In 1992, just as his career was taking off, Sacramento rapper — and (former) 24th Street Garden Blocc Crip gang member — X-Raided was arrested along with four other men in connection with a deadly home invasion.
He was ultimately sentenced to 31 years to life, of which he served 26 years before being released on parole in September of 2018.
While over two decades off the streets would likely be a “career-ending injury” for most, X-Raided thrived, managing to release well over 23 projects, consisting of albums, EPs, mixtapes, collaborative efforts — even compilations.
However, according to X, recording music outside of the prison system has been a welcomed change he wouldn’t trade for the world.
“Being able to make music in the studio has been amazing. I felt like it was so difficult to record in prison,” he tells HipHopDX about studio life as a free man. “Once I got home and I actually got in a real studio, I just felt faster and freer.”
He continues, “I’m never going to take it for granted. I feel a huge sense of gratitude for being able to do something that I love with so much freedom.”
Having been arrested a day before his first solo LP, Psycho Active was released, X — who was a buzzing new artist — faced (in addition to a life in prison) the threat of being artistically silenced. “I went to prison and didn’t know if I would ever be able to record again,” he says.
His drive to record the music he had already written led him to take measures to secure the necessary means to pull it off. His sophomore LP, Xorcist, was recorded largely over the phone throughout his trial, but by his 1999 release Unforgiven, he procured recording equipment — much to the bewilderment of prison staff.
“I bought and paid for anything and anyone who could help me be able to make my music,” he explains. “I also had a lot of relationships that afforded me the ability to do certain things.”
A 1998 Vibe Magazine article had (incorrectly) stated that he had used a DAT machine to record his third LP, but X is quick to clarify that it was actually a minidisc recorder — which logistically, makes way more sense. “Land Of The Lost” and “Mama’s Pride & Joy” — two songs he says are among those he’s most proud of — came out of these sessions. However, he’s reluctant to elaborate on some of the fine details on how he was actually able to pull off such clean recordings and release so much music.
“I definitely don’t want to be the reason why someone else who has goals and dreams doesn’t get to do it. That’s the reason why I can’t be too specific,” he explains. “Some of those channels are still open and I’m not going to be the reason why those doors are closed for anyone.”
Though he says he regrets nothing, he alluded to not being particularly proud of how he went about getting his music recorded in his early years. As time went by though — after having numerous make-shift recording studios discovered and dismantled — he found a legit way to create.
“I got with the arts and corrections program and toward the end of my term built a full studio at RJ Donovan Correctional Facility.” As he notes, the more he did things the right way, the more freedom he was eventually allotted.
Following his September 2018 release, he’s been making up for lost time — 26 years of lost time to be exact. “No other artist could have done [26 years] and came home to a fan base waiting for them,” he says humbly. “Who else could pack shows and get support like I do … I haven’t seen it.
“My fan base has been incredibly consistent during my absence, and now that I’m home, they’re coming out to my shows — and it’s generations of them,” he adds. “Families have been loyal to my music and I’m going to continue to be loyal to them.”
You can hear obvious excitement as X talks about his Execution Of X-Rated tour, which has been sold out thus far. After over two decades, it has been the first live experience for fans of the Sacramento MC.
Something he’s found particularly endearing is meeting people who wrote letters to him for 15-20 years. “They’re coming to the show, bringing their CD covers and posters for me to sign … It’s been really, really, really encouraging to be out there with the people. It’s been beautiful.”
Though he has a large discography to perform, his experience for the past 26 years has seen him embrace positivity — something that is bleeding into his new music and future endeavors.
“I would like to think my new material is age-appropriate, matured music,” he says. “I want people to walk away from having listened to what I had to say and understand that I was motivating them to their greatness.”
X is currently shopping and reality show centered around his experience leaving prison, and what he went through while he was locked up. “I’m getting back on track, getting out on tour on the road, making new music and things like that … my show is really about all those things,” he says.
“It all boils down to a human drama about someone who made epic errors and who redeemed themselves … It’s just all about redemption, overcoming obstacles and adversity,” he adds.
He also has an autobiography — titled Execution Of X-Raided — that he hopes will stand as one of the most comprehensive psychological studies ever done on someone who has been locked up or in a gang.
“When it’s all said and done, I would like people to remember me as somebody who was resilient and who had a positive impact on the community,” he says of the legacy he hopes to create in this new chapter of his life.
“I’m hoping that I can set out a blueprint for anyone who’s thinking about making changes in their lives so that they’ll see that there is a path to take to do so.”
MOST DEF HE’S NEW ALBUM IS FIRE !!!!!
We love our X-Raided fans! Thanks for supporting!
I’m here for this.
Big up to my G!! The streets are yours!! I respect your street cred and glad to see you home CUZ!!
63rd and Polly Ave
K.A.P.
We love our X-Raided fans! Thanks for supporting!
Y’all late
Its actually an update on his sold out tours, new book and reality tv show in the works. Thanks for supporting!
Welcome home! Keep doin wat u do and keep spitn that fire.
We love our X-Raided fans! Thanks for supporting!
Man about time you guys finally reported on him, but ur like 6 months late
We are grateful they did! Its actually an exclusive on his sold out tours, new book and reality tv show in the works. Thanks for supporting!
I started listening to X raided when I was 13. I’m 26 now. Glad he finally out. I’m sure people outside of California don’t know who he is.
We been on cuz way down here in Arkansas since the early 90s. Real music travels
He’s selling out every state he performs. Thanks so much for being a loyal fan!
I’m out of Missouri Kansas city to be exact and I’m 38 years old been listening to x since I was 16 do the math dont be so close minded that if u aren’t from the hood in Cali that folks haven’t heard of him or any other under ground rapper. People from all over knows who the man is….
Lmao just cause some hoodrats and people from california chicago and new york know him dont justify as everyone last time i checked more people live outside of those rat infested cockroach filled shitholes in this country than in them so no really onna grandscale nobody knows xraided then as soon as they read about him like i have they just keep it movin
U sound stupid
We love our X-Raided fans! Thanks for supporting!
How come i dont know who you are? I was at x’s apartment everyday doing security and i have no idea who u are
The studio? You look like your recording out of a hotel room fool dead on arrival with this guy and man his hood rat friends are filling the comments not a singld regular in here musta made a mcdonalds trip for influence and bish down there keep talkin about a tour you mean jub jub’s in reno not even las vegas with all the smalltime local outfits bringing in a whole 100-200 audience members @ $10 per head? Woo a whole $1000-$2000 then pay the promoters pay the venue any additional overhead pay taxes and poof theres a whole $300 impressive tour
Sac Town Legend. Sick ass foo. Shout out to California Governor Jerry Brown for pardoning X Raided after 26 years. I thought X was going to die in the pen of old age and never get out.
Dont mexicans kill mexicans?aint that stupid?y’all go thru what we go thru.i dont pay attention to the media or the music because its all bs.the black and hispanic people of today are all stupid.black is a color not a nationality but they say im black.ur not from spain but they say ur hispanic and u speak spanish.think about it my BROTHER
Fuck the haters in this comment section. Talkin bout bad shit x did, Must not have read the article. Follow him a little and see what hes doing. Didnt just change his way of thinking hes usin all his pull to not just improve his life but to give his gbc artists a legit platform to go out and perform make legit money be their best selves. X raided is the shit and i cant wait to see him live again in OR, ill get tickets to every damn show and ill pay the 100 evry time leave with a signed hat every time and never wear anything else. (Thats for that punk talkin shit bout how his fans only payin 10 bucks to get in i payed 120 and drove 3 hours there and ida payed a G if i had to)
Shut your hat dancing ass up. At least he don’t have to worry about being deported, with your Rosarita eating ass. #BUILDTHEWALL
X thank you for that music that you made back in the 90s help with me fuck my enemy up and thank you for speaking like a man these days respectful an honest and maybe you can hook up with a popular rapper that is are producer I’ll be good like a 80 something or dr. Dre and just no expose them for their fakeness and maybe bring the underground above ground were they belong they’re the ones who speak the truth
This is lazy Locs from San Jose to Northern Cali XIV
Followin a bitch to her house…..
i was wonderin what happened to him…….. i aint heard nuthin from him all this time…. his ass was locked up all this time?? daaaaaamn!!!i still have his CASSETT!!!!
Yo x this is Jeffrey Voss from Redding California currently living in the 541 Eugene Oregon That’s my boy lazy locs down there that comment I just want to say thank you for making the song Land of the Lost it really speaks to me in my time when I was young I grew up like that your music taught me that you can be tough and live on your own regardless of what people say I’m also a local rapper in the Eugene Springfield area anyways I just want to say much love thank you for your music even the ones you made in a cell I’m like wow you must have had some real good recording equipment because mixcraft 9 pro studio is what I’m using and it doesn’t even sound that hot lol much love brother NSGFC GANG