Red

My red hat my red shirt my red pants my red shoes,
its death by dishonor so u'll never catch me in that color blue.
If you a hater fuck u.
If you don't like me fuck u 2, hot like lava thought u knew,
I'm flamed IN and I'm flamed out, red bandanna is what I'm about.
Diamonds and rubies up in my crown, the only time a foe eve be down
is when that mutha fucker be in tha ground.
Talkin shit kill that sound,
69 red impala u kno it bounce, I'm flamed down, and I'm flamed up,
in tha air I throw that "b" up, I'm posted up, fuck love.
This red ragger is lost in lust, when I lift that red tee up,
u'll see that gun i got tucked.

- Mario

In order to defend himself from verbal abuse from peers, which later turned to violence, this young man found acceptance in his street gang. This rage established a great sense of power and respect due to the fear he was able to create in others. Mario recognized this pattern and to this day looks to find justice at the hands of violence. He is not excited about "having to do this", but he has not been taught any other way.....yet. Mario is seen as a threat to the community, but I see him as a fruit from the tree of threatened people. The threats come from poor parenting, violent men, poor education, and overall an inferior attitude towards life. Mario did not create himself, and it is a cop out to say that he chooses this lifestyle.

?s And Answers

You wanna kno who b - my best friend,
so i reach in my pocket and pull out banjermin,
you wanna kno why I - do wat i do,
cuz theres money to be made in tha city of tha duke,
u wanna kno were I - was born,
Albuquerque Nuevo Mexico thats my home,
u wanna kno what barrio - I claim,
barelas trese that m-o-b gang,
u wanna kno wat color - I like best,
tha color that splashes wen a bullet hits a chest
u wanna kno wat I - got to say,
Fuck tha judge
Fuck my p.o. and
Fuck that d.A.
u wanna kno why I - said that,
cuz they straight up bitches and dont kno crap,
u wanna kno wat day - it is, February 2009 3 days before tha sixth,

-Mario

Mario is a young man, barely tasting high school, who lost his mother to drug addiction and his father struggles to stay healthy as well. His grandmother, the woman who raised him, recently battled cancer of the mouth and is loosing patience with Mario's circumstances. His grandfather is his closest link to any family compassion, with his father doing his best while battling habits himself. The remainder of his family may only offer prayers, but have left his future up to him. His mothers side of the family, to put it nicely, has chosen to part ways, taking with them his only sister.
Getting to know Mario has been a gift. I hope you get to hear his story through his flows. I will also post some artwork of his. We spend a hour a week walking his pain, recognizing the numbness in his heart that allows him to look at the tragedy in his life as if it were some picture on the wall. He is hopeful that his life of gang banging can end, it is not the direction he wants to go. He wants it clear that his lyrics are who he was and no longer what he wants to be. I realize I get the best of him, as he puts his best foot forward when with me, and I may never see his shadow. I do know that this untrained warrior, has a desire for justice and little tolerance for being put to shame. Trained by other young and abandoned youth to learn a dark business that nourishes a hunger for pride and belonging, Mario is incarcerated and is looking at a year in a youth detention center.