mystory Second Chance: BloodRaw Acquitted Of Federal Drug Charges In Panama City, FL Representing Panama City, FL, Bruce “BloodRaw” Falson spent most of his teenage years in and out of prison and served a six year sentence for drug trafficking. Released at age 21, he decided to turn his life around and pursue a music career. He generated a heavy buzz on the underground circuit with records like “Represent,” “My Block Burn” featuring Pastor Troy, Grandaddy Souf’s “Gameroom” with Three 6 Mafia, and Zay’s “Pump Yo’ Brakes” featuring Lil Jon, landing a deal with Young Jeezy’s CTE label. In addition to his solo deal with CTE, BloodRaw is a member of the group USDA, which is signed to Def Jam. BloodRaw was acquitted of Federal drug charges on April 5th, 2006. Here’s his story:
I
was arrested the day before I was supposed to leave to go to Europe [on tour with Young Jeezy]. Me and my brother Slick Pulla stopped by the passport office. When I went to the passport office and pulled into the parking lot, being from the streets, I watch my environment. As I was getting out of the car, I saw three different strange vehicles, and all the vehicles had four people in them. That ain’t common. As I’m walking up the stairs to the passport office, a lady comes outside and she’s acting all nervous. She’s like, “Are you here for your passport?” and I told her my name. As I’m talking to her, I see the U.S. Marshals get out of the car. I open my phone and get ready to call my sister. As I’m calling my sister and walking in the door, they walk in, grab my phone, shut the phone off, and ask me what my name is. They took me into custody. I went to the Atlanta penitentiary, and they told me what I was charged with. It was a charge in Panama City: conspiracy to distribute five keys of cocaine and fifty grams of crack. They had been investigating during a five year period of time, since 2000. I was transported to Tallahassee, where I stayed until a week before my trial. I went to trial on Monday [April 3rd, 2006]. They used some of my song lyrics during the trial; they used some names I mentioned and tried to say that they were my co-conspirators. On one song, I had named 20 names, and they picked out three names. They just took the names that they wanted to take and said them to the jury. They also tried to use the lyrics to some of my other songs [like “Indictment Papers”] against me, but they couldn’t use them because it hadn’t been presented as evidence when the trial first started. The names that I said in the song were supposedly my co-conspirators. [The prosecution] said, “These guys that he named in this song were part of this conspiracy.” Ten dudes got on the stand [and testified against me]; some of them where the names I said in the song. My lyrics are real; I don’t rap about nothing that’s fake. There was a point in my life when I really did [the things that I rap about]. But I wasn’t guilty of the crime they were charging me with. I never said that I never sold drugs, but I’m not guilty of the things they charged me with. I would’ve never done a song called “Indictment Papers” if I didn’t feel that in my heart. I knew there would come a time I would have to go through something pertaining to my past; in the city where I’m from, they don’t want to see you make it. When I did the song, I didn’t know that I had indictments coming. So it had to be God who put that on my heart. Anytime you’re dealing with a situation that no man can get you out of, you have to put your trust in God, and that’s really what I did.
was on my mind, the whole time. I had a very peaceful three months [awaiting trial]. I never had a restless night in jail. I asked God to let my lawyer be my vessel. During that whole period of time, I never even discussed my case with my lawyer. My lawyer [Clifford Davis] and my sister [Mya] and my manager Charles Wakeley got together and came up with a strategy that was real powerful. They showed [the jury] that I was a guy who got in trouble with prior drug offenses, but turned my life around and really tried to do something positive. Coming from a negative background, I made my life into something positive but still did hang around the guys doing what I used to do. They were still my friends, feel me? I didn’t turn my back on where I came from, but I turned my back on what I used to do. When I decided that I just wanted to do music, God took me through a phase of taking everything I ever had. He took all my material things. He took all my cars and all my money, and told me, “If this is what you really wanna do, you really gonna have to struggle. It ain’t gonna be an easy ride. I’m gonna take your pride away from you. I’m gonna take everything of the world away from you and see if this is what you really wanna do. I gave you this blessing, and you really do touch people with your music, but I’m not gonna allow you to have the things of this world and still try to live this lifestyle. You gonna have to struggle.” During that period of time, things started vanishing. The money and jewelry started leaving. I started selling my cars. [My wrapped van] got repo’ed. Feel me? I got evicted out of my house [in Panama City], which was another reason for me to go to Atlanta and do what I have to do in this music shit. God started taking everything away from me, and it was a blessing that He did because that was a big part [of my defense at the trial]. Looking back at it now, that means He was working back then. So on my behalf, my paper trail was the best thing going, and I had people that took the stand and spoke on my behalf. They’re not used to that in the Federal system. They’re used to niggas being dumb and not being able to account for what they have. I feel like this situation really wasn’t for me. I went through this trial for a lot of dudes who are in my same situation; dudes who are really tryin’ to put their heart into this music game. Maybe my story will touch a lot of people. A lot of niggas say they’re “real,” but can you imagine having ten niggas on the stand testifying against you? But regardless of what [those ten guys] did, I still don’t have no problem with them dudes. If they get out or whatever, I wouldn’t talk to them, but I don’t hate them at all. Even though they were trying to take my life away from my family and my son, I still don’t hate them dudes. I feel like I was spared in this situation because God has a plan for me. My [music career] is finna be so big it’s gonna be crazy. I’m about to drop this mixtape called Indictment Papers, and we gotta finish up this USDA album and film the video for “Burning Up” real soon. - as told to Julia Beverly (Photo: Big Cee Jay)
I was facing a minimum mandatory life sentence because I had two prior drug convictions. I didn’t even know until after the trial that they had offered my lawyer a twenty year plea bargain. I put my trust in God with my whole situation and gave him my career. It wasn’t even about me. Whatever time I’m facing, I could do. But my family can’t bear it. My sister can’t bear it. I changed a lot of people’s lives during my time of coming up in the rap industry, and I have a lot of people depending on me. I prayed to the Lord and I told Him: “You know my heart. You know what I’ve really been doing. You know my intentions and everything I’ve been working hard for. If you want me to do time, that’s no problem. But if I’ve got another chance, and you know my heart, then deliver me out of this situation.” That’s all that 26
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BloodRaw (center) after his acquittal with manager C. Wakeley (left) and lawyer Clifford Davis (right)