Roleplaying an African American teenager

So, you're fifteen and you live in the run-down housing project 'Belmont'. In this housing project, there are crack fiends, old angry men, normal citizens and of course, teenagers. I'm sure a lot of people ask themselves "How would a African American, fifteen year old kid in a rough neighborhood act around his peers?"; it's really not that difficult. First, sum up your character; is he tall, is he small, is he skinny, is he fat, does he have asthma, is he scared of drugs, is he a bully, is he a coward, is he a thief; these should all be taken into account as you try and roleplay with BMF.

A lot of people that roleplay teenagers, over do it, what I mean by this is, they roleplay being terrified of everybody; I don't know about others, but through teenage years, I wasn't stuttering as I spoke to my friends, I wasn't terrified of everybody, I knew drugs existed and I wasn't a gangster; I was an average kid in a sub-urban neighborhood.

Remember, you're a teenager! Life is a joke to you and so is most things; having friendly banter with your friends, whether it be a fat joke, a hair joke or a mum joke; you arn't going to start swinging punches; you're teenage friends and that's what teenagers do.

Fear

Now, as I said earlier: teenagers arn't terrified of every little thing in the world; if anything, they're quite naive. Just because the police are talking to you, you aren't going to be terrified if you havn't done anything, and chances are, you won't show the fear; obviously, if you've killed someone, or commited another serious crime, you're going to be terrified, but if you've done nothing wrong, you've nothing to be scared of.

Fighting, at early years, fighting can be an extremely scary thing for the average teenager. Most teenagers, before fights, are nervous, there adredaline is pumping. What I would really like to see, is for a teenager to roleplay nervous, not scared, but nervous before a fight.

Crime will be a part of everyones time in the BMF, whether it be sooner or later. Crime can be very scary, of course depending on what it is; if you're a teenager, roleplaying stealing candy from a store, graffiting a wall or egging a house is all acceptable roleplay, and it can be quite fun to, but murder, car theft and kidnap are something you will need to develop your character to do.

Weapons, weapons themselves, whether it be on you or somebody else, can be quite scary. Your character might carry around a knife, knowing they arn't going to use it, but it may be to intimidate somebody or something of the sort. I know from experience, holding a gun or a knife to somebody can be just as terrifying as being helf up by one. Unless you've developed your character otherwise; you'll be scared when holding somebody up with a lethal weapon.

Finance

Remember, you're a teenager, in a ghetto; unless you're selling drugs or something similar; you can't afford diamond ear rings, gucci clothing or a car; and since you're living in the Belmont housing projects, your parents can't either. I absoulutely hate when I see people driving cars, claiming their uncle, aunty, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, gave it to them. Remember that cars are extremely expensive, driving lessons, insurance and of course the car itself, is not something a teenager or their parents in a housing project, could afford.

Stick-ied.

Real useful.

Nice guide Avon, really nice guide. This will really assist new comers and current people with the faction, it for sure has helped me.

Nice guide pal.