Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the 2014 biography titled ‘The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace’ written by Jeff Hobbs, ‘Rob Peace’ is a biographical drama movie that focuses on the life and journey of Rob Peace, who makes it his life mission to help his father get out of jail. In order to make it happen, he gets involved in the drug business. Written and directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film is packed with brilliant performances from some popular names, including Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Camila Cabello. Jay Will’s portrayal of Rob Peace raises questions about the real-life Rob Peace and what happened to him.
Rob Peace Watched His Father Get Convicted of a Murder
On June 25, 1980, Jackie Peace and Robert “Skeet” Douglas gave birth to Robert DeShaun “Shaun” Peace, who was destined to leave a mark in the world. Growing up in a poor area in Orange, New Jersey, near Newark, his parents got separated, and he lived with his grandparents and mother, who worked multiple jobs to support the family’s finances. Still, Rob was close to his father, who was a day laborer and dealt drugs on the side. At the tender age of seven, he watched his beloved father get arrested and convicted for two counts of first-degree murder. While he maintained his innocence, Rob began working on a way to get his father out of prison as soon as possible.
With a purpose in life, Rob focused on his studies and thrived in high school, not only on the academic front but also athletically. At the time of his graduation, he was the student body leader and received the Presidential Award. Meanwhile, he frequented the prison to meet with his imprisoned father, who still remained one of the most important parts of his life. Rob continued his academic excellence at Yale, where he pursued molecular biophysics and biochemistry. Thanks to his self-control, persistence, and compassionate nature, many of his associates considered him a great friend.
Rob Peace Started Dealing Drugs on the Side
During his college years, he crossed paths with Jeff Hobbs, one of his roommates who had an English major to his name. Later on, Jeff of Kennet Square, Pennsylvania, would end up writing the biographical book about Rob Peace titled ‘The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace.’ At the same time, under the belief that his father was set up by the police and did not receive a fair trial because of his race, Rob stayed heavily involved with Skeet’s case.
While he was associated with Yale Medical School and worked in cancer and infectious disease laboratory, Rob also followed in his father’s footsteps by dealing drugs like marijuana to his classmates. Over time, students on the campus knew him as a leading weed connect at Yale, which encouraged him to take his business out on the streets after he graduated in 2002 with flying colors. Besides selling designer marijuana on the streets, Rob also worked as a biology teacher at St. Benedict’s Prep School and a water polo coach for five years at his high school alma mater in Newark, New Jersey. During his teaching stint, he also won a Teacher of the Year award.
Rob Peace’s Drug Business Allegedly Led to His Untimely Demise
Due to the love and faith he had towards his father, Rob Peace relentlessly worked to prove Skeet’s innocence. However, the Yale University graduate’s focus shifted towards taking care of his father’s well-being when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Unfortunately, 26-year-old Rob lost his father. He also maintained a friendship with his former college roommate, Jeff, at whose wedding he became a groomsman. After a few years of working at the school, he changed his field altogether, and he turned a new leaf in his career by working at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Taking advantage of his employee flight benefits, he traveled to different places across the globe and mostly spent his time in Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile, he worked on starting a real estate business and focused on renovating abandoned properties in his neighborhood. Wanting to study more, he started applying to numerous graduate programs during his late 20s. As for his marijuana business, he continued selling it on a small scale. Unexpectedly, his drug-related business turned out to be fatal for him as, at the age of 30, he was killed by an unidentified attacker in a drug-related incident during a home invasion on May 18, 2011.
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