Young Black Man Trades In
4-Year College Scholarship
For Glamorous Hip Hop Thug Life

Edrick M. Mayfield had it all… the grade point average, a four-year academic scholarship to Ohio State University and a loving family.

What more could a young Black man ask for to prepare for the future? How about adding a beautiful and loving black woman as his wife and eventually a flourishing career or a thriving business?

Edrick could have had that and more with his academic abilities, but the lure of the glamorous thug life was too appealing for this 24-year-old black man.

What did this shot caller get for his full scholarship? Check it out…

A robbery conviction in 2001

A possession of cocaine conviction

A gun-related indictment in 2005

A kidnapping conviction

An aggravated robbery conviction

A felonious assault conviction

He’ll be another black man labeled as a convict for the rest of his life

And finally, he received a 23-year sentence in a penitentiary.

Says east coast rapper Killa Instynct, Edrick punked out during sentencing. Shackled at the wrists and ankles, he apologized to the family, and asked God's blessings for them. Says Killa Instynct, “If he was a straight up baller, he would’ve held it down and pled “Not guilty!”

Simply put, for Edrick and countless young Black men, the glamorous hip hop thug life has much more appeal than education. Generally speaking, the Black man has gravitated towards the thug life because he believes it gives him power, respect and money.

Says Edrick’s parents…

``He had the grade-point average and everything, but just quit his senior year,'' Eddie Mayfield said.

``He had the scholarship. Nothing was ever rescinded,'' his mother said. ``He just started to go another route.''

Like his homies, Edrick is now on lock down; singing Akon’s tune, ‘Locked Up.”

He’s another Black man who can look back and say that he lived the thug life to the illest.