Writing Royalty Radio - Jun 05,2014

"Hell Up in Harlem" Guest Authors: Azie Faison Azie (pronounced "AZ") Faison Jr. was born in the Bronx, New York on November 10, 1964.His family relocated to the famed Sugar Hill section of Harlem, New York.While childhood friend Rich Porter began dealing drugs as early as 12 years old, Faison - a ninth-grade dropout - worked in a neighborhood dry cleaners. A Dominican cocaine supplier approached Azie about selling the drug. By the time he turned 19, Faison became a cocaine wholesaler of sorts in his Harlem district.In 1987, an attempt to rob Faison's stash house left 3 people dead and 3 seriously injured. He himself was shot nine times in the robbery attempt, but survived and left the drug game to embark on a mission to disavow his former life and steer youth away from the path he once chose. In 1989, he formed a rap group called MobStyle and released a solo album in 1991. Following the murders of his friend Rich Porter and his little brother Donnell Porter in 1990, Faison began working on a movie about his life which eventually became Paid in Full, which debuted in 2002. He also teamed up with street documentarian Troy Reed to produce the much-acclaimed documentary about his life called Game Over