Legendz

To say that Panama City, Florida resident emcee, Blood Raw, has overcome adversity would be a gross understatement. The man born Bruce Falson has been through a lifetime of trials and tribulations, and has experienced so much intense pain, that his music has become his only refuge. His sole salvation if you will. Yo! Raps recently spoke to the CTE/Def Jam Records’ signee, and protégé’ of rapper Young Jeezy, about his solo debut, the appropriately titled, "My Life The True Testimony."

How did you first come to the attention of Young Jeezy, and later align yourself with his Corporate Thugz Entertainment imprint?

Really, man, I was doing what every other cat was doing but, me, there (are) two things that I have a motto of, and that’s to work hard but to pray harder. So, my whole thing was just (staying) on the grind. I was passing out my CD’s. I had a single I was pushing called ‘Represent’ at the time, and we were in Dothan, Alabama, in particular, and Jeezy was on the same show, and we pretty much bumped into each other and they couldn’t believe seeing the performance, and they couldn’t believe how the crowd responded, and they instantly ran to the stage. Him and Kinky B, he was like, "Listen, man, like, we want to work with you, man, like we want to sign you or whatever." But, at the same time I had been getting different little offers from Trick (Daddy) wanting to sign me, Tip [T.I.] wanting to sign me. Um…Universal wanting to sign me, so everybody was talking, wasn’t nobody moving. So, I was like, "Cool, it’s whatever." So, I gave Kinky B my number, he called me that next morning, (and) he was like, "Listen, man, we for real, like, what’s up? We want to fly you to Atlanta." So, they sent me a plane ticket, I flew to Atlanta, probably kicked it three or four days without even (dealing with) no music, no nothing. We were just learning each other and hanging out at the club having fun, and probably like the seventh or tenth day sat down with the lawyers and they really told me what they were trying to do, and I told them what I wanted, pretty much it was a wrap after then.

Why was it important for you to name your upcoming debut album, "My Life The True Testimony?"

I mean, "My Life The True Testimony" is pretty much what I’m bringing to the world. (It) is just letting the world know that Blood Raw is an example of God’s (will)…In a different way. Like I’ve been through every tragedy, every trial (and) every tribulation that I feel that any man could bear, and I passed ‘em all with flying colors. And, pretty much my whole thing is this, that everything that these rap cats talking about, like Blood runs the example. Like he really came from a family where his mother died of a bad overdose of heroin, his father wasn’t in his life, he went to jail at an early age, went to prison at a early age, beat a Federal trial which we all know have a 98% conviction rate. And, these are all the same things the rap cats be talking about, but here’s a dude who can show you (by) example because he never made an excuse about none of these situations. He kept his head up, still remained humble, and he kept God first. And, I’m showing you that you can still be successful even though you make bad choices in life.

How do you best describe the overall vibe of "My Life The True Testimony?"

I mean, what they can expect, man, is this, you can expect something that’s gonna bring you (in) and (you’ll) say, "Man, I’ve been there before. Like I honestly feel you, and I’m happy because I didn’t think that people really go through things that I go through anymore. I didn’t think that people talk about the things that I need to hear. I don’t think that (now). I was becoming to believe that it was all about the cars, and the jewelry and the women, and with this album it ain’t about that." It’s about morals. It’s about real life situations. It’s about me being just like you, but just letting you know that whether it’s any type of dream that you have in life, that it is possible.


So, it sounds much like an open book into your own storied personal life…

Yeah, that’s where it all comes from. I mean, you know, every single line that’s where it comes from, and like I was telling you earlier, like, that’s pretty much how I deal with my problems when I express myself. So, that’s where it all comes out at, and I feel like when I put it on an album it’s a difference, like you can tell the difference. When somebody tells you that they been to jail or they either sold drugs or whatever, like you can tell the difference in the tone, like you could pull the realness out. You can hear it in my voice you can hear it in my words. Like every time you hear a Blood Raw album, you be like, "It’s something like a spirit just touched you."

What producers did you enlist for "My Life The True Testimony?"

Aw, man, the album is crazy. I got The Runners {Rick Ross, Fat Joe} on the album. I got J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League {Young Jeezy, Mary J. Blige}. I got Mannie Fresh. I got (DJ) Nasty. I got (DJ) Toomp {T.I., Kanye West}. I got Nitti {Yung Joc}. If you hear my story, and you see where I came from and how hard I’ve worked, then you gonna be, like, "This mean a little bit more to me. This is what I’m gonna give him, and I’m gonna give him this soulful sound. I’m gonna give him like a whole different (sound) than the norm of what (I) even do." (That’s what these producers did for me.) I mean the album is crazy, man, like, it’s just crazy.

When did a career in music become your true calling?

Really, man, I always had passion for (it) as a child, but really, you know, I came in the game probably like ’98 (or) ’99. I had just got out of prison, (and) I kinda (had to) do something else. But, even then I wasn’t really serious with it. I was kinda like playing both sides of the (fence) or whatever. But, I really could say 2001 (is) where I really like locked down, man, and just really said, "This is what I’m gonna do." I had just caught a trafficking case. I went to court and got acquitted for it or whatever. After then, I really just tried to do what I can, (and) just made it be my lifestyle.

Were you influenced by any other artists?

Pretty much there ain’t too many cats that were on BET at the time. I wouldn’t say they inspired me, but I liked their music. Like I say, me, pretty much, I never really had an inspirational person to say that, "This is why I wanted to come up (as) an artist or whatever." It’s really, like, for me trying to get out (of) the streets. But, once I started doing it, I felt a different type of feeling for it, and it wasn’t just about the music no more. It was (more) about me dealing with my situation, my trials and tribulations, or my pain, and all the shit (that) I went through, and it pretty much, it just showed me that this is the way that I release all my anger and all my problems. And, there’s other people in the world that been through what I been through, they can relate to it, and they feel comfort from it.

How did your moniker actually come to fruition?

Actually, Blood Raw is slang in the state of Florida. Like in New York, they may use Son, and they may use Kid or shit like that. But, in Florida Blood Raw stand for the absolute truth. Like if you fittin’ to make a statement, somebody could be like, "Man, I’m gonna give it to you blood raw." You know, like the cats when they used to see me in prison and they used to hear me (rhyme), they used to be like, "Man, dude right there blood raw!" So, I just really, like, took the name, man, and really represented it. And, me, I try to do everything in a positive stature, so I broke it down (so you) know that Blood (also) symbolizes life, like it’s a true fashion of what it is, and Raw and uncut is pretty much my style and my flavor of how I’m gonna bring it.

I’m hearing that you are already working on a few other business ventures outside of music…

There’s a couple different business ventures that I’m doing and I’d like to do, but, most importantly, I’ve been trying to tell my label at Def Jam, for my whole marketing (plan), is, "Yeah, I know we want to deal with radio, but I’ve been doing a lot of middle schools and the alternative schools for the kids."

That’s way cool. Is this your way of helping these kids to not go down that same wrong path that you took as a youngster?

Exactly. And, the whole thing about dealing with middle schools and alternative schools, because at the age of fifth grade and coming from elementary, is pretty much where kids are still in between, like they haven’t really made up their mind. As you get into high school, they pretty much done made up their mind of what they want to do. So, my whole thing is to attack early, and not really attack, but just to let them know because nowadays people are not letting ‘em know the bad side, they only letting ‘em know the good side.

You also are a big sneaker aficionado, right?

You know, me, I got an Air Force 1’s fetish, so I’m in either (at) Walter’s, or the mall. You know, I’m five days a week (with it) -- Straight up.

After you are done promoting your solo debut, are there plans in place to record and release another U.S.D.A. [United Streets Dopeboyz of America] effort with your friends, and group-mates, Young Jeezy and Slick Pulla?

I mean, you know, everybody gonna come out. I’m gonna come out (first). Slick Pulla gonna come out (next). (Then) Young Jeezy gonna come out in the summer. And then, we gonna probably end the year with another U.S.D.A. album.

What do you feel it is that’s gonna keep you around and help you sustain longevity in this business?

The key to my success, man, I would always say, "I’m a very spiritual guy, man, but the whole thing is that my work ethic and my hustle is impeccable." Like I don’t feel like there’s no one that could out-work me. Like, I don’t know when to stop. Like I honestly feel like I have to hug every fan, I have to sign every auto-graph, (and) I have to tell my story one billion times.

Better be careful, you don’t want to spread yourself too thin! That may be a whole lot of hugging and autograph signing with the way things are going for your highly anticipated debut…

I mean, you know, that, like, what I want them to know is that I appreciate everyday, every breath, of me being able to find some other way than the streets, and I would never, ever, you know, I would never disrespect (that). I mean, I done seen a lot of people who get in this game and they could be doing something else, but they still wildin’ out doing bullshit. Like this is an opportunity for you to make a way for your family and your homies, and then everybody around you in a bad situation. So, I feel that, to say this, is that I would never (jeopardize) this whole situation that I’m in. And, for you to be a fan and you to buy my music and respect me and understand what I’m talking about, then that means the world to me.

Do you believe that Hip-Hop, as an art form, is dead?

Naw, not really. I wouldn’t say that I’m happy, and the reason is because now we are settling. The state of Hip-Hop right now is settling for ring-tone sales. Like people are getting away from making albums, they just want to make one record and think it’s gonna take em out. I’m a trendsetter, (and) that’s (to have) a brand that keeps building (and) building, and we pretty much…I feel like (we) gonna be real successful with it. It’s because we building a brand, we building a following, (and) we building a trend. Something that people gonna know that whenever we drop anything, it’s gonna be worth their money. Even us as men, as individuals, like, people are gonna respect us, and know that we ain’t on no artist shit, and we ain’t really on that rap shit. Like, we really believe it and respect it, and love the fans how it’s supposed to be.

Thanks for taking your time out with me today, and good luck with the album.

I appreciate it, man.

Do you have any parting words?

I mean, you know, just stay down, man, and know that when Blood Raw come out, man, it’s gonna be worth your wait, it’s gonna be worth your while, and CT Entertainment, and U.S.D.A., you already know what it is.

NEWSKULL

I Thought Dude Shot A Video With Young Buck...what Happen?

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DAVID BROWN CLOTHING

Europe Guy

yeah, he did that, but that video never came out. maybe they are still waiting for the time to release it

SouthSider

^^^ yeah i been lookin to find the video for that track, was gonna start askin around

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The most anticipated artist with no CD to sell
But ya'll feelin every word like you readin in brail
Get it?
Big Paybacc

citystarz™

the whole cte click is dope
blood raws gunna have a solid album no doubt