Baltimore Beings #10

Location: South Baltimore

"A year ago, I moved with my parents. They both have problems. They decided that they wanted to be parents three years of my life. That was the most miserable time of my life. They screwed it up. They helped me do nothing."

Location: Inner Harbor

"I was in the Air Force. I got so messed up man. Really drunk. That night I left my suitcase in the cab. So I didn't have any papers. Any orders. Nothing really showing who I was. I was technically in the country illegally so they were trying to lock me up. I'm at the station in Istanbul fussing with the officials there. Just so happens that there were some Army guys there. They heard what was going on. So they snuck me around the corner and took me into this garage looking thing. He said the only thing that could stop me from going to jail is for them to sneak me in the country and on the plane. So they threw me in the back of this pickup and put all of these bags on me. When we go to the runway they told me jump out and i literally ran on the back of the plane and they shut the door. That next morning, I wake up and I hear all these sirens man. Everyone is wondering what's going on. There was a plane crash that killed 14 officers. I was suppose to be on that plane. But since I left my suitcase in the cab, I had to sneak on the plane that left the night before because I would've been in jail otherwise. I was sick man. My name was on the manifest. The Air Force called my family and told them I was dead and everything. Getting drunk saved my life man (laughs). I always questioned what my purpose in life was. He saved me for some reason. I'm taking care of these two kids right now, though. Love them like they're my own. Maybe that's it."

Location: South Baltimore

"When I was younger I feared being away from my parents. Really was. I used to carry pictures of them in my bookbag. I didn't want to be away from them. I used to cry almost everyday."

Baltimore Beings #9

Location: Pratt St.

"My mind is my greatest asset"

Keem Griffey: What do you regret the most?

"Not speaking it."

Location: Howard St.

"I want to fix myself before I worry about a relationship. That is one thing I believe in. You got to worry about yourself first before you can do the same for someone else, ya know?"

Location: Northeast Baltimore

"I'll be honest. I was in PG County just on some spending the night shit and I couldn't really sleep well. I didn't hear any sirens. No helicopters. None of that shit. Shit was weird as fuck to me! (laughs). I am a legitimate city person. I don't see myself wanting to live anywhere but a city. The convenience. If I get up, and say fuck it I want to go to the corner store and get me a soda and some chips, I can do that! Or if i hear the ice cream truck and want a soft cone ice cream, I can get that. I don't want no Mr. Jolly's shit. Ice cream and Nachos. What the fuck type shit is that! (laughs). This is all I know. Breakfast sandwiches and chicken boxes. You end up loving it. Even though you hate it once you realize how fucked up it is. But at the end of the day it's still you. You can't let it go"

Follow Baltimore Beings on Instagram: @BaltimoreBeings

Baltimore Beings #8

Location: Eutaw St.

"People get stuck. Become a victim of circumstance. They start feeling sorry for themselves. Baltimore, being the kind of city it is, it makes them a little deterred from their goals and dreams. And thats the worst part: seeing people do that to themselves." 

Location: Charles St

"Once I realized that no one gives a shit and people are going to judge you regardless, and you can do whatever you want with your time and like, once I became myself, I became empowered and just, happy. 'Cause it's like, nothing is stopping you from ANYTHING. Nobody's rules. The only thing that limits you is money. I mean, because that's just how it is. (Laughs)"

Location: Kenyon Ave.

"I love my twin sisters so much. They're my world. They're 11 now."

Baltimore Beings #7

Location: Howard St.

Keem Griffey: What have you been listening to lately? 

"Random commercials. Like I'll skip the music and go to the commercials (laughs)."

Location: East Baltimore

"My son makes me happy. He's six years of age. Another thing that makes me happy is being a clown. Living life out loud. Without a care. Not worrying about what the critics have to say."

Location: Downtown Baltimore

"My last relationship is a thing that should've been in a movie. Yeah. The shit you see in these Tyler Perry movies, I should've been one of those girls. The heartaches. The fights. Anything you name, I've gone through it. Rape. Domestic violence. The real kind. Not just pushing and head mushing. Scrapping. Straight scrapping. Everyday. So, I'm emotionally drained. It's been like that for the past two years. And people tell me to let things go. No. You can't let shit like that go. Plus that shit has made me a stronger person. All those fights, all that shit that happened. All the side bitches. All the beefs I had to go through. The bitches I did lose. The bitches I was friends with. I'm extremely grateful for my last relationship. It's unfortunate that I had to go through the things I went through but I'm happy for it. It makes me the person I am now. Can't nobody take that from me."

Baltimore Beings #6

Location: Downtown Baltimore

"Me and her have 3 kids. I got 8 all together with 4 different women. But I got 3 with her. She's the love of my life. I'd do anything for her. And she'd do anything for me. One time she beat a woman halfway down the street."

Location: Howard St.

"One of the best times of my life was when i went to Pittsburgh to see the Steelers."

Keem Griffey: You know you're going to get killed right? 

(Laughs)

Location: Brehms Lane

"Im only 17 but I want to be a doctor. I want to help people"

Dad screams from the back:

"Yes! He wants to be a doctor. For real!"

Follow Baltimore Beings on Instagram: @BaltimoreBeings

Baltimore Beings #5

"I want to be an investigator. I want to be in the lab."

Keem Griffey: Do you like school?

"I hate school."

"I hate to see someone down. If I see someone down, I'm down. I hate to see someone out of their normal character. If I call you family or a friend, I want you to wake up smiling. If something is wrong, let's go fix it. Right now. Growing up, I saw people upset all the time. That shit sick yo. I used to be an upset person, yo. My father had a talk with me for like three hours. You feel me? It was days when I ain't have no job. No money. No grass to get high (laughs). Just seems like ain't nothing getting fixed for real. He told me 'Yo, you gotta keep grinding. You have to find a reason to smile.' And I enjoying seeing people smile. Even if it's me just buying you a piece of candy. Give a nigga a dollar. He's smiling. He's happy. His day just got better. Even if I'm dead broke, in the house with no money but I give someone a call and they sound excited on the other end of the line because my name popped up in their phone. That's something I can die with. That ability."

"I love my job man. It brings me joy. I can tell it brings joy to the people I sell my fruit to.Yeah, that's what I'll say. I feel like I have a purpose. And it's not the GREATEST job in the world but it's my job."

Follow Keem Griffey on Instagram: @keemgriffey

Baltimore Beings #4

Location: Northeast Baltimore

"When I come home from school I do my homework. Then I get my mommy and daddy to check it. Then I ask to go outside and ride my bike and play outside with my friends." 

Location: South Baltimore

"I'll be happy when me and the girl that I'm in love with can finally spend some real time together."

Keem Griffey: What's holding you two back from spending time with each other?

"I mean, we do sometimes but it's just like...My phone is messed up right now and her's is messed up right now so it's hard for us to get in touch with each other."

Location: A Skatepark 

"I love skateboarding man. There's no rules! I do whatever the fuck I want. You know, in other sports you have time. You got rules. Encroachments. Yards to go. I can only take it but so far but everyone's different (haha)."

Follow Keem Griffey on Instagram: @keemgriffey

Baltimore Beings #3

Location: Belair Road

"I was good in basketball. I went out for Lake Clifton's team. When I was in 10th grade I made varsity. I was playing with the big boys. I was on the playground one time and I told a guy to hold my soda while i played a game. Then I drank it man and i was gone. They had to rush me to Johns Hopkins. I was poisoned, man. I was done, man. I couldn't think. Couldn't talk. I didn't know where i was. I'm coming back around, though. I'm getting back around to be able to do stuff. I'm in a rehabilitation center. They never told me what it actually was. I'm glad they never did though because, to be honest, if they told me I was poisoned, I would've went back around there and killed him."

Location: Northeast Baltimore

"First thing I do when I get home from school is my homework! I like it 'cause I'm smart! But I want to be a basketball player when i grow up."

Keem Griffey: (laughs out loud) I think you can do that.

"I know I can."

Location: Herring Run Park

"The happiest moment of my life is repetitive. When I'm making music, it's nothing I'd rather be doing. True freedom, I can do what I want. Say what I want. All that. And that's the whole point of any form of art to me: a source of happiness and escape. A lot of people don't understand that. So many people pick up a microphone or a camera for financial gain. If I never make a dime from this shit, I'll have over 200 songs I can play when I'm 60-years-old and smile hard as shit. And even if only one person listened to the stories I've told thru JustUs' music, that makes me happy."

Follow Keem Griffey on Instagram: @keemgriffey

Baltimore Beings #2

Last week, we debuted a photo series by Baltimore-based photographer and True Laurels contributor, Keem Griffey, called Baltimore Beings. As promised, here is the second installment of the series with three new local faces and stories. Check it out: 

Location: Inner Harbor

"I fear nothing. That shit is all in your head man. And i hate when i hear that word. Being fearful is a disability (laughs out loud)."

Location: Noodles & Company

"My biggest fear when I was a child was my father not coming back to get me. I've had many friends that had the "Dad didn't come get me" story. I was always glad he came back. I knew he would but it was still my fear."

Location: Lombard & Howard St

"Worst part about being out here...there is no one out here to say, 'Hey Tony, you're doing a good job.' Or, 'Keep up the good work.' And maybe it's not "good work" but this makes me, me. Been out here since 2006, you know? Mom died in 2005. But it still hurts because i hadn't talked to her since 2004. 

Keem Griffey: What happened to your leg if you don't mind me asking?

"It was all drugs man. Shot myself so many damn times in the groin. I got an ulcer and it developed into gangrene."

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See more of Keem Griffey's work on Instagram: @keemgriffey

Baltimore Beings

Keem Griffey is a Baltimore-based photographer whose new "Baltimore Beings" photo series was featured in True Laurels Vol. 4. For the series, he approaches random people walking around the city and asks them about themselves, hoping to create some sort of comical and therapeutic relief. He says that in a blue-collar city like Baltimore, people can often be worn down by day-to-day worries so stopping them to ask about their lives can brighten their day. By sharing their stories, he hopes to touch other people whose experiences are similar, as well. 

We'll be sharing new installments of Baltimore Beings every week on True Laurels. Check the newest below:

Location: Pelham & Mannasota

Left: you know what i got to say? Motherfuckers better wake up now!

Right: It cost $0.00 to keep it Real! 

Location: Workplace

"Being gay is one of the hardest challenges I had to face in life and to be honest there have been times I wish I wasn’t just to make everybody I love happy. But, this isn’t about everybody’s happiness but my own and I choose to live the way I was born. It’s like trying to change my skin color! Love yourself by all means"

Location: Herring Run Park

"At this point in my life, I honestly can say I'm hungrier than I've ever been to make it with music. There isn't a minute of an hour in any single day in my life where I don't think about being successful in it. It's to the point it eats at me so much that I think I might lose my shit soon if I don't make it. I write like a madman and every time I use the bathroom to poop or shower, I usually come out with four or five lines to save in the notes section of my phone"

Follow Keem Griffey on Twitter: @KeemGriffey