Off the Record

Whippo 0:00
This call is from Michael Braxton, an inmate at Central President. Welcome to WKNC 88.1 FM HD one Raleigh. We are a student run nonprofit radio station based in North Carolina State University. I am DJ Whippopotomus aka Whippo. And today we are joined by Rrome Alone. Live from North Carolina Central Prison. He's set to drop an album called mercy on my soul, which is the first album to ever be released from death row. Welcome, welcome. I'm really glad to have you on how are you doing? I'm good, man. Thanks for having me and allowing me this opportunity. Yeah, absolutely. I'm excited to get into this.

Do you want to do a quick introduction of yourself, let people know who you are what you're doing

Rrome 0:49
for the year. My name is Rrome Alone. I'm on death row here. So it's a prison. I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina. I've been locked off for about 28 years now. And as you mentioned, I got a debut album called mercy on my soul set to be released throughout maybe in the fall or the winter of 2021. Okay, yeah, I'm really excited for that drop, too. I've listened to the few songs that you have out, and they're really exciting. They just opened up a whole new perspective and into the life in prison.

Whippo 1:19
Yeah, what's it like making an album in prison? Can you walk me through that process? And what you had to go through?

Rrome 1:25
Oh, yeah, man, it's, you know, of course, it's definitely not like making music, you know, on the House side studio, because of so many obstacles, they lay in my way, you know, the, you know, the biggest obstacle initially is just, you know, for years, literally, is having access to any type of recording equipment. Right, as I mentioned, I've been locked up for 20 years, you know, I haven't had access to a cassette tape recorder, I haven't had access to a CD player, I haven't had access to an mp3, I have access to the internet. And, you know, so, you know, today's is, you know, many people might just take for granted and recording process, I'd say had absolutely no to access at all. So it wasn't really until 2016, you know, I had access to even use a telephone, you know, I could only make one phone call a year, right, and go all the way till 2016 with the, you know, access to the phone, you know, I was able to first start recording, and then he has opened up boundaries and you know,

you know, new obstacles within itself. With that, it becomes, you know, how do I sync my vocals to a beat.

So, you know, because I can't hear the tracks.

You know, it's not like, I got those, you know, be so when I'm listening to over here that I'm recording. So it's, it's been a process, but you know, through the help of my team, you know, shout out to the lean team, you know, we've been able to become innovative and, you know, we kind of perfected the process. Now, I think that what we've done, you know, in the recording process is that is, you know, been perfected to a degree, unlike anybody in the past that has ever tried to record over the phone. Oh, it's so crisp and precise, right? Yeah, I noticed that when when I was listening to a few of your tracks, I was very surprised how well it sounded how well it came across.

You know, man, like I said, shout out to my home producer, Nick neutrons. You know, he's poured a lot of time and energy managers working on and perfecting that sound to, you know, get it as clear and crisp as we can. Because I've heard a lot of you know, I'm not gonna say a lot, but I've heard of other renders. Artists who recorded from prison overnight. Oh, and a lot of the vocals it's hard to understand what they're saying, you know, chopped up and muffled. But Nick's done a good job, man, and just, you know, mixing and producing their sound and getting the best sound we can get. Yeah, that's amazing that y'all were able to do all of that while you're still in prison. So you're saying that you when you're spitting the lyrics? You don't have no beat to go off over? Nothing? No, oh, wow. Initially, I did. Oh, okay.

Is my man Nick neutrons, you know, said yeah. So a little bit of his genius as well as creativity on my behalf. We were able to innovate, man and use the technology of zoom to actually get this thing poppin so now I can hear the beat on my hands. Oh, nice. Yeah, you know, I can spit and he can record my vocals separate from the tracks. We don't turn the phone into a virtual.

Whippo 4:38
So y'all are working off a zoom to

Rrome 4:41
absolutely. Okay. Cool. Beta asset for us. Yeah. I

Whippo 4:44
didn't realize you had access to that. Well, I

Rrome 4:47
mean, he has access to go out there in the world. You know, it's a producer out there. So he you know, he can access zoom phone and I call him. We get us out. We collaborate

Whippo 4:59
that way. Now okay, so what? Sorry, what were you gonna say?

Rrome 5:05
Now? I was giving some giving you some secret insider info. You know, the Colonel's secret ingredient?

Whippo 5:12
Yeah, that's game. Yeah, yeah, people gonna be taking notes. So what made you decide to go with the name of your album? mercy on my soul?

Rrome 5:24
Yeah. So, you know, like I mentioned, I'm on death row. And I was sentenced to death in 1997. Right. And the last words that the judge spoke, after the Senate sent me to death was May God have mercy on your soul. So, you know, the fact that I'm still alive, you know, what, 24 years later, it's the mercy, you know, the fact that I have the opportunity to make this music and to do what I'm doing. Still just be breathing and, you know, continuing to grow is there all of those things of mercy, as well as what I want to do with my music and the type of impact that I want to have on the world? And, you know, the calls that I'm trying to push forward, it's all intended to be mercy. So you know, it all spawned for from that, you know, may God have mercy on your soul? And you know, I'm bringing it full circle with this our

Whippo 6:16
backs. Yeah, that is truly an inspirational story. And I can only imagine you had 60 seconds remaining word. Yeah, I can only imagine that. When people hear your album, like, especially people in prison, when they hear your album from prison, here in another prisoner, spit wall while you're still in prison, I can only just imagine what type of inspiration that's going to bring the people. And what's going to come come out of that?

Rrome 6:42
For sure. You need me to hit you back. Yeah, that will work. Okay, let me hit you back now.

Whippo 6:48
I appreciate you. Alright, so, what has the reception been like for your music? First of all, like, have you heard what people have been saying about your music outside of prison?

Rrome 7:01
Yeah, you know, like I say, I keep in touch with my team. And last check. I had, there was total, he told me that it was like 650 plus views on a YouTube video. Yeah, you know, that's definitely motivating. And, you know, there's been comments people have left amazing, and, you know, proud and so forth. And, you know, it's definitely inspirational. It's all been positive. You know, so, you know, it's been received well, and, you know, definitely on the inside, I also got, you know, a close, you know, group of friends that support me, man, and, you know, so the love has just been, you know, amazing.

Whippo 7:39
Yeah, that's, that's so cool. Yeah, I was really curious, how are people reacting to do your rapping and what you've been doing inside the prison are they think about that?

Rrome 7:48
Yeah. I mean, that's the, you know, that's one of the obstacles is that, you know, of course, here we don't really get to hear music. Like I say, you know, if it isn't on underground radio, to get a record played on a commercial radio station is like, conquering Mount Everest the song. We can you know, we get it played on, you know, college radio. Me yo, that'd be phenomenal.

Whippo 8:12
XX Yeah, we're definitely gonna run that. So you linked with Mark Katz? Michael bets Mudcats. from UNC Michael bets from Duke, which led you to meeting your producer? Nick neutrons? Can you just tell me a little bit about that story and how that all came to be?

Rrome 8:30
Yeah, no doubt man. So I met Michael Bennett's back in 2016 program I was involved with called Hidden voices, and two hidden voices, you know, we collaborated and, you know, you know, put together a lot of projects, we ended up ultimately doing a couple of plays that we composed and a few other prisoners here on the rope. Okay, and as a result of that, we had a exhibit also to travel throughout the country art exhibit called serving life and we did monologues that we recorded over the phone and through that juncture live event is that I met Michael bits and you know, he and I ended up becoming friends and he started recording for me and posted my raps on soundcloud 2018 And so I you know, I posted a acapella rap Nicole round my way. Okay? 2018 It was just acapella. I have no beef. And it was just shouting out all the hoods that you know from from a city of Raleigh. Oh, yeah. And he posted it and that got like 100 likes, you know, in like a week. It blew my mind because, you know, I've been locked up for this time and nobody behind me wraps or view 100 You know, likes was kind of like the biggest sci fi of a bit. You know, we kept on record and posted something about every two weeks. And after about a year, I'm still running into this wall where everybody was filling the acapellas but you know, people were saying Do you really need some beats? And I just didn't know how to get over that hurdle? How can I get my lyrics over b? So I saw an article in the news and observer, the local people here in Raleigh. And that feature Mark Katz, who was, you know, Professor, you will see the beat lab, he was teaching producers, he had a team of producers that will teach the kids how to make beats and the beat lab. So I said, Man, I'm gonna try to write this guy, and maybe he can help me, you know, with, you know, connecting with some type of producer that can help me and thinking my vocals would be as well as helping to, you know, improve the quality of the sound. And that's what I did. I wrote him in and you know, Hamdulillah he wrote me back and we started a friendship and he introduced me to Nick neutrons, who he knew prior to that, because he founded a program called next level, he introduced me to Nick neutrons and man Me and Nick just became a, you know, a power duo man and his hip hop, and it's been on and poppin ever since.

Whippo 11:02
Yeah. Yeah, that is so dope. I'm worried you're talking about with before. Right? When you met Michael Betts, what were you doing with with other inmates?

Rrome 11:14
Okay, I was in this program called Hidden voices. Voices is founded by Lyndon Harrison, you know, on the House side, and, you know, it was this organization that, you know, gives voice to people who are marginalized. Yeah. So, you know, people incarcerated or, you know, for other marginalized groups. And so while by working with Linden Harris, is that she was able to come into prisons as a volunteer. And we formed a group of about six prisoners here on death row. And we started writing every week, and we ended up writing a play. Okay, we wrote a play called serve in life. And then the play was adapted to the big stage. And it was called count, and it was performed at the UNC Chapel Hill back 1017. And, you know, it's got a lot of, you know, a lot of acclaim. But it was from that platform that I ended up meeting, Michael, as I mentioned, you know,

Whippo 12:13
yeah, that sounds like an amazing program. I had no idea that anything like that existed. How did the play Go? Did you get to hear about that?

Rrome 12:23
Yeah, I mean, I got photos. They have professional actors that, you know, they performed count it, like I said, at USC, and, you know, I've seen photos of I couldn't see that play out here. But I performed serve in life in prison. The six of us, we, we did it for the staff, as well as Oh, wow. Yeah, man, you know, probably like 50 to 75, you know, people.

Whippo 12:48
So that's good entertainment, too.

Rrome 12:50
It was, it was amazing. I mean, I've never acted before put on the brain. Right. It was about an hour long, we had to memorize all the lines and every told man, amazing experience. But you know, we know everybody loved it. Yeah, for

Whippo 13:03
sure. Yeah, that's cool. So you've been working with revolution, entertainment, is that right? Yeah, no revolution and attained new revolution? And how's that been going? What's that? Like? What's that relationship look like?

Rrome 13:19
Yeah, man. So worse, Smith, who's the CEO, label chief of new revolution, you know, he's also artists themselves. So you know, being the, you know, he has that background in music, and can really relate to the artists, you know, it definitely is given me the creative control to, you know, release the music as I want to release it, and to kind of, you know, guide the process and the way that I want this project to look and sound. So that's good, you know, Meijin Plus, he gave me the opportunity to, you know, reach a bigger platform, you know, with the backing of his label and Universal Music. You know, also, you know, saying the distribution, so, be more access to, you know, a bigger audience. So, yeah, that's been amazing, man. And, you know, we don't become cool. So, yeah, that's my man worst. Shout out worst.

Whippo 14:12
Yeah. How did you come to to link up with him?

Rrome 14:16
I was great. She's, you know, just like a way of, you know, saying so, Tessie, you don't say, Who is the co author of the book that her and I wrote called Crimson letters. Yeah, we was doing some book events, you know, and we did a podcast with a guy and they got to Parker, and from the podcast is, you know, he just found out that I rapped and, you know, wanted to hear some of my music or some of our music and he liked it and told his brother about it, his brothers words, the owner of the revolution and attainment. Sounds to me and wanted to give me a record deal. So it's amazing.

Whippo 14:59
That's crazy, man. I'm starting to realize how busy you've been in prison. Just project that the project from the book to the play the podcast now this album. That's amazing.

Rrome 15:12
Yeah, man, it's been a lot of work, man. You know, I've definitely been twiddling my thumbs staring at the wall, you know?

Whippo 15:17
Yeah. So I want to talk about before you were locked up, what was your relationship with music before you went to prison?

Rrome 15:28
Yes, so I started rapping man at six, I wrote my first line and at six, I was 13 at the time, and you know, that's been one consistent in my life on both sides of the wall. My love for hip hop, you know, is that, you know, I was introduced to hip to hip hop man, when I was probably about 10. I used to love breakdancing. You know, so I started as a breaker. And then I wanted to be a DJ, because these days was the one who got all the top billing back then was about the DJ initially, you know, wanted to be a DJ, but, you know, I was, you know, I stayed in the project, so we didn't have really a lot of money, so I couldn't afford no equipment. Right. So, you know, I never really had no DJ and equipment. I've never had turntables or mixer. But rapping was something that, you know, all I had to do was, you know, run and needed to close on a piece of paper. Right? So it was cheap, you know? When I tried my hand, I bet it is I could do it. And, you know, I fell in love with the crowd's reaction, you know, when I got them in bars or them holes or send us with these the same response back in the day and as safely as the whole. Oh, yeah, you know, that we got them acclimating man, that was just like, you know, that was the greatest Trump trophy right there. That was a grant, you know, yeah. So, yeah, well, yeah, was that. So yeah, like I said, I started rapping and 86 is moving forward. You know, I got my first rap battle. They're like, 88 my whole stage performance for the first time in front of Prince Marquis de for the Fat Boys. In 1991. You don't say it? Yeah. And, you know, when I got back, I got locked up and 93 You know, I've been in the joint ever since. But like I said, that's one thing I consistently been doing is writing rhymes, you know?

Whippo 17:16
Where were you performing?

Rrome 17:19
You said, Where was I performing? I performed at this club called Bentley's. They had a rap contest. It was a club in Raleigh. Gresham Lake Road Back in 91, was called Bentley's. And so you'll arrive the heard about the contest. In first place was a record deal with Prince Marquis de, so I'll pull it up. I was like, Yo, you're having a rough rap contest. When I got there, man, I had missed the deadline. So I couldn't actually be in the contest. But the DJ there he showed me some love and say, Yo, if you want to get on stage and rap, I'll let you wrap it in the car. Okay. So I got on the stage man killed. Yo hats I killed it. You know, saying press market D we got on the microphone shouted me out. So you only give a shout out to my man roll. You don't say? That was like that was the main that was I want right. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah.

Whippo 18:18
Yeah. Just trying to imagine what the scene was back then. That's so cool.

Rrome 18:21
Yeah.

Whippo 18:25
What kind of music did you listen to before he got locked up?

Rrome 18:29
For hip hop? Yeah. Oh, man. Yeah, who you listen to? Yo, you know, I grew up, you know, like I said, Fat Boys from the real. It was like my first major, you know, rap, you know, icon for bail ale. That was KERS one. And it was, you know, you know, BDP and you know, then eventually I got that West Coast vibe. me so I wa, que so hard. They make no sense for us or Snoop Dogg? No, say and then I came back east a bit. You don't say a lot with you? No biggie and NAS? You know, Jay Z. You don't say? Oh, yeah. You know, those were those like my early influences. You know, prior to coming to prison, though. Like I say, it was primarily L L. K RS one. Okay. I used to, you know,

Whippo 19:18
okay. Nice. And who have you been listening to lately? Who's caught your ear?

Rrome 19:25
Well, I mean, you know, like I say, my access to, like, you know, really limited. You know, there's some artists out there that I kind of like more stylistically, you know, as opposed to content wise. I guess I like Jay Cole. You don't say because I like some of the stuff he's saying. But I don't get to hear Cole like I want to, ya know, the only stuff they plan on the radio was like the baby or little baby or, you know, sent rowdy rich and you know, young kids like that. Yeah, I mean, I like the swag. The way that they say in it, they style the flow. But you know, you know, I mean,

Whippo 20:02
I know exactly.

Rrome 20:04
But you know, I'm a content driven. I like to talk about some of the substance where the more that comes before with after the board is you just say the Knicks. Yeah, you know, has a has a connection throughout the entire song. And not just a bunch of 16 balls that yo was just saying, me, me me that money money.

Whippo 20:27
I know exactly what you're saying. It seems like a lot of music nowadays. It's kind of just seems like a little scatterbrained. Like one bar is about one thing. Meaning you want to give me a call back real quick?

Rrome 20:38
Yeah, no doubt.

Whippo 20:40
We're good to go. So we were talking about who you listened to? Oh, yeah. So how would you say, music has evolved since you've been locked up? I guess we did kind of touch on it a little bit. But yeah, would you put it?

Rrome 20:55
Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, that's one of the things that I love about hip hop. And especially from an emcee perspective. Now, the music, you know, as far as the production itself, is that definitely, you know, is, you know, to me, that's always been, you know, the main state of the background, you know, the cornerstone of hip hop, you know, is that hip hop always was about taking songs that was already in existence, and, you know, recreating them, and kind of making a collage. So, you know, when it began, it was just basically using some turntables to just extend the break of the state of a single soul. But, you know, it evolved from that to, you know, I'm using samples, you know, I'm saying, and, you know, but now, you know, a lot of stuff is original, it's, you know, computer created, and, you know, etc. So that's the evolution, but it's the use of technology, you know, saying that, you know, has always been, you know, the hip hop has always been innovative is using technology, to you know, create new styles. As far as the lyrical expression is that's like the same way. It's been so innovative and like, you know, you get into, you know, Sugarhill Gang you don't say, I mean, it was like, you know, literally, like, listen to the caveman a rap, you know, I'm saying, so, you know, me. Yeah, it was so you know, like, you know, fundamental rudimentary, you know, throw your hands in the air. Yeah, it was kind of like cat in the hat round. You don't want Flexity to, you know, it's like, Yo, cat rounds were hat necessarily. So just do the evolution you had like I say, you go to rock him. You know, we'll rock him was actually like a huge evolutionary leap, you know, saying but you go to L L L L changed the game from what Run DMC was doing, or what trench three was doing. You don't say? Did you go to, you know, rock him? And yo, he went, like, hit the fast forward button, like a couple of LEAP lightyears ahead, you don't say? And then you rock him. I mean, oh, Nas, you got JC you got Biggie, that whole era. And then you got kids, like I say, for the for the South and for the West Coast. Tom with different sounds. And now like I say, you listen to somebody like you don't, though. Well, you'll always know what this kid be saying I have found you say, Hey, yo, you know, I never imagined hip hop, you know, evolve in ways that just evolved.

Whippo 23:30
Yeah, that's so cool. Oh, so back to your album, what can listeners expect to hear from it?

Rrome 23:42
So yo, my album, mercy on my soul, I kind of looked at it as like, you know, it's it's a it's a four part story or three parts. The first four songs on an album, you know, we're dealing more kind of like, with politics, you know, you know, in the context of, you know, what's happened in 2020, you know, George Floyd and breonna Taylor with protests and COVID, you know, saying, as well as, you know, things that, you know, have happened internationally, you know, Santa historically, you don't say, you know, on a political level, and it's also kind of like some, I got a song called Landon profits, which is, you know, spelled p r o f, RTA s, but I mentioned the names of the prophets in the Bible, you don't say so, it's kinda, you know, got the names of them in submission, you know, metaphor, some of their situations, but you know, talking about money, and how we have kind of like, in our society made money, God, you don't say, Yeah, and we bow that we don't bow down to the pursuit of and the love of money and riches. So, you know, that's, uh, you know, that's the kind of like the political creative, you know, introspective, you know, aspect on the first part of the album. That Second fighter album, as I said, we had two more of just focusing on prison and the death penalty, death row, you know, saying I want the listener to know what their world is, like what that reality is, like, you know, this is something, this is the elephant in the room for me, you know, what distinguishes me from any other MCs that I'm locked up, and I'm on death row, and nobody else in the history of the world ever made no music row. So I gotta address that, I want you to know what it's really like to be in this situation. And you know, how I feel, and, you know, perhaps how other people that are in this situation, you know, feel as well how I cope with it, and the effect that it's had on my soul, as well as my mind, as well as my music. So that's a portion of the next album, and the last portion of the album is kind of like, you know, a more of a elevated, you know, uplifting model to have able to, you know, not only endure this, but, you know, to still continue to progress and grow and not be defeated by, you know, aspirations that I have. And, you know, like, I got a song called unbreakable, which speaks about that you don't say I got a song called the good stuff, you know, sandwich, you know, is a reminder to the listener, about the little things in life that we sometimes take for granted that you don't really appreciate until you don't have them no more. You know, that's the good stuff. That's the real important stuff in life. Did a song of course, about you know, the relationship with my mother? And I love you don't say, uh, you know, I feel like the range on the album is so broad man. And, you know, I feel like it's content that, you know, maybe enjoyable to the listener.

Whippo 26:43
Yeah, that's, that's crazy. Your album, I can't wait for it to come out. It sounds like it takes you on a journey. Like it's an intellectual. It sounds very intellectual, you hit a lot of different topics that a lot of people are talking about, it's on a lot of people's minds. And then I think people really need to know and be exposed to the life. What life is like on death row. So yeah, I really can't wait for that to come out. So do you want to talk a little bit about what prison has been like for you and what that journey has been?

Rrome 27:17
Man? Yes. You know, like I said, I've been in prison longer than I've been on the streets, you know, I got locked out when I was 19. I've been locked up for over 28 years, almost 29 years now. So, you know, I mean, there's a song I've gotten, it's not on the album, but you don't say, the song I got called, all I knew was prison, all I knew was pain. And it's like, almost definitive of, you know, like, my life was like, I can't even really speak about my life, really, anymore. outside of the context of prison, because it's all I know, you know, and, you know, just keeping it 100 Man, I mean, it's, you know, it's kind of like for me, in the, in the space of, like, the mental space and, like, the spiritual and emotional space of like, how imagine, you know, people that were enslaved. So, you know, there's no disconnect, because imagine their life outside of the context of slavery, you know, and, you know, I mean, I imagine that, you know, some people that might have been, you know, captured and had, you know, early life before slavery, you know, it's like, so, so much a part of the distant past that yo, everything about my life man is intertwined with prison, you know, on so many levels that, you know, I can't even make that disconnect. No more.

Whippo 28:33
Yeah. Yeah, it's, that's a whole, the whole point of institutional institutionalization. Is that is your life that institution is one of the conditions has been like, have you been in North Carolina Central Prison the whole time?

Rrome 28:51
No, not the whole time, but for definitely a huge portion of it. So you know, I don't mean I've been through the whole range of incarceration, anything you can think of, been there, done that. I've done 10 years in solitary confinement, seven and a half years of restraint. I did another two years on a shorter being on solitary. Okay, you know, you know, I've been on death row, I've been in regular population, you know, everything you can talk about is, you know, that's just been a part of my life experience.

Whippo 29:21
So what are the what are the conditions been at the place you're at now?

Rrome 29:26
Well, I mean, on death row, you don't say his death row, you know, I can't live like minimize the reality of that reality. That is the you know, people that don't dare for sinners to die, so waiting to be executed. So that right there is always like the guillotine that's above the eight and it could drop at any time. You know, thankfully there hasn't been in the execution system 1006 Since I've been here is that they have had 35 executions between 1998 and 2006. Wow was present. You While that was happening, I know the stress and the you know, the emotional environment is created, you know, saying how it feels, you know, when executions are being, you know, hailed and you know, your next door neighbor, you know, is being led to the death chamber never returned. You don't say so that's a real environment. You know, like I say, fortunately, for the last, you know, 15 years, there hasn't been an execution. So, there's some relief in that, you know, is good, but, yeah, but you know, what steel that that is the reality. And that's what everybody here is, you know, facing.

Whippo 30:33
Okay. What, what's the community, like, in the

Rrome 30:38
yoga community is like the community there, believe it or not, you know, because people been here, so long, most people very over two decades. Okay. So we all know each other, and we live around each other. It's like, you know, almost a familial type of environment. Yeah. You know, I know, everybody here is personalities, likes and dislikes normal stay in a bad mood in a given space, or, you know, say, you're kicking a, you know, talk about family or real stuff. You know, it's like, we, in many ways, we their support system for one another.

Whippo 31:10
So, yeah, that's, that's really important, no matter where you're at the people you're with, really make or break your situation. Sure. Is there anyone else in prison that's been making music that, you know, if at least that you're around, like, have you inspired anyone? Y'all ever have any sessions or anything like that?

Rrome 31:31
Yeah, I mean, you know, there's a couple of guys that hit it, you know, the rapid and, you know, and right, you know, Sam, as far as, you know, having the resources I've been blessed to have, yeah, this is, this is an anomaly man, just saying something to say everybody's, you know, disposal, you know, a rare opportunity and a blessing. And I'm grateful for my, as I said, I've been in prison for a long time, I would have done this 20 years ago, if I had the ability, you know, but not only, you know, coming into, you know, the blessings that I've been able to commit to, but like I said, is having the resources at my disposal. I mean, if it wasn't for my team, like I mentioned, Michael bez, Marquez, Nick neutron, I wouldn't have the ability to do this, you know, so my talent level or regardless of, you know, anything, if I didn't have that team, and you know, you gotta be mindful, there's a lot of people, most of the people in prison, and definitely, many of the people on death row don't have, you know, strong support systems on the outside. And the longer that people are in prison, the weaker those support systems become on the outside. So, you know, like I mentioned yours, people that hate to rap, and that, you know, are talented, or, you know, they might not, you know, be heard right now, because they don't have the opportunities that I've been afforded. But it's my hope, that in doing my music is that you'll, it'll open up opportunities for other people, there's ways that people might realize, oh, man, if all along can do this, yo, it must be somebody else. They might be dope to him. So, you know, that's one of the goals.

Whippo 33:11
How's How's COVID? been like, since since it started has has it affected the prison that you're at?

Rrome 33:18
Well, COVID sucks. Let me go ahead on the steps that are no go. Fortunately, we haven't had any losses of life on the road result of COVID Mainly you don't send, you know, I've been vaccinated myself. Most of the people here have been vaccinated. This point here, you know, we all have COVID fatigue. Now, we just hit that point where, you know, we just suffer in front of restrictions because of COVID. Because visitation privileges, okay, it's been over a year and a half. So we ain't your family and love or would like to, you know, so that's like the greater higher Shia, we've been able to have our religious services. We've been able to have programs from outsiders and volunteers that come into the prison, you know, meals that may have come from religious services, things like that, like restrictions that, you know, we've been continuing to be up under as a consequence of COVID

Whippo 34:14
Yeah, I don't think people realize how important that is to y'all. isn't all those programs that come in? Yeah, now they're just they're all they've been gone for over a year now. Yep. No word on when they're coming back. Or when that when those restrictions

Rrome 34:30
seconds remaining. Man Oh, got no clue. You know? Yeah. Yes. That's like the people we asked. They don't know. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Life or Death Row, buried in concrete more than 3000 US dollars a week for wood planks. sprinklers churches separated by the angels of death by being intentional poverty to be answered even to get the alert keep your head low in the shadow of the valley and last

this is a special report I make a lot more broke I work cats we have breaking

Unknown Speaker 35:32
like theory shields a world full of minutes tools conference with to be killed number one no. There's a six book umbrella over there for Juliana Winship wandering off of the heels. He was playing Domino's with a weak low back you buddy street smart people biting me with that Hello the old Jeff Rose and don't turn around and approach doggy and blow smoke in hospital have your buddy King show in the shadow with the valium level

Unknown Speaker 36:08
in the man behind the walls says Chris is reporting to us a lot about him a place where you entered before tomorrow morning it's quite chaotic over there. Yes, we've actually got boots on the ground or something

Unknown Speaker 36:27
funny in the shop buy them off for a full pack personal wreck when they when they come in the death squad 35 bunnies in the depths in the seventh frame in the cast, we'll chill watch your last meal for your for your last night before going into the next life fighting for the seals

Rrome 36:58
from the needle burning change show in the shadow of the valley and blah blah

Unknown Speaker 37:07
blah. breaking records

Whippo 37:44
so how have you been able to maintain such a positive attitude being locked up for so long? What was that journey? Like? And how did you reach that self discovery?

Rrome 37:58
Oh man, it's all about Grace of Allah man. I accepted this lamb found Islam and in like, 2003 If you're truly in my heart, you know, and, you know, I've been practicing my faith, you know, for at least since 2010, you know, difference between me believing and actually putting into practice? Right? So since 2010, you know, I've been, you know, I've been striving for the sake of the law and all of the things that you know, have, you know, manifest, it has been a consequence of my faith and my actions. Okay, you know, the transformation, you know, not only mentally but, you know, spiritually as well as, you know, in muddy. So, you know, that's, that's definitely you know, where I put my feet there. And that's what's kept me up, you know, I'm telling you, what man is 1003 I was at a point where I literally, you know, had been on lockdown for seven and a half years, I see no light at the end of the tunnel. For me, everything was complete black, I was in the abyss, I didn't want to live no more. So, you know, I've been to a deep, dark place, you know, I'm saying so, you know, it's, you got to when you ask me that question of, you know, how am I able to maintain a positive attitude that you got to know and understand is that I've definitely been in a place where there was no positive attitude. The attitude was completely negative. Everything was dark, you know, I'm saying so you know, it was only and it still is only by the grace of Allah that I've been able to come from out of that dark place. And now, whereas all I saw was darkness now Can he see darkness? No more. All I see is like

Whippo 39:39
okay, yeah, that's amazing. How did you find Islam? How did that come to you?

Rrome 39:45
Well, like you know, like you mentioned about the album being a journey, you know, I'm saying, yo, as long as my spiritual path has been a journey, I came in the prison system. I know nothing about Islam only think I ever heard the word before. No, no. Um, you know, I came into prison. Like I said, I was 19 when I got locked up, I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina. I was raised up here. And, you know, and I was born in the 70s. So they like, you know, the world is a lot different the 70s in the 80s and early 90s, when the internet, you know, when nobody teaches us about Islamic school 911 had never happened. You don't say, everybody know about Islam now because of 911. But prior to that, you know, not if you weren't from the Middle East, and some you probably never heard about Islam. I was exposed to Islam in prison. And, you know, it was it was gradual, you don't stand and say, you know, we had a, you know, it's a couple of offshoots that have, you know, sprung up in America, and particularly amongst black people in the US, and the Five Percenters in the Nation of Islam, right, you know, black nationalist organizations. So those are my first introductions to the word Islam. And, you know, the concept and practice about Islam was, and then it was, you know, through those mediums that I got introduced to the Quran, and started learning about orthodox Islam, Prophet Muhammad, who lived in Mecca 1400 years ago, and from reading the Quran, is that's what ended up you know, having an impact on my heart and my soul, you know, transforming me into the person that I am today.

Whippo 41:18
Okay, so. So, did you say that you started writing music again, when when you're in solitary confinement?

Rrome 41:28
Yeah, for sure. That's when I started really started writing. Yeah. Yeah, that's why I really started writing, uh, you know, I'm saying is that, you know, for the first time, I started writing about stuff, like, you know, race and politics, writing about myself, my life and my feelings and my experiences, and, you know, examining them in a way that I had never examined or even talked about before, you know, and, you know, in doing so it kind of became like therapy for me, you know, saying I was able to speak about troops in my mind that I hadn't spoke to people about, and, you know, I could do it in a creative way. And then I learned not only could I express it, but then I could recite it and memorize it, and say it over and over and over again. It's an old, you know, saying re citations became affirmations. At the end motivations, you don't say, yeah.

Whippo 42:25
Yeah, so that's, that's about all the questions I got for you right now. Um, is there anything you want to tell the listeners the information? Oh,

Rrome 42:32
yeah, man, you know, what, me main major point that we discussed is the, you know, the purpose and the, you know, the reason why I've been doing this news, and, you know, it's mainly because, you know, it's 2019 and Dreamville festival across the street, right across the street from our death row, you know, say, across the street. And I was sitting there, and my man and my man was looking out the window. Well, man, Stacy support Tyler. He's innocent, you know, death row in the NFL. And who's looking out the window when I say Yo, man, is crazy. I say right across the street, they got 40,000 people, man, and Dreamville. And not now one of them even know that you across the street live in a nightmare. Right? Yo, when the irony of that just hit me. As I looked at him, and I say Yo, I said next time they have Dreamville, they can all be saying my name and your name for that stage. Make sure they know who you are, you know, say, because you know, and that became my motivation for wanting to do this music not just for some vain just to see I've made an album while making music, prison or death row. But to try to generate some attention. There's people today supposed to beat him, you know, the people that might not have no type of exceptional talent that can generate attention for themselves. Right, you know, but who deserved attention more than I deserve it? You know, I'm saying so, you know, that's the purpose. And the reason why I've been trying to do this news, I'm beating this drum and chanting as loud as I can to try to generate some attention for people this Edison in particular, my man Stacy supports halo on death row. So that's what I'm doing, man. That's that's my that's my mission.

Whippo 44:12
Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be out there yelling yas names to next time they have it.

Rrome 44:17
That's what's up, man.

Whippo 44:19
Where can people find the album when it drops?

Rrome 44:23
Everywhere you can listen to music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, wherever the music is available. We're gonna also try to make it available. I was talking to my team man about trying to actually sell physical copies of an album CDs as well as vinyl to try to generate funds man for the sole purpose to give 100% of the funds to the family members that are victims of my crimes. You know, okay, not trying to you know, earn or generate any type of income from this project news or any of this, you know, so, you know, when it released a comments I hope we'll have Something that you know, available for listeners to know how they can purchase the actual copies of the album if they may be interested in supporting that calls as well.

Whippo 45:09
Yeah, that's beautiful. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So it's been a true pleasure having you on today. I really appreciate your story. And I really appreciate you sharing it and taking the time to talk to me and tell everyone about what you're going through.

Rrome 45:25
No doubt, man, I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me. Well, yeah, you

Whippo 45:28
already know man. You take care

Transcribed by https://otter.ai