Icons from two eras of Sacramento hip-hop are joining forces and coming together for the sake of Northern Cali rap’s future…
Today, legendary Sacramento rap artist and prison reform activist X-Raided (born Anerae Veshaughn Brown) and multi-platinum 21st century Sacramento hip-hop heavyweight Mozzy unleash their first-ever joint single “Still Outside” available now via Strange Music.
Listen HERE.
Electrifying the track to life, a G-funk bassline thumps beneath wobbly swaggering keys and a head-nodding beat. Their respective styles perfectly complement one another, and their bars instantly provoke thought. Lines from Mozzy like “Salute the ones who did it before I did it” represent forward motion towards peace, while we can all agree this moment is “Bigger than hand signals,” as he puts it.
However, X-Raided sums up the intent in one couplet, “We gotta come together again. It’s vital instead of looking at each other as rivals.”
By uniting, they’re rallying Sacramento for what has the potential to be a historic era…
As the story goes, Sacramento was divided between two neighborhoods. On one side you had Mozzy’s neighborhood and, on the other, you had the neighborhood called home by X-Raided, Brotha Lynch Hung, and C-Bo. X-Raided had always acted as a voice of reason, trying to calm the fires in the middle. Eventually, Mozzy affiliate Bootleg Kev introduced Mozzy and X-Raided following mutual respect given by one another on various podcasts. X-Raided found himself on the receiving end of a call from Mozzy, and the seeds for this collaboration would be planted.
He told X-Raided, “I appreciate the opportunity to do something honorable for the city.”
X-Raided commented, “While all of this is deeper than rap, rap music both amplified and escalated these conflicts. With that in mind, I hope we can also use Hip-hop culture to amplify the core message of unity and positivity that we delivered with ‘Still Outside.’ I told Mozzy, ‘I want Golden 1 Arena. I want Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty. I want us to have our own Pop Out.’ And I mean it. It’s time to focus on the big picture and use our considerable cultural influence to make it a reality. I have a dream.”
This is the first step…
It follows X-Raided’s latest collaboration with Tech N9ne on “Damnation.” The latter has already reeled in over half-a-million streams and 1.1 million YouTube views on the music video. Not to mention, it landed plugs from Vibe and more. It impressively marks their 10th collaboration since 2021. Listen HERE. Watch the music video HERE.
It arrived on the heels of “Outside (Three Kings),” which united X-Raided with a cohort of fellow NorCal icons—Brotha Lynch Hung and C-Bo. It has just begun to gain traction with over 385k YouTube views on the audio. Receiving acclaim, Underground Hip Hop Blog urged, “witness three kings reclaim their throne.”
It landed in the wake of “Queen of Hearts.” The latter has exploded with 2.6 million YouTube views on the music video in less than a month. Plus, Vibe touted it among “New Hip-Hop Music To Ride And Vibe To.”
“Queen of Hearts” continued a prolific streak for the rapper, landing on the heels of “Hail Mary.”
X-Raided has a life story that could be likened to the hip-hop equivalent of The Shawshank Redemption. In 1992, a 17-year-old X-Raided was tried as an adult and indicted on a gang-related homicide case, resulting in a charge of 1st-degree murder. The case was a first of its kind for the prosecution, who were allowed to play excerpts of X’s debut album Psycho Active for the jury who ultimately sentenced him to 31 years to life in prison. After 26 years, 5 months, and 26 days served, he was granted an early release by the parole board, something he never thought possible. This new lease on life directly results from the mentorship of Lyle and Erik Menendez, with whom X formed a lifelong friendship behind prison walls. The brothers played a significant role in X being free today, guiding him through rehabilitative programs and service positions.
X-Raided had to defeat the possibility of facing the Death Penalty before his trial where his lyrics were used against him in court, something that would not be allowed today due to AB 2799 / the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act. Despite maintaining his innocence and the fact that no murder weapon was ever found in his case, X-Raided was convicted, something he says would never have happened had this act existed three decades earlier. In 2022, he discussed the bill’s significance in an exclusive interview with TMZ after its passage: TMZ Interview.
While incarcerated, his creative fire never diminished. He managed to release twelve albums; he cracked the Billboard charts multiple times and sold millions of units. The State of California even filed a “Son of Sam” lawsuit against him in an attempt to confiscate his royalties, but the California Supreme Court struck down the law, allowing X’s career to legally continue.
His release was partially due to a supportive letter written to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility parole board by the Menendez brothers. Upon his release, he signed with Tech N9ne’s Strange Music Label. In addition to making music, he uses his freedom and platform to advocate for lasting change. He donates his time working with youth, most recently through the Augmented Forensic Youth Program (AFYP), helping young people positively re-enter the community. His mission is to decrease recidivism and increase restorative justice. X-Raided has earned praise from various governors, senators, members of U.S. Congress, and law enforcement.
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