We Are The Streets taught us an array of things about hip-hop legend Styles P. On the project, the gangster and gentleman explained how he hopped off the stoop at an early age to sell crack cocaine — and in a recent interview, he explains what initially drove him to do so.

“When I was 12 years old, crack hit the streets VERY hard,” spoke Styles P. “I been outside since I was about 7 years old—but at 12, I sold crack. And, that didn’t even hit me until my son turned 12. Looking at my son turn 12, I had to realize one day ‘holy sh!’ Looking at his frame, his body, his structure, who he was mentally, what he was doing—like, ‘damn, this is fuing crazy!'”

The Good Times spitter dug deeper, “If you got Skippies, you want good sneakers. Like, a lot of people became criminals because of sneakers. I’m a victim of sneakers and clothes!” Hence, Styles P‘s crack cocaine career launched as a result of desiring finer threads and footwear. “I sold crack, because I wanted good sneakers. If you want to be real about it.”

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Styles P said after he viewed Beat Street, he wanted to be Lee (clothing style wise). “I wanted windbreakers, Pumas, and Adidas. Then, a few years later, I wanted Delta Forces, I wanted Nikes, and I was praying I could get a Volkswagen one day.”