Notable People I've Met or Came Across throughout My Life Part 1

I don't believe that some humans are MORE special than others, just that some discover their magnetic talents and utilize them on higher levels than others. Now, I do believe that some people are MORE influential and MORE popular than most of us. Time reveals who people are and who they are to become.

In the grand scheme of things though, something as simple as who we know, or who we've met, shouldn't be as important as it sometimes is made to be. However, we live in America -- a capitalist society -- where so much value is placed on things like: How much money we make, who we know, and the fame we achieve. It’s the culture of our country! So with that said, I figured letting you in on different famous and influential folk I've been blessed to meet or see at some point or another would be interesting, informative, and fun 😁 I'd really like to fill you in on every detail and the circumstances surrounding each person, but I'd have to write a book 😁 So for the purpose of this newsletter, I'll just try to be as detailed as necessary to meet the goal of informing you, okay? I also wrote this in such a way that you can go to the names you're interested in and skip the others. Hope you enjoy 😁

I guess I'll start from the 1st famous person I met. Well...he wasn't famous at the time though:

Demetrius "Shawty Shawty" Stewart -- In the early 2000's, a comedian gained National attention from his standup comedy acts, appearing on "Comic View", the Apollo, he hosted the Shawty Shawty Show at Uptown Comedy Corner and had cameos in rap videos. Well, I met him before the fame and those accomplishments. In the early 90's, Shawty was my neighbor. Recently moving to Atlanta, GA. in the late 80's, my family rented a duplex on Cascade Rd. Shawty and his family moved into the house beneath us. Now I didn't have many interactions with Shawty and I'm pretty sure that at least one of the reasons was because of our differences in age. I didn't even know him as Shawty, but as Kamari's older brother. See, I was friends with his younger brother Kamari. This was around the time of the rap duo "Kris Kross". I remember that specifically because Kamari was light skinned and I darker so we saw ourselves in that group 😁 Plus I believe that Kamari and Shawty had some kind of family ties or friendship to one of the "Kris Kross" members. So although I didn't really know Shawty, I saw him regularly, interacted with him, his brother and his mother.

It was nice to see him on the big screen almost 20 years later 😁 Even nowadays I'll see Shawty here and there: A few weeks ago I saw Shawty in the Petty Pablo video "Freak-a-leak". Plus I hear that he was a radio morning show host on 94.5 in Atlanta and has appeared multiple times on Nick Cannon's show "Wild N Out". I wish him much success!

James Robert "Red" Moore -- Was actually the first famous person I really knew. However, I didn't just know him he was like family to me 😁 In fact, I never heard anyone call him James, Robert, "Red", or Moore -- until I got older. We called him "Pappy". He played a part in raising and looking after me while I stayed at his house -- which seemed often enough. See...when I was 6 my mother married Demetrius Nicely who was extended family to Pappy -- which made Pappy extended family to me. So I was lucky 😁 I was also lucky to be nurtured by his niece -- whom I and everyone else affectionately called "Baby Sister".

How was Pappy famous, you ask? Well, decades before I met him, he actually played the highest level of baseball that a Blackman could play in his time. He played in "The Negro League" for "A.B.C." the Atlanta Black Crackers and other teams as a 1st baseman. So he's one of those urban legends that rarely are recognized. In fact, even though I knew his history growing up, I never viewed him in such a way. He was simply...Pappy. I could start recalling memories of him and the people involved with my relationship to him, but let me just say that I don't have one negative thing to say about him. He will forever be loved by me.

Today, Baby Sister, as well as Pappy have made their transitions, but I will never forget either of them 😁 Pappy made his transition in 2016. He lived to be 99 years old 😁 [Born November 18, 1916 - February 6, 2016] In 2006, James Robert "Red" Moore was inducted into the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame. CUT UP Pappy! 😁😁😁 An NFL Sponsored Event -- I went to the Convention Center in Atlanta where I met, saw, and got autographs from famous football players like Emmitt Smith and others of the early 90's. Before my incarceration, I still had the shirt with those signatures. I don't remember everybody I saw nor do I remember every autograph I received. However, I do remember the event. Oh! I also remember asking one of the mascots for his autograph. I'm sure that made his day 😁

Brian "B-High" Hightower -- Is an air personality on 107.9FM radio Hot Spot ATL as well as a producer. Brian Hightower and I went to Southwest Middle School, which had a name change our 7th grade year to Jean Childs Young. Plus we attended one year together at Benjamin E. Mays High School before I moved to N.O. with my father. More important than going to the same school, Brian and I have remained friends from then -- until now. Despite me moving to N.O., despite the obstacles in the both of our lives, and despite my incarceration, we've managed to stay friends and stay in touch. As I write this, I haven't heard from him in a while. So somebody -- anybody -- tell Brian to write me on JPay 😁

I have sooo many memories with Brian that to mention them now would take me off course. Brian, thanks for being a brother to me and blessing me with the company of other great friends who've also stayed in contact with me after all of these years: Donald "Duck" Walker, Kwame Whitted, Damion Johnson and Garrett Brassell Jr. At this point, I gotta mention Tramell Brays name although Brian didn't introduce us. I have Much Love for all of y'all!

Gladys Knight -- Is a 77 year old singer from Atlanta, Georgia who's biggest hit was Midnight Train to Georgia. She has plenty of albums and a music history expanding decades. She’s won numerous awards, including 7 Grammies and a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Sometime in the mid 90's, my mother and I were eating at a popular restaurant (at that time) called The Beautiful Restaurant in Atlanta known for offering a healthier option to the traditional Southern Soul Food Cuisine. It’s a small black owned restaurant with a home town feel that was filled with people and almost always had a line. While eating, my mother noticed Gladys Knight sitting across from us eating, too, while babysitting a fairly new baby. I actually didn't know Gladys Knight by face at the time, but my mother pointed her out to me and made a way to respectfully get her attention. We smiled, waved, and kept it cordial. She acknowledged our gestures -- all the while trying to keep a low profile. It felt good seeing her.

By the late 90’s she opened a restaurant called "Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles" in Atlanta that had a similar spin on the Southern Soul Food Cuisine, with a fine dining twist. It eventually grew into a chain of restaurants but closed in 2017 after being opened for 20 years. I really can't wait to get the hell out of here and get on a midnight train to Georgia 😁

Todd "Too $Hort" Shaw -- Is a 55 year old rapper from California who's been staying in Atlanta at least since the early 90's. He doesn't have a host of awards, but the game has sure been good to him! With over 15 albums, 6 Platinum records, 4 Gold records, appearances in movies like Menace II Society and American Pimp, in addition to a 30 + year career in rap, would you disagree? I also want to note that those accomplishments came without being mainstream. Crazy, I know!

Sometime in the mid 90's, my stepfather (Demetrius Nicely) and I saw Too $Hort at a gas station on Cascade Rd. I believe it was a Chevron. Anyway, Too $Hort was in a convertible Mercedes with some female. He was doing his thang 😁 That moment felt great too. I wanted to holla out Bitchhh -- you know, just to support the whole movement 😁 However, I knew that with Demetrius there, there would've been repercussions. So, Short Dog, I'll just have to catch you another time 😁

Antwan "Big Boi" Patton -- Now I'mma count this one...even though I'm not 100% sure it was him JJ My cousin, Nashid, and I were at a movie theater and saw who we swore was Big Boi. He was sitting towards the exit/entrance with a female. As we noticed him, we naturally tried to approach him and...I guess holla at him (I don't even think I was considering an autograph at the time). Our only problem was this big bodyguard who stopped us from going any further. So we left out of there feeling kind of played 😁 The only reason I say that I'm not 100% sure if it was him was because it was dark and we never got a chance to confirm it. However, I'll go to my grave knowing that it was him! Why else have a bodyguard, right?

If you don't know who Big Boi is, he's half of the rap duo "Outkast". Outkast has 7 success albums and have produced hits like Hey Ya!, Ms. Jackson, and So Fresh, So Clean. Don't act like you haven't heard them 😁

Big Boi is a 6 time Grammy award winner. He has a couple of solo albums and hits like Doin It and The Way You Move. He’s also appeared in movies like ATL and Superfly. He's 46 years old now, but started in 1992 when he was only 17.

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Now those where the people I was blessed to either meet or see from the time I arrived in Atlanta, Georgia (1988) until the time I moved to New Orleans, Louisiana with my father (1998). I hope that this part of the journey was as interesting, as informative, as well as fun for you -- as it was for me 😁

Next week, I plan on taking you down that some journey, but this time starting from the folk I was blessed to see or meet from the time I moved to New Orleans, Louisiana up until Hurricane Katrina. Stay tuned... BUT HERE'S THE TWIST: I'm looking forward to hearing from you! I want you to write me -- via JPay [see Home page for instructions] -- and tell me about at least one famous person you've been blessed to either see or meet. I can't wait to hear from you 😁 Until next week...

Much Love.......

Soul