Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9410040045
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LUAINE LEE KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``It just changed our whole lives. We could take care of our families now, everything was on a straight legal vibe, you know what I mean? You could do things and save for the future where you couldn't before.'' Actually, Treach (it's pronounced ``Tretch'' as in treacherous) was on his way to becoming another statistic when he and two pals from school, Vin Rock and Kay Gee, began joining the amateur talent show and proved that their rap was more than a jump-rope jingle.
``The whole spectrum turned. We had it at a point where somebody would trip over you and not even notice to a point where you couldn't go to the store without there's autographs and everything. ... It just changed our whole lives, like overnight it happened.''
But at 17 he was out in the streets and on his way to nowhere. ``When you young, you not listening to what your parents say. They always tell you, `When I was a kid, when I was your age. ...' You say, `Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't see you as no kid.' So you don't listen.
``But after we went through our changes and my mom threw me out, and I was on the streets I understood that she did that 'cause she had to. I was hardheaded. She was saying I was acting like I was grown, so I might as well be on my own. She gave me that earlier than I was expecting. So when I got it, it was like Mommy wasn't there to cook. If I was sick, there was no more Mommy. If I needed some clothes there was no more Mommy. If I needed somewhere to sleep, it was no more there. I done used it up. So after I came out and everything, I had to go back and show her that I loved her and respected her, for whatever she done.''
Treach and his trio's ``O.P.P.'' was a big hit. They were nominated as best rap performers in 1992 and they were chosen best new rap group in the American Music Awards the same year. ``Hip Hop Hurray'' followed.
It's rewarding being a poet of the streets, but Treach wouldn't mind being a movie star. Now in his third movie, ``Jason's Lyric,'' which opened Wednesday in Roanoke, Treach plays one of the bad guys who makes life hard for the villain. Those mean streets that he prowls as an actor are not far from the ones he knew in Orange, N.J.
``There was a lotta peer pressure and you're doing a lotta things not 'cause you wanted to do them, 'cause you wanted to be in the crowd getting into trouble, you know what I mean?
``Not having an open relationship with my mom, like more shut off and shuttered where you see each other, `Hi.' `Bye.' You know what I mean, she work, me school and streets. Just doing things whatever you had to do just to make sure you ate and kept yourself together and above ground. Watching your back constantly because you never know what was going to come out of the alley and round the corner, shooting.''
Treach, 23, was one of the lucky ones. Queen Latifah heard about him and his buddies and took him on the road as one of her roadies.
``I was happy,'' he says. ``And I saw for the first time there was a world outside my world. 'Cause in the ghetto you got everything you want. You got parties, you got girls. They make it seem like this is the only world you have. So once I traveled outside I saw that this was a whole new world, whole new environment. It was much more than what I'd seen.
``When I got back I stayed in the house for months and finished the album. I went out and the rest is history after that. But if I hadn't had that first opportunity I'd probably be still there now or even worse, I might not even be here now.''
by CNB