Just Ice- Volume One

Growing up in crime families and the environment that they grew up in, the Fifth Ward projects, no one blinked an eye when best friends Ice and B began hustling. The towering figures first order of business was to convince Ice's notorious brother, Johnny Matthews, a.k.a. J-Deuce, due to his reputation of always carrying two Glock nine pistols, to join them and provide security. The three of them wanted to form a crew that ran their business "outside of the box," in their approach. A crew that stressed discipline and structure, forming a council, and a team of beautiful, sexy lady killers, they named the "Sexy Assassins" to perform the crew's dirty work, when needed.

Ice, Tyrone Matthews, the all-American athlete and football star could not shake his family's deep hustling bloodline. The confident, laid back, cerebral, leader wanted to conduct business different from the other crews in the city.

B, Reginald Collins, meanwhile, the street basketball star, was the crew's live-wire, quick tempered, and down for whatever should pop off. Fifth Ward's yen and yang in their approach, but united in their execution.

The crew's goal was to see everyone escape out of the 'trap game, ' before they became a statistic: locked away in prison or worse, dead, but with crooked cops, jealous rivals, and over eager hustlers within the crew, would the crew's goal become realized?

Tariq A. Muhammed, born Terrell W. Dow, was raised in Houston Texas's Fifth Ward. Tariq a Marine spent his enlisted time stationed at the prestigious Marine Barracks 8th & I Washington, D.C. as a Color Guard and then retired after working 28 years working in the Juvenile Probation system. Tariq values time with family and friends as priceless. He loves reading, spending time near the water, taking care of his pets, plants and listening to music.

Just Ice- Volume One is Tariq's first published book. As the 1st Place 2023 Fiction Chapter One's Black Writers Workspace Writing Contest winner, Tariq was inspired to continue pealing back the layers of untapped potential in fictional writing. Tariq wants to inspire and educate others with his stories to not hesitate doing things that they desire.

Tariq would love to hear from you! Please follow him on his social media platforms:

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