From time to time we have all met someone that's hood. This section of the site is not just dedicated to those that are hood enlightened, hood rich, and even hood-lums... it will be a spot where you can get the latest run down on whats happening in your community. CNN doesn't keep up with what we're going through too much - and not too many other networks do a good job at it either. Hell, its a challenge to even get the real deal from BET these days - so we decided to take matters into our own hands and set up a place where you could get all the latest information about your hood.

Stay tuned as we update this part of the site regularly, and in the meantime, join us for a discussion over at the Urban Connect Mag Network to talk about what you think is hood. Sign up and get going - its easy as that. Click here and you will be directed there. Also, there is a chatroom and some other goodies for you so don't delay.

Tales from the Hood

The Rise and Fall of One of Charlotte’s most Notorious hustlers David “Diamond” Drayton
By: Cedric Glenn

Born June, 20 1968 as David L. Drayton better known as “Diamond” to the streets. Who while growing up on the Westside of Charlotte in the Boulevard Homes community saw a lot of different ways to get money “I use to walk down to my cousins house in Dalton Village and it would be going down on all levels back then, If you didn’t know anyone once you went there it was best not to go!“ After soaking in enough game Diamond entered the streets at a young age in the late 80’s with big dreams of becoming one of Charlotte’s most productive businessmen.  “I’ve always been a hands on man”  While hanging out in some of Charlotte’s most notorious neighborhoods Dalton Village, Earl Village and Piedmont Courts Diamond met Money Rock, Tyrone Boger and Harry Clark. “We became street brothers from another mother, we were getting real money, then I met Hawk from out of Griertown and we all teamed up.”

In 1989 one of Diamond’s close friends Money Rock was set up by the Feds with a half of kilo of cocaine and $100, 000 dollars in the trunk of his new Benz on the corner of West Blvd and Remount Rd landing Money Rock twenty plus years.  “This was a major hit to our team, we all went our separate ways due to other matters.”

By 1991 Diamond and Hawk had established a name all throughout the city of Charlotte.  They even opened up a nightclub called “Strictly Big Time” off Rozellesferry Rd. “The club was a big hit we had everyone coming through UNCC students,  Johnson C. Smith students everybody!”  Diamond and Hawk seemed to be on top of the world until they were indicted on September 8th 1994 and charged with a kilo and a half of crack cocaine and cocaine base.  This landing them both the devastating blow of twenty years each.

After a decade and a half in prison as Diamond reaches the end of his sentence he still has plans of becoming one of Charlotte’s most productive businessmen just this time in a positive way “I can now honestly say that I’ve learned so much more about myself and what I have to offer the young, old, homeless, schools and elsewhere in Charlotte or any other parts of the world.”

Diamond is set to be released very soon and plans to take the world by storm with $Diamond’s World Wide Communications  if you would like to contact him please send info to: David L. Drayton

#11418-058 C-E
Federal Prison Camp
P.O. Box 1000