Sacramento rap legend X-Raided, born Anerae Brown, was released from a California prison in September after serving 26 years for his role in a gangland murder more than two decades ago reports KPIX 5 CBS.
Now on parole and living in Oakland the Bay Area, the former “gangster” rapper is attempting to bounce back by making amends and relaunch his career.
“Other than Pac,” Brown said, referring to hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur — “I’m the rap story of the century.”
—Ex-NFL linebacker Isiah ‘Butch’ Robertson killed in Texas limo crash—
It was lyrics to one of the songs from his album Xorcist that secured his conviction 26 years ago. In March of 1992, Brown and some fellow gang members broke into a home intent on killing two rivals. Instead, they opened fire on the mother of the intended targets, who died from with a gunshot to her heart.
Brown said he didn’t kill her but the murder weapon matched the ballistics of the gun pictured on his album cover. Prosecutors also played the jury the graphic lyrics of one of his tracks: “I’m killin’ mamas, daddies and nephews/I’m killin’ sons, daughters and sparin’ you,” the lyrics went.
—Buju Banton released from McRae Correctional institution after serving eight years—–
In 1996, he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 31 years in prison.
“No one conspired to kill Mrs. Harris, but we conspired to harm those dudes,” said Brown. “I was looking for them to do them harm. I meant them harm. And that’s the truth. And that is something I have shame for; remorse and repentance.”
While behind bars, X-Raided managed to make 12 albums… via a payphone. After serving 26 years, he was recently paroled to a halfway house in Oakland.
“I can feel the breeze on my face. I can hear the birds,” said Brown. “It’s overwhelming.”
He says prison changed him.
“I’m on a new journey to be a responsible adult male who enjoys life and makes music and doesn’t want to harm anybody,” said the rapper. “I’m very much looking for redemption.”
Brown now describes the gang life as “parasitic.”
“The concept of gang banging — turf ganging as they call it in the yay [Bay Area] — we’re talking genocide,” he said.
“Did I think it was perfectly logical that if you believe someone killed your homeboy, you kick the door down and go get ‘em? I thought that was perfectly logical. Would I be willing to get shot and killed? That was perfectly logical, because I believed in a psychology that was utterly irresponsible and ignorant,” he added. “The love I had for my neighborhood and my homeboys was greater than my common sense.”
Not only is he recording again but Brown is also mentoring young musicians.
His own comeback goals include the release of his new album entitled The Execution of X-Raided, which celebrates the end of his X-Raided persona.
“I’m on a new journey to be a responsible adult male who enjoys life and makes music and doesn’t want to harm anybody,” he explained. “So whoever supported X-Raided and that’s all you wanted from me, this is where we part. I love you, I appreciate everything you did for me. And if you want to come with me, you’re willing to come and get this love.”
