Legendary Sacramento rap artist and prison reform activist X-Raided (born Anerae Veshaughn Brown) unveils a hard-hitting and highly quotable new single and music video entitled “Queen Of Hearts” out today via Strange Music. Listen HERE. Watch the music video HERE.
On the track, ominous bass and screeching synths pull listeners down the rabbit hole into a different kind of wonderland. Against this sonic backdrop, X-Raided pulls no punches when it comes to the state of not just the West Coast, but the rap game, at large. He delivers a lyrical masterclass, doubling down on the hook, “It don’t matter how bomb your tracks is, Doc Dre couldn’t even cure your whackness, you that sick, stay calm, the fact is I’m the West Coast Messiah.” Cribbing one phrase from the Queen of Hearts, he repeats a warning, “Say the wrong thing, and it’s, ‘Off with his head’.”
About the song, X-Raided commented, “Living in a time where artists like Kendrick Lamar have given the audience a crash course on looking for deeper meanings within songs – and with films like Sinners doing so well at the box office – I’m feeling emboldened and inspired to push the envelope. Anytime you have a video this ambitious, it’s necessary to make sure that the bars and the flow are living up to the assertion that you are among the best of the best. For that reason, I hid easter eggs all over the song, which I broke down on my Genius profile. I encourage everyone to watch the video, jump in the comments and give me their interpretation of the meanings. Let’s have a discussion about the culture and our responsibility to uphold its core values and tenets.”
Speaking of, the Alice In Wonderland-inspired visual also packs a powerful punch. It laces meaning into multiple layers of its “Wonderland” a.k.a. Hollywood. X-Raided treats hip-hop purely as an artform, while his alter ego “The Mad Hatter” does just the opposite, cannibalizing the culture for “clicks,” money, and “success.” The “Queen Of Hearts” doubles as an avatar for the audience, capturing its fickle response of adoration in one breath and chanting “Off with this head” in the next. “The Executioner” follows through with this judgment, decapitating anybody “unworthy” of the audience’s approval. A cohort of dancers bite his style as parasitic “cultural appropriators,” viewing the game as nothing more than a costume. Once again, he strikes a chord.
You’ve got to watch it in order to find out what happens!
It continues a prolific streak for the rapper, landing on the heels of “Hail Mary” and “Sins Of The Father.”Following the latter, TMZ even pulled up on X-Raided. “Sins Of The Father” is a powerful anthem on behalf of his friends—Lyle and Erik Menendez (The Menendez Brothers). The song itself addresses the eternal effects of decades of abuse and the damage left in its wake. Listen HERE.
It’s also the culmination of a long journey shared by X-Raided and the Menendez Brothers…
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.
Check out his interview with ExtraTV, where he discusses his time in prison with the Menendez brothers and his hopes for resentencing: link.
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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