The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
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Parents are
cautioned that some material
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may be too candid
for younger children.
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Today we have
with us a young man
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from the gutters of life,
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but was redeemed by God
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through the work
of a Bible worker.
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Join us on today's New
Journey and find out how.
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Welcome back to the program.
Today we have with us Ray Clay.
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Ray, we thank you
for being on the program.
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Thank you for
having me. All right.
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Mr. Ray, give us a little
bit about your family background
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prior to making the
change in your life.
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Well, I was raised
in Huntsville, Alabama.
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Okay.
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Went to school at
Bob Jones High School,
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and middle school Levey Day.
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Had eight sisters,
brothers and sisters.
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Okay.
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Come from a very poor
family and we didn't have much.
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And all we had what we needed.
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That's about all. Okay.
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Now growing up in Huntsville,
most are familiar with,
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especially
Seventh-day Adventists
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are familiar with
Oakwood University
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and familiar with
the many different
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Adventist churches
in the Huntsville area.
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But talk about the
other side of Huntsville.
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As a Bible worker
myself in that area,
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I'm very familiar
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with the project areas in there,
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the many low income areas there.
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Talk about growing up in
that kind of environment?
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Oh, man.
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It's trouble, trouble,
trouble. I remember growing up.
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It all started
in Triana Alabama,
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that's where
officially I'm from.
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Okay.
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Just this country place,
you know outside of Huntsville.
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Okay.
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There, man, it's like,
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you know, get it
how you live man there.
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You know, it's not a game
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and everybody
out for their self.
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Oh, yeah.
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Kind of grew up with
around a bunch of girls.
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You know, I grew
up with my brothers,
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and sisters and
stuff and my grandmother
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and kind of what...
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Like in Huntsville,
we got a bunch of places
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that you just don't go to,
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you know, unless
you're looking for trouble.
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Yeah, exactly.
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You're going to, you know,
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you're going to take care
of some trouble, you know.
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Okay.
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Just a bunch of
places there that...
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They are all the
same just different
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you know,
different standards to them,
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you know, certain colors
you wear at certain places,
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you know, it's just the riffraff
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you know, as far
as the street life.
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Okay.
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Now growing up in
your household did...
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Was your mother, your father,
your siblings or is anybody
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on any type of
drugs or anything?
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Did you see that growing up?
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Oh, yeah. Okay.
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Talk a little bit about that?
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My grandmother, she
actually was a bootlegger,
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bootlegger something that,
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you know, you sell
liquor out of your house.
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Okay.
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I'm off kind of raised,
you know, in that atmosphere.
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So I was familiar with,
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you know, the
drinking and everything
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and you know the cigarettes
and you know stuff like that.
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At what age did you yourself
become involved with the drugs?
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Of course you saw it growing up.
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Your mother was a bootlegger.
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But at what age
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did you yourself start
partaking in those things?
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That's strange
because I started drinking.
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I remember drinking
at the age of 10 and 11,
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you know, went
about to sneak it,
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man, if I can get it, you know.
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Okay.
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Actually my grandmother
when she was bootlegging,
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she actually,
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I don't know if she
knew what she was doing
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and I bathed in,
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but I actually was the one
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that was pulling the
shots for the grown ups,
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you know, yeah, man.
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So it kind of
started off early. Okay.
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But the cigarette smoking
and the drugs and all that,
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it came, you know,
a little bit later.
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Okay.
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Now what effect
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as a 10, 11 year
old drinking alcohol?
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What effect did that have on you
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at an early age
drinking at 10 years old?
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I mean, you are a
very little child?
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What effect do you
think that had on you?
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Oh, man, a major effect. Okay.
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I believe that,
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that I didn't have
a fair chance at life,
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you know, because of that.
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I don't think
that my grandmother
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did that to be mean to me.
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I think that she did
it you know for thinking
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that she was
maybe helping me out
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some kind of way,
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but I always stayed
with my grandmother.
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She always kept
me with her. Okay.
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I believe that she
really didn't know the effect
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that it could
cause on my life later on
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but it was rough,
it was rough you know,
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starting something
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that you didn't
know nothing about.
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And then by the
time you did figure out,
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you know, what was going
on, you know, it's too late.
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You're already addicted to,
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it's already kind of messed up
your life and things like that.
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Now later on,
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in the years you got
involved with other drugs.
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What were some
of those other drugs
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that you started using?
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Oh, man.
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The question should have
been is what drug did I not do,
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you know.
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Oh... Okay.
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I've done... I've
experienced with LSD.
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Okay.
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I've experienced with marijuana,
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ecs pills, I don't know
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if you're
familiar with ecs pills.
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Very familiar with ecs pills.
I used to use ecs pills myself.
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Yeah, that for me.
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And the one that it really took
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the toll on me
was crack cocaine.
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Okay.
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You know that, man,
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that was to speed on
my control, you know.
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Okay, talk about
the negative effects
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of each of these drugs
that you were involved in?
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You especially said
that the crack cocaine
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took a very heavy
toll on your life.
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So speak about these drugs
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and how they kind of affected,
affected you negatively.
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Okay.
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With the LSD, it was
like a, yes, they get,
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you know, they
say don't do that.
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Now they say, whatever mood
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that you're in when you do that.
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You know, that's
how you're going to be
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when you're on it.
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But I mean, myself personally,
I had a bad experience on it.
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I only done that once.
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Never wanted to
do that again. Yeah.
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But far as on the marijuana,
oh man, I just love that,
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you know, just takes
me away from me, man,
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and the drugs far
as in the marijuana,
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I didn't even
think that was a drug.
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Yeah, and most don't,
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most tend to not
think that it is a drug
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but it actually is.
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Yeah, and these
are very bad one,
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you know, especially
when you can't stop it.
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Yeah, true.
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But the marijuana was
my main choice, you know.
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Okay.
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But the crack
cocaine, oh man, that's,
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it's a whole another
level, man, you know.
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The marijuana and the
LSD and the other stuff
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that I have done,
you know, normally,
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when I go purchase that
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or when I
receive it from someone,
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you know, I could
stop it when I want to.
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You know, crack cocaine and it,
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yeah, it just take you,
takes you broke, man, you know.
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Okay. Takes you broke, man.
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Now, I want you to talk
about the reality of the streets
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because so many young
people they see movies,
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they listen to the hip-hop music
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and sometimes
it's almost glorified.
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But I want you to do
a real life experience,
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talk about the
violence, the drugs,
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the various things that go
on day-to-day in the "hood".
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Oh, man.
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It's kind of sad,
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you know because
back in the days,
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even when I was in my mess.
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Okay.
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Even the music back
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then was
different than it is today.
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Yeah.
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You know back then,
you know, it was all about,
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you know, just get paid,
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you know and just
get your money I guess.
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Nowadays, man, it's all about,
you know, disrespect, you know.
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Yeah, definitely.
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Have this, you know, have that.
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This woman calling
woman outside of her names
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and, you know,
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it's all about getting
money in the wrong way.
00:08:09.32\00:08:10.65
Yeah, exactly.
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Other than just, you
know, entertainment and music.
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You know, now, they
want you to sell drugs
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and you have to shot somebody,
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you have to be
dressed to be cool.
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I think that set a very,
very, very negative impact
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on a bunch of young people.
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You know, you said
something about music.
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I remember when I used to
be out there in the streets
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and listen to
secular hip-hop music
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and I remember a song
by a rapper Young Jeezy
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and this particular song,
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it was called hypnotize
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and this
particular song would almost,
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I mean, it would
drive you to wanna get high.
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The lyrics, the beat,
everything about it just,
00:08:46.49\00:08:50.73
it like spoke to your
inner being and saying,
00:08:50.76\00:08:53.53
I need to get high, you
know, especially for those,
00:08:53.56\00:08:55.86
you know, of us that
were involved in drugs
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like that and things like that.
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But the harsh
reality of the streets
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is that people
get killed out there.
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You know some people get
so addicted to drugs that
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they can't get off of the drugs
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or you know, by the
time they do get off,
00:09:08.88\00:09:10.78
their life is
completely messed up.
00:09:10.81\00:09:13.25
So there is a harsh reality
to the streets beyond the glitz
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and the glamour that,
00:09:16.69\00:09:18.02
you know, people see on TV,
00:09:18.05\00:09:20.06
in the music
videos, things like that.
00:09:20.09\00:09:23.12
Now you were
eventually incarcerated
00:09:23.16\00:09:26.03
in juvenile detention centers.
00:09:26.06\00:09:27.96
Talk about your experience
in those detention centers
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and how many times you
have been back and forth?
00:09:30.90\00:09:32.70
Well, the music that
you just talked about.
00:09:32.73\00:09:36.17
It kind of led me, you know,
00:09:36.20\00:09:38.34
let me down that road, you know.
00:09:38.37\00:09:40.11
I guess it kind
of opened up a door
00:09:40.14\00:09:42.28
for that type of
lifestyle anyway.
00:09:42.31\00:09:43.88
Okay.
00:09:43.91\00:09:45.35
But how I ended up
there in the detention center,
00:09:45.38\00:09:49.45
it's called Robert Neaves Center
00:09:49.48\00:09:50.82
back in Huntsville, Alabama.
00:09:50.85\00:09:52.19
Okay.
00:09:52.22\00:09:53.56
I remember going
there for the first time
00:09:53.59\00:09:54.92
and I remember
crying my eyes out, man,
00:09:54.96\00:09:57.03
and it's like I was just alone,
00:09:57.06\00:09:59.19
you know, no one
was there for me man,
00:09:59.23\00:10:01.26
you know, it was just
one little room in a...
00:10:01.30\00:10:04.00
I remember praying
for the first time, man,
00:10:04.03\00:10:07.67
though I don't know if
it was a prayer at night,
00:10:07.70\00:10:09.04
you know, but I guess
that's what I was doing,
00:10:09.07\00:10:10.41
you know.
00:10:10.44\00:10:11.77
Okay. Man, get me
out of this place.
00:10:11.81\00:10:13.14
You know, what I'm saying,
man, I'd never do this again.
00:10:13.17\00:10:15.24
And that's so many of our prayer
00:10:15.28\00:10:16.88
when we get in a
situation like that.
00:10:16.91\00:10:18.45
Lord, get me out of
this. I won't do it again.
00:10:18.48\00:10:20.32
And as soon as
you get out of it,
00:10:20.35\00:10:21.98
you're right back and
it's the same exact thing.
00:10:22.02\00:10:23.99
Right back, man. Right
back. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:10:24.02\00:10:26.25
But I feel that,
when I had got there,
00:10:26.29\00:10:30.59
you know, everywhere
you go, there is good people
00:10:30.63\00:10:32.36
and there is bad
people, you know.
00:10:32.39\00:10:34.70
When I got there, I was
looking for the bad people.
00:10:34.73\00:10:38.10
You know, I didn't
want to be around the lames
00:10:38.13\00:10:39.83
and the, you know.
00:10:39.87\00:10:41.77
Understood.
00:10:41.80\00:10:43.14
Yeah, I don't want to be
around people like that, man.
00:10:43.17\00:10:44.74
You got to be
involved in something.
00:10:44.77\00:10:46.24
You had to be in
something, you know.
00:10:46.27\00:10:48.34
That's what makes
you, you know, you're cool,
00:10:48.38\00:10:50.11
you know, that's the
one of those, you know.
00:10:50.15\00:10:52.48
Oh, yeah. World's
version of being cool.
00:10:52.51\00:10:54.35
Yeah, exactly.
00:10:54.38\00:10:56.79
I've always been a
leader, you know towards things.
00:10:56.82\00:10:59.12
I've never been a type
to be drove toward stuff
00:10:59.15\00:11:01.26
because of the
people that are doing it.
00:11:01.29\00:11:03.12
You know,
whether it's good or bad,
00:11:03.16\00:11:04.66
you know, but I
guess the main thing for me
00:11:04.69\00:11:07.76
is I just wanted to be accepted
00:11:07.80\00:11:09.50
at an real early age
for the wrong people.
00:11:09.53\00:11:13.07
So that led me to
juvenile, you know, detention.
00:11:13.10\00:11:15.70
Okay.
00:11:15.74\00:11:17.07
Even that, man, I realize
00:11:17.11\00:11:18.44
that God was using
certain people to still,
00:11:18.47\00:11:21.04
you know to be, you know,
00:11:21.08\00:11:22.41
to touch in my life
in a way, man, to let me,
00:11:22.44\00:11:24.21
you know, see that,
this is not it, man you know.
00:11:24.25\00:11:25.81
Okay.
00:11:25.85\00:11:27.18
I had correction officers, man,
00:11:27.22\00:11:28.55
they used to
come to me, you know.
00:11:28.58\00:11:30.05
They used to watch
me and tell me man,
00:11:30.09\00:11:31.55
you know,
watching man, you know.
00:11:31.59\00:11:33.69
Why did you get into this place?
00:11:33.72\00:11:35.09
You know, why did you
get into this situation?
00:11:35.12\00:11:36.56
There you go. Okay.
00:11:36.59\00:11:38.39
But I just tell
them what happened, man,
00:11:38.43\00:11:40.90
and mainly just,
00:11:40.93\00:11:42.26
you know, being
around the wrong people, man,
00:11:42.30\00:11:44.17
made a major impact, you know.
00:11:44.20\00:11:46.43
Oh, yeah, definitely.
00:11:46.47\00:11:47.80
You know, who
you hang around with,
00:11:47.84\00:11:49.17
who you hang around with
00:11:49.20\00:11:51.24
definitely has
a major impact of,
00:11:51.27\00:11:53.58
you know, what type of lifestyle
00:11:53.61\00:11:55.04
we may follow
00:11:55.08\00:11:56.54
or what type of
lifestyle we may live.
00:11:56.58\00:11:59.11
Now after juvenile detention
centers the various times,
00:11:59.15\00:12:04.09
you eventually
caught an adult charge
00:12:04.12\00:12:06.12
and was sent to prison.
00:12:06.15\00:12:07.49
Talk about that
whole experience?
00:12:07.52\00:12:10.43
Well, it started
from the detention thing.
00:12:10.46\00:12:13.26
I went there, I
didn't learn anything,
00:12:13.29\00:12:14.63
you know, I went there,
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.00
you know, made a thing
by being colored though,
00:12:16.03\00:12:18.73
you know, to fake it to make it.
00:12:18.77\00:12:20.50
I want to make this,
00:12:20.54\00:12:21.87
fake it to make it,
just to get through.
00:12:21.90\00:12:23.24
Yeah, you know,
this will be okay,
00:12:23.27\00:12:25.01
you know later on,
00:12:25.04\00:12:26.37
you know, I could do
this for this amount of time,
00:12:26.41\00:12:27.78
you know, play
the game, you know.
00:12:27.81\00:12:29.14
Yeah, just roll with the punches
00:12:29.18\00:12:30.51
or whatever get out,
00:12:30.55\00:12:31.88
you know, and do
what you got to do.
00:12:31.91\00:12:33.25
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:12:33.28\00:12:34.62
But it didn't work
for me in the walk.
00:12:34.65\00:12:37.29
That's right it, man.
00:12:37.32\00:12:39.69
I thought that I had
everything I needed you know.
00:12:39.72\00:12:41.89
I finally got released
from that juvenile thing.
00:12:41.92\00:12:44.69
When I went home,
00:12:44.73\00:12:46.06
you know, everything
went good for a day or two,
00:12:46.09\00:12:48.20
you know, it always
turns out like that,
00:12:48.23\00:12:49.90
you know, day or two.
00:12:49.93\00:12:51.27
Oh, yeah.
00:12:51.30\00:12:52.63
This thing, you know, man,
00:12:52.67\00:12:54.00
I found myself right back
in the same position again.
00:12:54.04\00:12:56.20
And I'm like, man, whoa,
00:12:56.24\00:12:57.57
you know, what
will I do, you know.
00:12:57.61\00:12:59.41
And they
wouldn't, what I was doing,
00:12:59.44\00:13:01.11
it was, who I was around,
00:13:01.14\00:13:03.14
you know, the type of atmosphere
00:13:03.18\00:13:05.68
that I was trying
to be accepted in,
00:13:05.71\00:13:08.38
you know, and I
quit getting in trouble
00:13:08.42\00:13:11.79
but I wouldn't let
these people go, you know.
00:13:11.82\00:13:13.72
You know, what
I'm saying, you know.
00:13:13.76\00:13:15.82
So that kind of
took me for internment
00:13:15.86\00:13:18.03
and I did some things
that, that held on to me, man,
00:13:18.06\00:13:22.06
for a long time, you know.
00:13:22.10\00:13:24.63
Even to drove to that case
00:13:24.67\00:13:27.37
that I had, you know,
before I was going to prison.
00:13:27.40\00:13:30.01
But the juvenile thing,
00:13:30.04\00:13:32.47
when I went there, I think that,
00:13:32.51\00:13:34.51
that's where I
first heard God force,
00:13:34.54\00:13:37.61
you know, God trying
to get my attention, man.
00:13:37.65\00:13:39.81
I think that was like
a wake up call for me.
00:13:39.85\00:13:41.38
Okay. Okay.
00:13:41.42\00:13:42.75
You know, but
that's to get likely,
00:13:42.78\00:13:44.12
you know, like slap on the wrist
00:13:44.15\00:13:45.49
because you know, it went deep.
00:13:45.52\00:13:46.86
Yeah. As I thought it was.
00:13:46.89\00:13:48.36
But as I recall it wouldn't get.
00:13:48.39\00:13:50.66
You know but as
I went to prison,
00:13:50.69\00:13:53.73
I caught a bunch of charges,
00:13:53.76\00:13:55.10
had over 20
something charges, man.
00:13:55.13\00:13:56.46
Wow.
00:13:56.50\00:13:57.83
Yeah, man, I got
over 20 something charges
00:13:57.87\00:13:59.47
just different
stuff, drugs, assault cases.
00:13:59.50\00:14:03.37
Okay.
00:14:03.41\00:14:04.74
I had one man
that was real crazy,
00:14:04.77\00:14:07.08
shooting around
occupied toilets.
00:14:07.11\00:14:09.34
Wow.
00:14:09.38\00:14:10.71
Yeah, man, I
joined the game, man,
00:14:10.75\00:14:12.55
right before I went to prison
00:14:12.58\00:14:13.92
I had joined the
gang just for Crips,
00:14:13.95\00:14:16.42
You know, you had
to wear your colors
00:14:16.45\00:14:18.25
and prove your
loyalty and all these stuff.
00:14:18.29\00:14:21.22
Oh, yes. Oh, yeah.
00:14:21.26\00:14:22.59
My loyalty of proven
was to go shoot at all
00:14:22.62\00:14:25.36
the school windows out.
00:14:25.39\00:14:26.93
Shoot at the bus windows out,
00:14:26.96\00:14:29.13
you know, the buses
and everything, you know.
00:14:29.16\00:14:30.97
Okay. Man, I was a fool.
00:14:31.00\00:14:33.00
Man, I went and I did it. Yeah.
00:14:33.03\00:14:34.57
You know, did all of that, man.
00:14:34.60\00:14:36.84
That at right
there were held on to me.
00:14:36.87\00:14:38.81
Okay, okay.
00:14:38.84\00:14:40.31
So the main thing that
I was, I went to court...
00:14:40.34\00:14:43.01
I'm about that and they kept
talking about everything goes,
00:14:43.04\00:14:46.31
you know, they would gonna
00:14:46.35\00:14:47.68
let this go and
gonna let that go.
00:14:47.72\00:14:49.32
But that one particular thing
00:14:49.35\00:14:50.69
they weren't
willing to do, you know.
00:14:50.72\00:14:52.05
Yeah, okay, okay.
00:14:52.09\00:14:53.56
So the judge offered me
though five years in prison.
00:14:53.59\00:14:59.06
And I didn't take it.
00:14:59.09\00:15:00.43
You know, I struck
it up and I told them
00:15:00.46\00:15:02.16
that I felt like
that's too much for me, man,
00:15:02.20\00:15:03.87
you know, I've
never been, you know.
00:15:03.90\00:15:05.53
It's too much.
00:15:05.57\00:15:06.90
I've been to prison
before, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:15:06.94\00:15:08.27
Don't care nobody, man.
00:15:08.30\00:15:09.64
So I went ahead
and I struck it up,
00:15:12.51\00:15:16.64
you know, I went to
court and everything,
00:15:16.68\00:15:18.78
so the guy come back
and again he tells me,
00:15:18.81\00:15:21.35
we got you something
that look better than that.
00:15:21.38\00:15:23.12
And in ten years,
00:15:23.15\00:15:24.49
you'll be able to
live better, you know.
00:15:24.52\00:15:26.35
So mainly they told me,
00:15:26.39\00:15:28.49
they are giving me
ten years of good time,
00:15:28.52\00:15:31.79
you know, ten
years of good time,
00:15:31.83\00:15:33.16
you know, you get
ten years sentence,
00:15:33.19\00:15:34.53
you go there,
you do three years,
00:15:34.56\00:15:35.96
four months and 27 days.
00:15:36.00\00:15:37.33
Okay, so you
remembered exactly to the day.
00:15:37.37\00:15:39.67
Man.
00:15:39.70\00:15:41.17
It kills, you
know, this whole thing,
00:15:41.20\00:15:43.41
you know and um...
00:15:43.44\00:15:44.77
I went in, you know
like okay, I can do three.
00:15:44.81\00:15:47.21
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
00:15:47.24\00:15:48.58
You know, I'm going in and meet
00:15:48.61\00:15:50.01
some of these
old partners of mine
00:15:50.05\00:15:51.38
is in there already, you know.
00:15:51.41\00:15:52.75
Yeah, okay.
00:15:52.78\00:15:54.12
But things didn't turn
out like I wanted them to,
00:15:54.15\00:15:55.52
you know, I ended up
doing more than three years,
00:15:55.55\00:15:57.45
four months and 27 days,
00:15:57.49\00:15:59.09
you know, end up doing
half of that sentence, man.
00:15:59.12\00:16:01.36
Half of the ten years sentence.
00:16:01.39\00:16:02.72
Yeah. Okay.
00:16:02.76\00:16:04.09
And I didn't even have to. Okay.
00:16:04.13\00:16:07.76
As I was there,
00:16:07.80\00:16:09.66
you know, like I
told you God had people
00:16:09.70\00:16:11.93
in different places,
man, who touched me, you know.
00:16:11.97\00:16:14.27
Had a bunch of
guys that was there
00:16:14.30\00:16:17.11
and I'm just
familiar, man, this is crazy
00:16:17.14\00:16:18.91
because I had guy that was there
00:16:18.94\00:16:20.28
that was getting into
the same trouble with me,
00:16:20.31\00:16:22.11
you know like, man, yeah
am I supposed to be here,
00:16:22.14\00:16:23.48
you know.
00:16:23.51\00:16:24.85
I didn't know that's
where bad people go, man,
00:16:24.88\00:16:26.78
you know, all bad people
00:16:26.82\00:16:28.15
go into this one
place man, you know.
00:16:28.18\00:16:30.15
You know, as I got there,
00:16:30.19\00:16:33.42
I then started thinking
about my life a little bit.
00:16:33.46\00:16:35.06
Okay.
00:16:35.09\00:16:36.42
And you know, I
stayed there first year, two
00:16:36.46\00:16:39.49
and I started
losing people, man,
00:16:39.53\00:16:41.00
that was real close
to me, man, and I'm like,
00:16:41.03\00:16:42.73
"Man, oh, this is
not no fun," you know.
00:16:42.76\00:16:44.10
Yeah, yeah. Exactly, exactly.
00:16:44.13\00:16:45.47
This isn't cool, you know, man,
00:16:45.50\00:16:46.84
years are passing
00:16:46.87\00:16:48.20
and I'm here
stuck in this one spot.
00:16:48.24\00:16:49.57
Yeah.
00:16:49.60\00:16:50.94
You know I called home
00:16:50.97\00:16:52.31
and they are having a good time,
00:16:52.34\00:16:53.68
you know people, man,
00:16:53.71\00:16:55.04
they just live
in, man, you know.
00:16:55.08\00:16:56.41
Yeah, you're just in this cage.
I'm like man, what, you know.
00:16:56.44\00:16:57.78
But I don't
deserve this, you know.
00:16:57.81\00:17:00.38
So then I
started paying attention
00:17:00.42\00:17:02.05
to my life there and...
00:17:02.08\00:17:03.99
I remember man
like yesterday, man.
00:17:04.02\00:17:06.12
I had a guy, man,
00:17:06.15\00:17:07.49
I was used to be real cool with.
00:17:07.52\00:17:08.86
His name was Jay Rock. Okay.
00:17:08.89\00:17:10.23
Young guy, man. He was
quite an example for me.
00:17:10.26\00:17:13.19
You know, he,
00:17:13.23\00:17:14.56
he was into the
word of God, you know.
00:17:14.60\00:17:15.93
Okay.
00:17:15.96\00:17:17.30
I mean, I would go, went there,
00:17:17.33\00:17:18.67
you know read a
couple of verses and stuff,
00:17:18.70\00:17:20.04
whatever there's a
key to tab, you know.
00:17:20.07\00:17:21.97
But this one
particular guy, man,
00:17:22.00\00:17:23.67
he's got really true with it.
00:17:23.71\00:17:25.27
Okay. And this is
while you were in prison?
00:17:25.31\00:17:27.18
Yes, sir. Okay, okay.
00:17:27.21\00:17:28.54
He was younger
than me, you know.
00:17:28.58\00:17:30.55
This guy was on fire, man,
00:17:30.58\00:17:31.95
and I saw how other
people had accepted him,
00:17:31.98\00:17:34.95
you know the guards,
they don't mess with this guy,
00:17:34.98\00:17:37.35
you know, he's always serious.
00:17:37.39\00:17:38.79
You know he's just Jay Rock,
00:17:38.82\00:17:40.99
you know, he's always
just uplifting God, man,
00:17:41.02\00:17:42.82
you know, he talks to people,
00:17:42.86\00:17:44.19
people come to him with problems
00:17:44.23\00:17:45.56
that they had,
00:17:45.59\00:17:46.93
you know, I want
that kind of life.
00:17:46.96\00:17:50.43
I don't want to be
bad kind of people,
00:17:50.47\00:17:51.80
people running from
you when they see you,
00:17:51.83\00:17:53.23
so I want to be
accepted, you know.
00:17:53.27\00:17:55.17
Okay.
00:17:55.20\00:17:56.54
So, just so happened
man, who's in church.
00:17:56.57\00:17:59.41
And he walked up to
me and he told me, man,
00:17:59.44\00:18:01.91
you know, God told me,
00:18:01.94\00:18:03.28
you know that I should
take some time up with you,
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.61
that you need it.
00:18:05.65\00:18:06.98
Okay. I'm like, what, God.
00:18:07.02\00:18:08.72
You know, I mean,
he's like, yeah, man,
00:18:08.75\00:18:10.09
it's like I want to know
little bit more about you,
00:18:10.12\00:18:11.62
you know, just like you
had an encounter with God.
00:18:11.65\00:18:14.36
I said, that's what I
remember telling him, yeah.
00:18:14.39\00:18:16.93
Only one
encounter when I was young.
00:18:16.96\00:18:18.93
Back in the days, we had a car,
00:18:18.96\00:18:20.56
old car that used to sit
in my grandmother's yard.
00:18:20.60\00:18:23.37
And that was my
brother's old car
00:18:23.40\00:18:25.03
and I used to sit up on blocks,
00:18:25.07\00:18:26.90
you just sit up in a car
00:18:26.94\00:18:28.30
driving like we
were driving, you know.
00:18:28.34\00:18:30.91
Been there, I understand it.
00:18:30.94\00:18:32.41
You know, maybe sitting
there and get high, you know.
00:18:32.44\00:18:35.11
And I started telling him
about my life and everything.
00:18:35.14\00:18:37.31
I think they asked me,
I was like, well, yeah,
00:18:37.35\00:18:38.68
have you ever had
an encounter with God.
00:18:38.71\00:18:40.48
Okay. I said,
well, yeah, maybe once.
00:18:40.52\00:18:43.12
When a preacher came
and we were sitting in a car
00:18:43.15\00:18:45.02
preaching while there is many,
00:18:45.05\00:18:46.42
you know trying
to spread the word
00:18:46.45\00:18:48.02
and then, you know, I
got it all from the God.
00:18:48.06\00:18:49.52
I told him, you know, preacher,
we don't want this God,
00:18:49.56\00:18:52.09
you know, we want this life.
00:18:52.13\00:18:53.46
And as a matter of fact,
00:18:53.50\00:18:54.83
if you don't
want to preach again,
00:18:54.86\00:18:56.20
you know, you
better get out of here,
00:18:56.23\00:18:57.83
you know, yeah,
man so, preaching,
00:18:57.87\00:19:02.17
you know, he never gave
me no bad look, man, nothing.
00:19:02.20\00:19:04.31
Okay. You know.
00:19:04.34\00:19:05.67
And matter of fact,
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.04
I'll tell you about
this preacher later on
00:19:07.08\00:19:08.41
about this other encounter
00:19:08.44\00:19:09.78
that I had with
him, the same guy.
00:19:09.81\00:19:11.15
Okay. You know, in the prison.
00:19:11.18\00:19:12.51
Okay.
00:19:12.55\00:19:13.88
Now you said
that with good times,
00:19:13.92\00:19:16.85
you would have been
able to do to three years,
00:19:16.89\00:19:18.55
four months and
such and such days,
00:19:18.59\00:19:20.56
to 27 days.
00:19:20.59\00:19:21.92
Now, you ended up doing
00:19:21.96\00:19:23.43
five years of
that ten year sentence.
00:19:23.46\00:19:24.79
Yeah.
00:19:24.83\00:19:26.16
Why did you end up doing
more of the sentence thing
00:19:26.19\00:19:28.10
you could have done?
00:19:28.13\00:19:29.46
Oh, man, when I
got incarcerated,
00:19:32.63\00:19:35.54
I got in there,
00:19:35.57\00:19:37.91
I found myself right
back into the same position
00:19:37.94\00:19:41.14
again as I did on
the streets, you know.
00:19:41.18\00:19:43.14
Me not knowing,
00:19:43.18\00:19:44.51
you know, the type
of place that I was at.
00:19:44.55\00:19:46.41
You know, me not realizing that,
00:19:46.45\00:19:48.12
you know, these people got,
00:19:48.15\00:19:49.65
these people are on the
streets for a purpose, you know.
00:19:49.68\00:19:52.49
Everybody that goes there
00:19:52.52\00:19:54.29
not want to have a
better life, you know.
00:19:54.32\00:19:56.19
Everybody still
want to live the same
00:19:56.22\00:19:58.09
and get out and do
the same and, you know.
00:19:58.13\00:20:00.30
So I found myself with a
bunch with that was planning,
00:20:00.33\00:20:04.87
you know, all bad
stuff when they get out,
00:20:04.90\00:20:06.63
you know, planning
on selling these drugs
00:20:06.67\00:20:08.47
when we get out,
planning on coming up
00:20:08.50\00:20:10.17
and getting this time, you know.
00:20:10.21\00:20:13.64
I know it.
00:20:13.68\00:20:15.01
We plan on getting all this time
00:20:15.04\00:20:16.44
back and everything, you know.
00:20:16.48\00:20:18.31
It's making up the time,
00:20:18.35\00:20:19.78
you know, as it
was, making up the time.
00:20:19.81\00:20:21.15
Oh, yeah, you got to
make up for that lost time.
00:20:21.18\00:20:22.72
The same thing I
did when I got out.
00:20:22.75\00:20:24.15
I got to make up for this time.
00:20:24.19\00:20:25.52
Yeah, you know,
where I go, you know.
00:20:25.55\00:20:27.69
So I kind of got with that,
00:20:27.72\00:20:29.52
with that crowd and I
told you about the guy Jeremy,
00:20:29.56\00:20:33.13
Jay Rock the guy that was.
00:20:33.16\00:20:34.70
He never let me go,
man, even when he saw me
00:20:34.73\00:20:36.77
with these certain
particular guys, man,
00:20:36.80\00:20:38.33
he always keep going.
00:20:38.37\00:20:39.70
And I'm like God did
this on purpose, you know.
00:20:39.73\00:20:41.67
It's amazing how
God will put people
00:20:41.70\00:20:43.74
in your path
throughout your life
00:20:43.77\00:20:45.71
to try to get your attention,
00:20:45.74\00:20:47.48
and at the moment
we may not realize it
00:20:47.51\00:20:49.94
until we look back and we say,
00:20:49.98\00:20:51.51
wow, that was actually God
trying to get my attention.
00:20:51.55\00:20:52.88
That's right.
00:20:52.91\00:20:54.25
Back then, back then,
00:20:54.28\00:20:55.62
I didn't even
know him, you know.
00:20:55.65\00:20:56.99
Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:20:57.02\00:20:58.35
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:20:58.39\00:20:59.72
Now eventually you got
out and eventually you came
00:20:59.75\00:21:03.36
into the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:21:03.39\00:21:06.03
What was your
religious background
00:21:06.06\00:21:07.40
prior to coming
00:21:07.43\00:21:08.76
into Seventh-day
Adventist Church?
00:21:08.80\00:21:10.13
Oh, man I was a Baptist.
I was grown up as a Baptist.
00:21:10.17\00:21:12.53
That's my whole home, you know.
00:21:12.57\00:21:13.90
My grandmother, my aunt,
everybody's just Baptist.
00:21:13.94\00:21:15.74
Okay.
00:21:15.77\00:21:17.11
Now how did
you, how did you come
00:21:17.14\00:21:19.11
into the
Seventh-day Adventist Church?
00:21:19.14\00:21:20.71
What, who knocked on
your door or what transpired?
00:21:20.74\00:21:23.71
What was going on?
00:21:23.75\00:21:25.35
Well, a few times...
00:21:25.38\00:21:27.55
I've actually had a few
of them coming to my door,
00:21:27.58\00:21:29.58
you know, they weren't so good,
00:21:29.62\00:21:31.49
you know, what it is.
00:21:31.52\00:21:33.86
You know, that was in my mess,
00:21:33.89\00:21:35.79
or trying to do
something that wasn't right,
00:21:35.82\00:21:38.06
you know, and these
people knock on my door
00:21:38.09\00:21:39.96
and I answered the door
00:21:40.00\00:21:41.80
and there were a
couple of my aunt told me,
00:21:41.83\00:21:44.77
sure, I'd be there man,
you know, I'll be there.
00:21:44.80\00:21:46.97
To tell them something to
get them away from the door.
00:21:47.00\00:21:48.54
Hey, hey, bro, I got
to go and get my keys,
00:21:48.57\00:21:51.01
you know, but I never showed up.
00:21:51.04\00:21:53.38
Okay.
00:21:53.41\00:21:54.74
It was this one
particular guy, man.
00:21:54.78\00:21:57.11
His name is
Timothy Lee. Timothy Lee.
00:21:57.15\00:21:58.91
Man, oh, my God.
00:21:58.95\00:22:01.75
Oh, you do. I know him well.
00:22:01.78\00:22:03.69
Oh, there was something
different about him, man.
00:22:03.72\00:22:06.15
You know, you always,
00:22:06.19\00:22:07.52
you know like I always
see in his face that he cared.
00:22:07.56\00:22:09.89
You know, I always see it in him
00:22:09.92\00:22:11.59
and I see it in you, you know.
00:22:11.63\00:22:13.29
You can always see him,
man, that he cared, you know.
00:22:13.33\00:22:16.20
And there was
something different about him.
00:22:16.23\00:22:18.07
And right at that time, I
was going through a crisis.
00:22:18.10\00:22:21.14
And I was ready to leave streets
00:22:21.17\00:22:23.44
along there,
man, you know, fully.
00:22:23.47\00:22:25.54
I was ready to give it
up, man, and just like,
00:22:25.57\00:22:27.41
you know, I'm going
with this guy thinking,
00:22:27.44\00:22:29.48
man, it's got to be
better than this lifestyle,
00:22:29.51\00:22:31.81
you know, it's
got to be, you know.
00:22:31.85\00:22:33.72
So he came and everything
00:22:33.75\00:22:36.48
and I told him like
I told everybody else,
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.22
yeah, I'd be there,
you know, yeah, I'll show.
00:22:38.25\00:22:40.46
You got a boy, you know,
show him the dress, you know.
00:22:40.49\00:22:43.12
I'll be there.
00:22:43.16\00:22:44.49
But after that time,
00:22:44.53\00:22:46.56
the next week
brother come back again.
00:22:46.59\00:22:49.06
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:49.10\00:22:50.43
What's with you man, you
know. He showed up again.
00:22:50.47\00:22:53.74
Yeah, you know, I'm
scared to be around here, man,
00:22:53.77\00:22:55.64
you showed up, you know.
00:22:55.67\00:22:57.24
I know where you
are at, man, you know.
00:22:57.27\00:23:00.14
And the brother, you
know, he just told real, man,
00:23:00.18\00:23:02.08
you know, he talked to me
and I find out where I'll sit,
00:23:02.11\00:23:05.11
you know, and he told
me that I had a place man
00:23:05.15\00:23:06.98
that would accept me, man.
00:23:07.02\00:23:08.35
Yeah.
00:23:08.38\00:23:09.72
And he told me that
00:23:09.75\00:23:12.52
the size of
church, look at brother,
00:23:12.55\00:23:14.82
you know, you could call
me even if you had problems.
00:23:14.86\00:23:16.99
You know, it don't have to be
00:23:17.03\00:23:18.36
just about
church or whatever, man,
00:23:18.39\00:23:19.73
and more about your
well-being, you know.
00:23:19.76\00:23:21.23
So I took his number
down, man, and I'm thinking,
00:23:21.26\00:23:24.03
you know, I make
or make not, you know.
00:23:24.07\00:23:27.40
God had sided up, man,
00:23:27.44\00:23:28.77
he had different
plans for me, man.
00:23:28.80\00:23:30.14
He sided up to where,
00:23:30.17\00:23:31.51
you know, I actually
had to had it proper, man.
00:23:31.54\00:23:33.84
You know, so I gave him a
try, I called him, you know.
00:23:33.88\00:23:36.78
I gave him a try.
00:23:36.81\00:23:38.15
You know, I called him, brother,
00:23:38.18\00:23:39.51
and I told him
that I had a crisis
00:23:39.55\00:23:40.88
that was going on at the time.
00:23:40.92\00:23:42.25
My brother was like,
00:23:42.28\00:23:43.62
you know, on the
phone he was like um...
00:23:43.65\00:23:44.99
I read it, what were you at?
00:23:45.02\00:23:46.55
You know, all into it,
00:23:46.59\00:23:48.16
you know, that's
while I was there.
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.59
Oh, yeah. My brother was there.
00:23:49.62\00:23:51.89
You know, it never
happened, you know.
00:23:51.93\00:23:53.53
Even when I'm
shooting he falls in
00:23:53.56\00:23:55.06
and all these in the
streets, man, you know.
00:23:55.10\00:23:56.93
These people will not definitely
00:23:56.97\00:23:58.30
like this particular
person was and, you know.
00:23:58.33\00:24:00.20
And you don't even know
him. You never met him before.
00:24:00.24\00:24:01.57
I didn't know this guy, man.
Didn't even know this guy, man.
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.81
Didn't even
know why he was doing
00:24:03.84\00:24:05.17
what he was doing, you know.
00:24:05.21\00:24:06.88
Why do you care
about me, man, you know.
00:24:06.91\00:24:09.24
Go out to somebody else,
00:24:09.28\00:24:10.65
somebody who wants
to change, you know.
00:24:10.68\00:24:12.95
But the brother
never left me alone, man,
00:24:12.98\00:24:15.62
and I told you,
00:24:15.65\00:24:16.99
I've always been a
leader instead of a follower.
00:24:17.02\00:24:18.52
Yeah, exactly.
00:24:18.55\00:24:19.89
But I've seen that
the brother cared, man.
00:24:19.92\00:24:22.32
So, I'm like, man, you
know, this is different, here,
00:24:22.36\00:24:24.03
you know, there's something
different about this brother.
00:24:24.06\00:24:25.59
You know, I'm gonna go
ahead and try this thing up.
00:24:25.63\00:24:26.96
Okay.
00:24:27.00\00:24:28.33
And at the time, I had a girl,
00:24:28.36\00:24:29.96
I mean it was Andrea, you know,
00:24:30.00\00:24:31.33
man, I was
together and everything.
00:24:31.37\00:24:33.50
She was going
through some things
00:24:33.54\00:24:34.87
that she was dealing with.
00:24:34.90\00:24:36.60
She was caught up
into, oh, man, witchcraft.
00:24:36.64\00:24:39.41
You know, yeah, man,
00:24:39.44\00:24:40.81
and she was,
00:24:40.84\00:24:42.48
do her literal
things or whatever,
00:24:42.51\00:24:45.11
you know, what I
set up in the room.
00:24:45.15\00:24:47.15
And the church that I
was going to at the time...
00:24:47.18\00:24:50.55
we needed some help
00:24:50.59\00:24:51.92
with the crisis that I had, man,
00:24:51.95\00:24:53.36
and it's like, they
went and found me, man.
00:24:53.39\00:24:56.02
I don't know, man.
00:24:56.06\00:24:57.39
So I told her,
00:24:57.43\00:24:58.76
we'll start checking
out something else here.
00:24:58.79\00:25:00.13
Yeah, okay.
00:25:00.16\00:25:01.50
So we actually came
to Oakwood University.
00:25:01.53\00:25:04.43
Man, that's the church
that the brother belonged to.
00:25:04.47\00:25:05.80
Praise the Lord.
00:25:05.83\00:25:07.17
Oakwood University in
Huntsville, man, you know.
00:25:07.20\00:25:09.40
The pastor was Dr. Byrd,
00:25:09.44\00:25:11.24
you know, man, I
went to that church, man,
00:25:11.27\00:25:13.38
one time and never
could stop going, you know.
00:25:13.41\00:25:18.61
It's like the brother real, man,
00:25:18.65\00:25:19.98
it's like the brother
to speak directly to me,
00:25:20.02\00:25:21.92
you know, and he
breaks it down to a place
00:25:21.95\00:25:24.25
where you like
it, I can understand,
00:25:24.29\00:25:25.89
you know, that I can
relate to the brother, you know.
00:25:25.92\00:25:29.49
And he's more like a
teacher than a pastor, you know.
00:25:29.52\00:25:33.19
He's like a teacher. Yeah.
00:25:33.23\00:25:34.56
Oh yeah, I know. Oh, yeah.
00:25:34.60\00:25:37.57
But the brother
Timothy Lee, man, you know,
00:25:37.60\00:25:41.30
he just went out of
his way for me, man,
00:25:41.34\00:25:42.94
a few times, a few times.
00:25:42.97\00:25:44.87
You know, what's interesting,
00:25:44.91\00:25:47.08
Timothy, Timothy Lee
myself were Bible workers
00:25:47.11\00:25:50.15
and it's not just
00:25:50.18\00:25:52.01
because you mentioned
something important about,
00:25:52.05\00:25:55.15
how he would go
out of his way for you
00:25:55.18\00:25:56.85
and things like that,
and as a Bible worker,
00:25:56.89\00:25:59.29
we have to do more
than just Bible studies.
00:25:59.32\00:26:00.79
Yeah.
00:26:00.82\00:26:02.16
You know, we're
actually in people's lives.
00:26:02.19\00:26:04.33
Getting to know
them, picking them up,
00:26:04.36\00:26:05.76
bringing them to prayer meeting,
00:26:05.79\00:26:07.13
bringing them to church.
00:26:07.16\00:26:08.50
Yeah.
00:26:08.53\00:26:09.86
So that was a
real blessing to you
00:26:09.90\00:26:11.23
to be able to have
somebody in your life like that
00:26:11.27\00:26:13.64
that never had met before.
00:26:13.67\00:26:16.67
Talk real briefly about
the experience of accepting
00:26:16.71\00:26:18.87
Jesus into your life,
the joy that you received?
00:26:18.91\00:26:21.11
Joy, oh, man, it's
better than any high.
00:26:21.14\00:26:24.58
Even the crack, you
know that. Oh yeah, oh yeah.
00:26:24.61\00:26:27.12
It's better than any high,
man, that I've ever had, man,
00:26:27.15\00:26:29.95
and it gives you a joy,
man, that the streets can't,
00:26:29.98\00:26:33.59
weren't able to
give me, you know.
00:26:33.62\00:26:36.49
It's just, you
know, it's something
00:26:36.52\00:26:39.06
that you just can't explain.
00:26:39.09\00:26:40.43
I just encourage people
man, if you never tried it, man,
00:26:40.46\00:26:42.96
you know, just try it out.
00:26:43.00\00:26:44.33
Yeah, give Jesus a try.
00:26:44.37\00:26:45.70
You know, man, I'm telling you,
man, He's closer than anybody
00:26:45.73\00:26:49.20
or anything else
ever been to me, man.
00:26:49.24\00:26:51.11
Oh, yeah, oh yeah.
00:26:51.14\00:26:52.47
I just can't
explain this love, man.
00:26:52.51\00:26:53.88
Yes, yes indeed.
00:26:53.91\00:26:55.24
What have you seen real
briefly that has helped you
00:26:55.28\00:26:59.05
navigate away from the
streets and stay in the church?
00:26:59.08\00:27:03.42
Like far as, like
far as just being out.
00:27:03.45\00:27:05.82
Yeah, being in the church now
00:27:05.85\00:27:07.66
and staying away
from various things
00:27:07.69\00:27:09.76
in the streets that you
used to get involved in,
00:27:09.79\00:27:11.13
real briefly?
00:27:11.16\00:27:12.49
Oh, man, just family, man,
00:27:12.53\00:27:13.86
I see how the
love that they have.
00:27:13.90\00:27:15.23
I see that people
really do care, man,
00:27:15.26\00:27:17.63
and that, you know,
00:27:17.67\00:27:19.00
I'm not alone
in this world, man.
00:27:19.03\00:27:21.70
You know,
people that are willing
00:27:21.74\00:27:23.14
to make sacrifices for me,
00:27:23.17\00:27:25.24
you know and
that means a lot to me
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.08
because I never
grew up, I never had it.
00:27:27.11\00:27:29.08
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:27:29.11\00:27:31.11
Well, Mr. Clay, we
would like to thank you
00:27:31.15\00:27:32.68
for being on the program.
00:27:32.71\00:27:34.05
We've run out of time.
00:27:34.08\00:27:35.42
Very amazing testimony.
00:27:35.45\00:27:38.65
I want you to keep
staying in that word,
00:27:38.69\00:27:40.66
stay in that word,
00:27:40.69\00:27:42.02
stay strong and continue
to go forward in Jesus' name.
00:27:42.06\00:27:45.93
God has a
special blessing for you.
00:27:45.96\00:27:47.53
Amen.
00:27:47.56\00:27:48.90
Viewers, we'd like to thank
you for tuning in once again
00:27:48.93\00:27:51.90
for The New Journey.
00:27:51.93\00:27:53.27
Be sure to tune in next time
00:27:53.30\00:27:54.64
for an exciting
broadcast of The New Journey.
00:27:54.67\00:27:57.51
Be blessed until then.
00:27:57.54\00:27:59.04