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When responsibility becomes a dirty word leave it to artists like Florida's Blood Raw to come clean.
"I am a role model," says the burly member of Young Jeezy's USDA. "The best role models are the ones that lead by example."
The native of the impoverished Panama City, Blood Raw, ne' TK, has lived an example to learn from, not necessarily to follow.
Growing up in a single parent household, Blood Raw's mother was in and out of prison and died when he was only twelve years old. His grandmother raised he and his sister living out of a trailer home making $3 an hour.
In an all too familiar scenario Blood Raw took to the streets of Florida selling drugs and in 1992 had the pause button set on his life becoming the property of the Florida Department of Corrections for six years.
While paying his debt to society Blood Raw discovered a new form of personal currency--his voice. "Blood Raw is a slang in Florida, it means the Truth. The OGs in jail heard my little raps and they'd say `that shit is blood raw.'" And just like that he'd found his new calling.
When he was released in 1998, Blood Raw joined his uncle in Atlanta at the Hip-Hop Café where he befriended both local and established talent playing his music for anyone that would listen.
A year later he moved back to his native Panama City and shifted his rap career into the next phase joining the Niggaz For Life Crew (N.F.L.) and making cameo appearances like his feature on the debut of former Lox member Genovese. But it wasn't until after a performance in Alabama that Raw's career would get the boost it needed. "I performed and Young Jeezy was impressed with my show," he remembers. "Although I was talking with T.I. and had a few other situations, working with Jeezy just felt right."
A week later Blood Raw became an official member of the USDA crew and embarked on a tour with the trap star.
Condition:NEW.
TRACK LISTINGS
1 I'm the Truth 5:04
2 It Feels Good 4:17
3 Louie 3:26
4 Almost There 3:52
5 What's Happening 4:12
6 F**k You / Slick Pulla 4:04
7 Tryin' to Get Home 3:56
8 I'm Fly 4:02
9 Get Away 4:38
10 News Reporter / Torica 0:07
11 Go Head 3:45
12 Still a D Boy 4:13
13 I Miss You 4:31
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