Shajor Publications
THE DREAM
A Novel
In Milwaukee, two dreams collide — and only one of them can survive.
Some men chase the dream. Some men bury it.
- Chapters
- 12
- Words
- 65,937
- 239 pp · 6×9
Free — no payment, no account
Dedication
This book is dedicated to
- Money I’Z aka Fatboi Gwalla Gwalla
- Nephew G
- Marty aka Charlie Ward
- Coo Love
The Story
On the east side of Milwaukee, Allante "Dro" Gardner has one gift and one way out: the microphone. When the CEO who bankrolled his album is murdered by his own wife, Dro’s dream dies with him — unless he takes the money he needs off a stash house that belongs to the coldest man in the city.
Lorenzo Ross runs the kilos, the corners, and the safe houses — the coldest man in the city, and he didn’t get there by forgiving. When one of his stash spots turns up empty and three bodies turn up in it, blood becomes the only currency that matters — and it starts with his own cousin.
From the block in Milwaukee to the strip clubs of Miami, from Colombian freighters to federal surveillance vans, THE DREAM is a merciless story of ambition, betrayal, and the price of the come-up. Two labels. One city. Every debt collected.
Milwaukee, WI · Miami · Atlanta
The Cast
Alexus Gardner
Dro's seventeen-year-old sister who begins seeing Soul.
Asia
An exotic dancer who entertains Soul and Lorenzo in Miami.
Aunt Annie Mae
Lorenzo and Corey's aunt who raised Lorenzo after his mother was murdered.
Banks
An associate of Soul who accompanies him backstage at a concert.
Beats
Dro's high school friend and studio engineer.
Becky
A woman who intimately visits V-Kill in prison.
Benny
An associate mentioned watching Soul perform backstage.
Bianca
A prostitute working for the pimp Worldwide.
Block
A drug dealer who is robbed by Corey and Tywan, and subsequently murdered.
Bob Billings (Paul Billings)
A Federal Agent investigating Lorenzo Ross and Rock The Mic Records.
Bounce
Cozac's in-house producer who works on Dro's music.
Brad McMillian (Agent Anthony West)
An undercover federal agent posing as a publicist, who is later tortured and murdered by Lorenzo.
Carlos
A major cocaine distributor and exotic car lot owner based in Miami.
Cass
One of Lorenzo's tamed killers who disposes of Brad's body and car.
Charles “Pops” Gardner
Dro's alcoholic father who passes away from cirrhosis of the liver.
Claude
An ex-police officer turned private investigator whom Lorenzo contacts.
Corey
Lorenzo's cousin who robs Block's stash house and is later murdered by Lorenzo for the betrayal.
Cozac Gibson
The CEO of Big Mouth Records who is murdered by his wife, Misha.
D.J. Reggie Mill
A DJ who agrees to play Dro's music in the clubs.
Dana
One of Alexus's friends.
Darrick Hines
A young man left in a coma after the stash house robbery who eventually dies in the hospital.
Doctor Miller
A doctor paged over the intercom at Beechwood Hospital.
Don Lucci
An artist signed to Lorenzo's Rock The Mic Records.
Donny
Mrs. Gardner's abusive, drug-addicted lover.
Dro (Allante Gardner)
A rap artist and former juvenile delinquent who starts Pound 4 Pound Records.
Emmanuel
The captain of the Tiger Rose freighter smuggling cocaine from Colombia.
Erotic
An exotic dancer and twin sister of Exotic.
Eula
Dro's great-grandmother who quilted a blanket for him.
Exotic
An exotic dancer and twin sister of Erotic.
Fif
A mainstream rap artist who performs at a major concert.
Gomez
A Coast Guard agent involved in intercepting a drug freighter.
Harmony
A female rapper who performs at a showcase and is approached by Dro.
Hennesy
An exotic dancer who entertains the men in Miami.
James Baldwins
An A&R representative from Sony Records who meets with Dro and Tywan.
Jessica
A woman who visits V-Kill in prison.
Juicy
An exotic dancer who aggressively entertains Soul and Lorenzo in Miami.
Juv
A mainstream rap artist performing at the Civic Center.
Kato
An eighteen-year-old millionaire drug dealer and major customer of Lorenzo.
L.C.
One of Lorenzo's hired gun slangers who is murdered by Savannah.
Lil Dro (Andre Gardner)
Dro and Tonya's seven-year-old son.
Lorenzo Ross (Zo)
The CEO of Rock The Mic Records and a powerful, ruthless drug kingpin.
Magic Hands
Lorenzo's barber.
Maino
A young neighborhood thug who helps promote Dro's music.
Meechie
Block's acquaintance who gets castrated during the stash house robbery.
Misha
Cozac's pregnant wife who murders him and his mistress, and is later placed in a mental institution.
Mrs. Gardner
Dro and Alexus's drug-addicted mother.
Ms. Jung (Dr. Jung)
Misha's psychiatrist at the Better Health mental institution.
Myhria
A woman who spends time with Soul in his truck.
Netta
Corey's girlfriend who goes on a lavish shopping spree with him.
Pastor Lewis
A pastor whom Soul points out as actually being a pimp in Milwaukee.
Paul Rice
A Federal Agent investigating Lorenzo and Rock The Mic Records.
Picasso (Casso)
An artist signed to Rock The Mic Records.
Rhonda
Cozac's mistress who is shot by Misha.
Ricardo
A bartender at the strip club in Miami.
Rochelle
Tony's cousin who is assaulted in a parking lot.
Santana
A manager or owner of the VIP section at the Miami strip club.
Savannah
Lorenzo's loyal hitwoman and former girlfriend who murders West and L.C.
Soul (Torrey)
A rap artist signed to Rock The Mic Records and Lorenzo's close friend.
Stacks
A companion of Lorenzo who informs him about Darrick Hines at the hospital.
Tony
A man who gets attacked in his Cadillac by a woman with a tire iron.
Tonya (Tee-Tee Sanders)
Dro's girlfriend and the mother of his son.
Tracy
A woman who attacks Tony and Rochelle with a tire iron.
Trip
The manager of a mainstream music store who agrees to stock Dro's CDs.
Troy
An associate Lorenzo greets in the park.
Tuck
Lorenzo's associate who tips him off about Corey's new wealth.
Tywan (Ty)
Dro's close friend and business partner who helps run Pound 4 Pound Records.
Valinda
Worldwide's primary prostitute.
Vanity
One of Alexus's friends.
V-Kill (Victor Thomas)
An incarcerated associate of Dro who is released from prison and signs with Pound 4 Pound.
Wallstreet
Dro's uncle who recently returned from a military deployment in Iraq.
West
One of Lorenzo's hired gun slangers who is executed by Savannah.
Worldwide
A pimp and associate of Lorenzo and Soul.
Zariah
A college student and Wendy's employee who begins dating Lorenzo.
Contents
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