer again. It’s hard to accept seeing someone who is an all-out fighter have no more fight left in her. It’s heartbreaking. It’s hard for a family to watch another family member fade away. And finally, Mama Dez went home. The pain and suffering is over. On a gloomy December Saturday evening we went to visit. Who would’ve known that was going to be our last physical visit with her? It was a very emotional day. She was one of the ones who helped me stay focused in this doggy dog world. I thank her for all the game I’ve absorbed from her! They call me D-Bo Jr.
Me & D-Lo @ Summer Jam in Oakland
4 // OZONE WEST
DJ Quik & I @ Key Club for Quik’s Groove in Hollywood
God saw you getting tired. And a cure was not to be, so he put his arms around you and whispered, “Come to me.” With tearful eyes we watched you suffer and saw you fade away. Although we love you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating. Hard working hands to rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us that he only takes the best.
I still have the hardest time thinking about my grandfather, a.k.a. my hero! He passed away three years ago from dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Thinking about the good times I had with him helps me get through the tough days. I think about all the laughs we shared, and all the drives when we used to punch it in my whips. There was nothing having him shotgun saying, “Let’s see what you got!” Yes, I’m with it! I got handles! I love my old school Skylark, my Mustang, and my AMG Euro, baby! I need power! Shout out to Fat Bastard wanting to see if my Benz could hang against his 745 BMW! Yes, yes, I dusted him! You have to know how to drive your cars! That’s something my grandfather taught me. Thanks, gramps! Enjoy your holidays and remember: Family First! Money can’t replace love, or memories. Life is not a rehearsal! (in my Drake voice) - D-Ray, OZONE West Editor-At-Large dray@ozonemag.com
B.o.B. & I @ the Roosevelt Hotel for Belvedere’s VMA pool party
Shanell & I @ the BMI Awards in Hollywood