X Raid
NO PHOTO AVAILABLE, CAMERAS AREN'T ALLOWED IN JAIL
-John Baccigaluppi

November l6, 1993 The last time I saw X-Raided was when he came into Enharmonik to do the CD master for his CD on Black Market Records,Psychoactive. Three days later, he was arrested for the murder of Patricia Harris, in what the media portrayed as a Gangland slaying gone wrong. A case of mistaken identity. Patricia Harris was the mother of four.

That was almost two years ago and today I'm a little nervous going to visit X-raided at the county jail down at fifth and I streets. Besides being arrested a few times when I was a kid for draining swimming pools and skimboarding, I haven't been near the jail in 10 years. Actually, when I was arrested for draining pools, I was about the same age as X-raided was when he was arrested. Seventeen.

I first met X-Raided when he came into the studio to work on his album. He wasn't signed to a label yet, and Kevin Mann (now known as the Brotha' Lynch) was producing the record. I knew X by his real name, Anerae Brown Although he seemed like he might be the kind of kid who could get into trouble, he was never any trouble around the studio. All the engineers including myself got along well with him and liked him. We generally felt that X was an OK guy, and he treated us with respect and went about his work at the studio. Over the course of that year I had some: interesting conversations; with him, including one where he was discussing how he couldn't walk into Florin Mall without being hassled by the security guards. I remember another time, when I had to ask him to put a gun away that he was using for a sound effect, and he did, and he didn't give me any grief about it.

I checked out OK with the guard, and he sent me up to the 8th floor. While the jail is pretty big, the public or visitor area is no more than a small hallway which connects to a small visiting room, about 20 by 6, with steel benches, thick glass, and two way telephones to talk. After a few minutes, X came up the stairs and we started talking on the phones. He seemed glad to see me, and once we started talking, all my nervousness dissapeared It was like we were back in the studio shooting the shit while Lynch tweaked a sample or some thing. But it wasn't I would be able to get up and leave, while X wasn't going anywhere soon. Nonetheless, it was good to see him, and I think we both enjoyed the conversation.

After a few minutes, I told X that I wanted to do an interview for Heckler and he agreed. I wanted to find out how he felt about how things turned out, and how he was holding up in jail I was curious about aLL the hype the local media like the TV stations; the Bee and the SN & R. had made about the line "I'm killin' mamas, daddys and nephews, " from X's CD. They claimed that the DA was going to prosecute a premeditated murder charge because of the lyric. "Bullshit," said X. "That shit didn't come up once in court. They didn't even mention my tape once."

As X put it, "If you're with three nobodies and you're a somebody, and something goes down, who do you think they're going to blame? If Ice Cube and three nobodies are in a shooting, who do you think's going to.take the rap?" While X still has his rough side, he's grown up and matured quite a bit over the last two years. He was on the 8th floor instead of the 6th, because he had gotten in a fight a couple of weeks ago with another inmate. But X realizes his mistakes too. One of the first things he said to me in a slightly embarrassed tone was "I guess I fucked up, huh?"

I asked X if he regretted how things turned out and he replied "Hell yes, If I had it to do a11 over again, I'd do it a lot different. My advice to young rappers starting out is pay attention to the music and the rhymes, 'cause that's the most important thing." X's debut, Psychoactive is still available in record stores and is a strong and confident debut. It's a hard edged record, and X's slow, laid back and almost non chalant delivery makes it even more chilling. Re-writ ing the present based on suppositions on how things might be different if other things in the past hadn't happened has little profit if any, but you can't help but wonder where X would be now if he hadn't ended up in jail. His second album would have almost certainly been even stronger than the first, and would have probably done real well.

X however, has grown up and learned a lot in the meantime. While he realizes that he fucked up and is having to pay for it he's optimistic about the future and plans to use his time in jail constructively and make plans for his release. X is 19 now and hopes to get out by the time he's 25. X's final sentencing is in early December and he's looking forward to being transferred to either Folsom or Solano prison. He wants to get his AA degree while he's in prison and he plans on getting a job inside prison too. He said he wants any kind of job where he uses his body and stays in shape. He's been playing a lot of basketball too. He's excited about the possibility of transferring to Solano where they have a l6-track studio, but would also like to be in Folsom where he can be closer to family and friends.

X is proud of Brother Lynch's success and thinks that Lynch's brother, Triple 6 is going to bust out soon too. He feels protective towards Lynch, and wants to see him do well and not make the same mistakes he made. X is obviously eager to get out of prison, so he can get back to rappin himself. In the meantime, he is encouraged by the support and love he gets from his family and friends and also wanted to thank Cedric Singleton and Black Market Records for the help and continued support. X raided has made some big mistakes in his life and he realizes it. It's hard for me to make excuses for what he did or didn't do, so I won't. It's not my place. I do however like him as a person.

The last time I saw X in my studio he was a young kid. The next time I see him, he'll be a man. I wish him well over the next 6 or so years, and I hope he accomplishes his goals. for himself while he's in prison. And even more importantly, when he gets out I hope he grows into the young man he never got a chance to be, but that I think he could've been. Peace and good luck Anerae.