A glance at the iconic 'Big' mural on the corner of his childhood street immediately teases the idea that you're walking streets that would've been familiar to one of rap's greatest. For Curtis Rowser, the streets of New York carry a similar weight — but Fulton’s reach runs deeper, stretching beyond Brooklyn to Queens, and through his veins.
"Flatbush, like, that’s literally where my mom's family grew up. My uncle dropped 42 at the YMCA across the street once. The hoop’s still up in the backyard where my pops grew up, out in Queens. My fam used to play at this court too."

Although raised in Virginia, Curtis had been born in Brooklyn, with his mother's side in Flatbush and his father's in Queens — both sides entwined with the basketball roots that run deep beneath New York's concrete.

Curtis' basketball journey began before memories could be grasped, with some of his earliest consisting of training sessions at five years old. Growing up in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) meant that he benefitted from playing alongside and against elite basketball competition from an early age — it was a hotbed for high-level basketball programs, and a springboard for his journey that ultimately led to D1 college basketball.

"In my senior year in high school, 80% of the games I'm playing against at least one Division 1 player. If I'm recruiting — I'm going to that area before anywhere in the world."

Curtis operates with a focus and drive that stems from a major life event that happened at just seven years old, when his father tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident. Although his father passed at just 35, he left a legacy of supporting dreams, celebrating success, and of love. 

Curtis Rowser III carries his father's name, the fully formed memories, and his picture on the gold chain that he has worn since he was a child. Facing such a tough loss at a young age has provided a resilience when facing hard times, spurred on by the knowledge that he's overcome before — and will overcome again, and again.

This resilience has undoubtedly played a part in helping Curtis to reflect on his basketball journey with positivity and has fueled a successful career as a writer for SLAM Magazine, following his studies in Sports Management and Journalism.   

 "Now that I’m 31, I look back and realise — I thought I was working hard as a hooper, but I wasn’t working hard enough. I had the resources. My uncle, Craig Boothe, opened a gym. He coached me most of my youth. I had the facility, the support — everything. But I could’ve been more disciplined, more focused. I don’t want to feel that way again — to be 50 and think, 'Dang, I could’ve been a better writer, a better journalist.' So now, whatever I do, I carry that lesson with me."

What started out as a short but significant HBCU-focused column for SLAM ('HBCU Spotlight') developed into a regular online series — 'Hoops, Rap and Everything Black' — as well as regular features in print. Now, he's a recurring name on the bylines for some of the most iconic cover stories of recent issues — including Karl-Anthony Towns and Jewell Loyd. While Curtis may not have scaled the summit of being a professional basketball player, he works professionally in basketball — in a field that uniquely embodies his hoops fingerprint.

Spending a Sunday morning with Curtis at the Biggie court left me with a sense of appreciation for what is tangible. He reflects on his love for editorial print, while freezing timeless moments on his Contax T2. He explains how Biggie's connection to the court encapsulates the spirit of both Hip Hop and basketball that has journeyed with him throughout. He recalls memories of the space providing an outlet — throughout COVID and beyond — for Curtis and his close friend Jesse Boone to avoid long days of isolation. Like his tattoos, like the photo pendant that hangs from his chain, like Christopher Wallace, like his dad, Curtis Rowser Jr — Curtis Rowser III has a story to tell. And he won't be deterred from telling it.