Blood Raw AKA Mr. Florida recently took time out of his busy schedule which includes a heavy nationwide promo tour to speak to Raptalk about a wide variety of topics.

We go in-depth with Blood Raw starting off at his extremely difficult childhood which includes tragedy and many unfortunate convictions. Blood Raw goes on to speaks about how he’s been able to turn all these negative events into positive energy through his music.

After spending the last few years signed to Atlanta rap superstar Young Jeezy and his CTE imprint which has included the release of the gold selling group album alongside Young Jeezy and Slick Pulla which are collectively known as the USDA – “Cold Summer”, Blood Raw is finally ready to spread his wings and fly solo on his much awaited debut “My Life: The True Testimony.”

Questions asked by: Lunatic 63

Q: We’re here with Blood Raw, how is it going man?

I’m good, how are you?

I’m great, thanks for asking.

It’s all good.

Q: If we can get right into it, let’s start off at your childhood. You lost your mother at a very young age, how did you cope with that?

I’m still dealing with it; you know what I’m saying? I was very close with my mother; anytime she left the house, she took me with her. As I grow older and just being from where I’m from, I have leaned to deal with the situation. I mean it was even harder because I didn’t have my father around either. I had nobody to raise me but my grandmother and my aunt; but it is not like having your mother or father around.

Q: I understand we’re your coming from on that one. You then began to get into some trouble and you ended up serving some time in a Florida correction centre – tell us about that experience.

I went to the prison for the first time at fifteen years old for a drug trafficking charge. They sent me to a camp that was used for those under the age of twenty-five. I did about a year and two months and got out for about ten months and then went back in on another drug trafficking violation. I was sentenced to five years in prison and ten years probation. I went it and did my time and actually got out in four years.

I then moved to Atlanta with my sister and lived there for about two years and then came back home to Panama City to pursue my rap career. I would say I really got all the way into rap around 2002 and I took it all in – I said I was going to do this with 110% you feel me?

Q: You mentioned living in Atlanta for two years. During your time there, you joined your uncle at a Hip-Hop café he owned at the time; you got to meet some current rap heavyweights such as 50 cent – looking back on that experience, how did it all feel?

It felt crazy because those were people that I used to look up to and they are now friends of mine. I am now able to talk to these people and see these guys who tell me they are fans of my music; it’s kind of crazy, you know what I’m saying? I used to be fans and now most of those guys are also fans of my work –it’s a wonderful feeling. The whole thing about it was that it was a major learning experience. I took my gift and I applied it at the end of the day. I was like shit, I could do this like they do it; you feel me?

Q: That is a really nice story. You eventually met Young Jeezy when he was in attendance at one of your shows; how was it that you so quickly became a member of his team?

I mean, they couldn’t believe it. They were at a performance of mine in Alabama and they couldn’t believe it. They (Jeezy) saw my performance and they saw the crowd reaction. They approached me like “listen man, for real, we are here.” At the same time, T.I. was trying to sign me, Trick Daddy was trying to sign me, Asylum was trying to sign me and Universal was trying to sign me; Jeezy was aware of the whole situation and they were for real about getting me on the team. To make a long story short, they flew me out to Atlanta and we had a sit down meeting – they told me what they were trying to do with CTE and I told them what I was trying to do as an artist.

Q: You mentioned having some other offers on the table such as T.I. and Grand Hustle imprint and Universal Records among others; what made you decide to sign with Young Jeezy?

It was my vision; it was my vision from the jump. I saw Jeezy and his whole movement and I knew as an artist that he had it all made for himself. At the end of the day, I knew he was going to win and I knew that he was going to be a franchise artist. He was the first person to represent the label and I felt like we came from the same sort of lifestyle which was the streets. He understood where I was coming from and I didn’t have to step out of character, you feel me?

He has given me the opportunity to present my music to the world just like he did – he’s also given me the fair understanding to express what I am talking about and he is very supportive of the entire situation. So here I am now, four years later, getting ready to drop my debut solo album which is entitled “My Life: The True Testimony” just like I planned. At the end of the day, it’s a better stepping stone for me because I was able to get into the booth with USDA before coming out as a solo artist. It was a good setup and we are almost gold – it was a good look.

Q: We are going to get into the album in a minute, but before then, let’s talk about your past a little longer. Things started to go well for you after you met Jeezy - It then took a turn for the worse when you were caught on another drug trafficking charge by the feds, and you were facing a life sentence this time. What we’re your thoughts as you were going through that situation?

 It was a very detrimental moment; a lot people stood up and prayed for me. It just goes to show you that no matter how hard you try to do right, your past may still haunt you – that is what that case was about. I am still here to speak about it and I’m still here to be able to see my son be raised and be apart of his life.

At the end of the day, all the trials and tribulations I’ve been through in life including that case – God is using me in a different way because of my music. If you look at the economy right now, people are still going through similar trials and tribulations and we need somebody to speak on it.

It’s not all about being flamboyant and talking about how much money you have or how flashy you are. We need someone to talk about where we come from and what we go through in today’s society and I feel like I’m a stand up type of dude. I have passed every test that has come my way and I want to go to war, in a good way. I want to tell people about the other side of what they are trying to do in the streets; the consequences side. I want to make them aware of what you may get into by toting these pistols and how the other side really is.

Nobody is informing the younger generation or the younger artists that side, but everyone is glorifying selling drugs and toting choppers. Our whole movement over at CTE is to not glorify what we’ve done, but use it to overcome where we came from, you feel me? At the end of the day, I look at my entire situation and look at everything I’ve been through and I use it as an example as someone who never gave up on his dreams and put God first.

It goes to show you that you can do whatever you believe in and anything is possible, but you can not make any excuses. You have to be a man of what you do and you have to take pride in what you do and you can not say to yourself things like “I’m a convicted felon” because its not the end of the world. Just because you may have been a certain way, doesn’t mean you can’t turn it around and do something positive or become successful.

Q: How important do you feel it is as a Hip-Hop artist to make sure that in your music you try and let the children know that there is another way for them to be successful then doing dirt in the streets?

It is very important; Hip-Hop music is so influential to everybody from NBA players to NFL players to the kids. They listen to it, and they are taking it in whether it is positive of influential. At the end of the day, it plays a big role on what’s going on in life.

You have to be careful just like you’re around a child because a child picks up on what you say. Whether you believe it or not, a child is very intelligent. If you talk to the younger generation about guns, dope and money, then they are going to think that is what’s cool and that’s what is happening.

I feel like if we apply ourselves more – and I am not trying to say we can change someone from doing what they have to do, but we can influence them and make them aware of the consequences so that they can then make their own choice.

Q: I feel that. Let’s get into the upcoming album, “My Life: The True Testimony” - Tell us about it.

“My Life: The True Testimony” is a very deep album. It paints a real, real picture of a kid who came from nothing and came from the worse of the worse and has been through everything. I am sure there are other individuals and other men and young women who have been through the same things as I have, but in my case I lead by example.

With that said, the album is going to set a lot of trends and stop the cycle of everyone thinking that all I have to talk about is guns and drugs because my dad wasn’t around, or I have to act a certain way because my mother was on drugs at the time.

I am here to speak on it and let people know that there are other ways to get money and that if you apply yourself, the sky is the limit for what you want to do in life, you feel me? It’s on you to make the right decisions and choices.

I just bring to the table what is going on today and I am just trying to let people know about the consequences about everything that’s going on. I keep it real and I call it food for the soul that the fans are going to appreciate it. Real Hip-Hop artists or whatever you may call it – rap artists are going to appreciate it because it’s an album that means something. It sticks to the script; it’s not just about beats and hooks.

Q: You mention it not being just about beats and hooks – do you think that the importance of lyricism has lost its importance in today’s Hip-Hop world?

I think there are a lot pf people getting caught up in the ring tone fad thinking that you have to make one song to become who you are as an artist or entertainer and a lot of people are panicking; it is showing with the album sales because they are not taking their time with the album. They think that they can make one record and be on or whatever. At the end of the day, you are selling yourself short because your single is only to introduce yourself to the world and to catch their attention; the rest of the album is used to bring them into your world and to let them get to know you as a person, you feel me? A lot of people don’t take their time with the other 11-13 songs and put everything on that one record and they think that is going to make or change their life when it’s not.

Q: I am all the way with you on that. How do you plan on steering away from that whole idea?

At the end of the day, I didn’t come into the industry thinking like that. When we came up with the “Louis Bag” record, we didn’t look at it like a radio for the record; we were just doing us.

At CTE, we are a brand - We are trend setters and we don’t follow any fads. We are not doing anything but being ourselves; at the end of day, I’m just being me. I say that knowing that there is another million me’s out there that are all going to appreciate what I am talking about and are going to appreciate me keeping it real and not getting out of my character to try and suit the radio.

Q: Speaking of the “Louis Bag” record, that’s the first single, correct?

Yeah.

Q: Is there going to be a video shot for it?

We are actually shooting the video on the 20^th of this month (April) in Miami; it’s going to be crazy.

(Editor’s note – video has debuted, check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOYSnYLc7HU&feature=related)

Q: What kind of cameos can we expect to see in the video?

You are going to see a lot of different cameos and surprises. We are going to Miami for it and we are going to have a lot of fun with it. It is going to be a very successful video and we are going to get it on 106 and park.

Q: No doubt. In terms of the album, what type of guest appearances can we expect to hear on it?

I have Lyfe Jennings on the album; Ofcourse I have the “Louis Bag” record with Young Jeezy. I have Slick Pulla on the album; Young Buck is on the album. I have Trina on the album. Mannie Fresh is on the album – got a few tracks from Mannie Fresh. I have production from The Runners, Midnite Black, Drumma Boy, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League; I mean the album is crazy.

Q: That is a very hot lineup. You mentioned having Trina on the album who is also from Florida; how do you feel about the current state of rap in Florida?

I think that we are looking really good. We have to keep on coming back to back working with each other. We have to continue to show each other love and support. Every state has their own time where all their artists are consistent and are helping each other get money. Everyone is on the same page so I feel like we are looking good and with me coming out; the situation is just going to broaden.

Q: What do you hope to achieve with the album when it’s released?

Really in my heart I know this album is going to shock a lot of people first and foremost. The second thing that is going to achieve is a lot of accomplishments. People are going to support the album because everybody knows that Blood Raw has been doing his thing for many years now. It has been a timely situation and I feel like right now is my time. The people have been waiting long enough.

Q: And when exactly is the album set to hit the stores?

June 17^th is the official date.

Q: Are you going to be releasing any mixtapes prior to the album’s release?

I have a few mixtapes in the streets right now already. I have one with big arrangements and I have one entitled “Against All Odds” with Papa Smurf and DJ Folk. I have another mixtape out right now by the name of “Streets Love Blood Raw” with DJ Smallz which just received four mics in the Ozone magazine.

We are working very hard and getting ready to get on this promo tour and hit the world up and let them really know what it is. Everyone can check out my myspace to see what’s going on; www.myspace.com/bloodraw1. I post on it weekly and I’m always posting videos on you tube to let them know what is going on with the promo tour. 

Q: Absolutely. Are we going to be hearing another USDA group album?

Of course; we are getting ready to go back in the studio to wrap up my album and Slick Pulla is done with his. (Young) Jeezy is also in the studio and after we all drop the solo records, we are coming right back with another USDA album which will be another classic.

Q: When can we expect to get the Slick Pulla and Young Jeezy solos?

They are both coming right after me. Slick (Pulla) is coming right after me and Young Jeezy will be coming fourth quarter.

Q: Do you have any last words for the fans before I let you go?

Just stay tuned and watch out for Blood Raw. Follow the movement, CTE is the label. We are here and you already know what it is. “My Life: The True Testimony” is what’s happening.

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