THE

CAZZEEK BROTHERS

                                1982, twelve black teenage males, ages 14 to 17, from Asbury Park, NJ, refused to fall victim to the bad politics and criminal justice system plaguing the city. During this time, many young black men were forming gangs, cliques, and joining social groups, including the Nation of Gods and Earths. These distinguished twelve young men, vowing not to fall victim to the negative obstacles within their community, came together and formed a fraternal Brotherhood presently known and respected as The Cazzeeks Brothers. The purpose of the Cazzeeks Brothers is to inspire and uplift people within the community and to keep them positively bonded.

                                The name “Cazzeeks” was adopted from a dance group of positive young men known as the Quazeeks. Respectfully, these twelve men, focused on having class, naming their fraternity the Cazzeeks. These founders gave each letter acronyms and vowed to live their lives according to the meanings. “C” is for CLASS, “A” is for ABILITY, “Z” is for ZEAL, “Z” is for ZENITH, “E” is for EQUALITY, “E” is for EVERLASTING, “K” is for KEEN, and “S” is for STRONG.

                               The brothers created an oath, rules and regulations, charged dues, and planned and implemented programs throughout the community. This newly developed fraternal brotherhood established long and short-term goals that included long terms goals that will provide scholarships for community youth and purchasing a property for their organization to operate; as well short-term goals that included policing and being responsible for the community. These brothers cleaned and refurbished the Prospect Courts after the city forbid them to and refused to help them in any way.                

                    The Cazzeeks went on to host basketball competitions between various groups and towns. The success of these basketball competitions minimized many conflicts throughout the local cities.

The Cazzeeks began hosting an annual family cookout on Easter Sunday at Shark River Park in Neptune, NJ in response to the corrosion of Asbury Park boardwalk, where many kids would go on Easter Sunday. The brothers, their families, and kids from local communities began enjoying this highly anticipated annual event. This event hosted a football game, nature walks through the wood trails, and Easter egg hunt, a volley and kickball game, and a variety of other fun games that the kids and their families enjoy. All attendees enjoyed soul food prepared by friends and families of the Cazzeeks. Acknowledging their positive impact on their community (when everything else was negative) and gaining popularity, the community embraced their brotherhood  – now referred to as The Zeeks.

                              Several young positive men wanted to become members of the Zeeks, so the brothers created a joining process. Despite advice against allowing others to join the brotherhood, the Zeeks believed in their brotherhood and allowed other brothers who shared the same desires, dreams, and aspirations to join. As the fraternity grew, so did oppositions and conflicts. Thanks to seven of the original twelve brothers and the new strong brothers who joined, the brotherhood became stronger, more effective, and demanding. As time passed, the young men grew into manhood and matured, continuing their bond and servicing the community.

                               The Cazzeeks Brothers have seven of the original twelve brothers still active and have grown to over 100 brothers across the country. Post high school, many Cazzeeks brothers joined the US Military, attended college to further their education, and/or took advantage of community, government, and state employment. The Cazzeeks brothers still host their family cookouts since 1982. The Cazzeek brothers are proud and give genuine efforts in an attempt to uplift their communities. Today, the Cazzeek brothers now give scholarships to Asbury Park and Neptune students, provide mentoring to the youth in the community, provide gang prevention and intervention to both Asbury Park and Neptune school districts, and responds to the their community in times of need.

The Cazzeeks brothers focus and invest in family, brotherhood, community service, and manhood.