"See, I did 30 years in prison, ya feel me? And I'm out here standing, right now, everyday. Hard work! And I'm never going back to that. Neva eva! And I ain't never took a life. I ain't never took a life. I wanted to be somebody that was never supposed to be. I was living a life that wasn't for me. This is my life, I'm free. Who wants to live a life, that you know, could cage you up like an animal? That's how I look at it, now. I'm so blessed, bruh! Pick up what I'm puttin' down. I gotta beautiful home and a loving woman. I'm sitting here, now, because she's doing somebody's hair, right now. She works but does hair on the side. And I work. I gotta job, full-time. And they love me. Them white folks love me on my job. If I tell them that you needed a job, I'd call them and tell them that you need a job. I'd start you off at $11.50 an hour. When I come and I'm 57 years old and work hard, I'd put a young motherfucker to bed. You know where I get that from? My mama. She's 77 and she'll put me to bed. She'll work harder than me. She worked 42 years in a factory. She worked 42 years at GE. 

First of all, you've got to say to yourself and nobody else, is this what you really want? Work on you. I'ma tell you something, bruh. The first time I went to prison, it was for a year. It was a walk in the park. The second time was for a few more years and another walk in the park. When they sat me down for 14 years and another 11, straight, I wanted to find a tool to set myself free. The whole time, I was the tool. I was trying to find something to make me better, but the only one to make me better was me. It was like, I'm free from the madness. Bruh, it's so much of a blessing for me to be out here, right now. I'm sitting here, chillin. This ain't my neighborhood. My girl's down the street, I live up on the Parkway. I'm just walking my dog. I ain't bothering nobody. I ran into my man. He said he gotta dog. I don't even know this brotha and he's alright. We just sittin over here, kickin it. He wants to take care of his dog and I'm just trying to tell him how to do it. We good and then you step up, bam! We're having a moment. We havin church! We havin a hell of a moment! 

Be the best you can be and work hard at it. Don't ever give up on life. The struggle's real, we know that. Let's keep it real. When I'm blessed with another day, I'm happiest. I'm cool with it. I don't care how rough it gets." - Red, Portland