Despite being incarcerated for 22 years, Tha Natural knew that he would one day walk free. Tha Natural dedicated all of his time in prison to reading, educating himself, and making music. Since his release, he’s already had a collaboration with rap star Kevin Gates, giving his career a big boost.
People who haven’t experienced half of what you’ve gone through sometimes have a lack of motivation. How did you keep yourself from being discouraged? How did you stay motivated?
I had something to fight for. I had my life to fight for. I got locked up when I was 18 and they gave me a life sentence. I was convicted at 21 and they gave me life so I had to do 15 years minimum to even be considered for parole. I wasn’t accepting that, but I knew that it wasn’t my plan, it was God’s plan, so I solemnly prayed. I put it in his hands but I continued to fight. My fight was me knowing that freedom isn’t free, freedom costs. All my support was gone. So, I ain’t got nothing else to fight with but myself so I can’t give up. This didn’t do [anything] but define me and refine me. I knew I had to educate myself about business, communication, psychology, human behavior, and how to deal with people. I had to grow and learn to overcome a lot and religion helped me do that. God said if you plant a grain of corn in the cause of him, then he will in return give you seven ears of corn with each ear bearing 100 grain. I prayed asking for the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to lead our people and overcome my situation.
What is it like adjusting or dealing with the gap in time? You’re talking about when you were 18, so there’s a lot of time lost and a lot has changed. Is it challenging having to fit in with what we hear today musically?
Well, I don’t deal with it. It’s not about me trying to fit in. I just be[ sic] me. I just rap about things in my way, just like other people rap about it in theirs. What’s the difference? You don’t know how old I am, but I’m 44. I ain’t scared to tell that. People be [sic] telling me not to tell my age, but people still sell out crowds to see Aretha Franklin. I’ve never been a pessimist. I don’t look at what I can’t do. I just ask about how can we make this happen.
You actually attained three degrees while you were incarcerated. Talk about that.
I think my personal library was more extensive than the unit library on every unit I went on. People would come to my cubicle in my cell and check books out. But that’s because I used to invest in books. I needed to educate myself and prepare for the s— I was about to face. They cut the budget, and when they cut the budget, they cut our education. They cut out all the programs that they were supposed to be offering us through the state that our people pay taxes for. I was told I had 40 years and I won’t see parole until 20 years and that I’m not eligible for an education. I didn’t stand for that. I started teaching classes in there. It’s about being refined now. Channeling that particular energy and frustration in the right direction. The best generals are those who won wars without firing one shot, so I turned it into positive things like learning.
You have a collaboration on a song with Kevin Gates. What was it like working with him?
That was a blessing. I had already been listening to his music and me and him had already been doing other types of business. When we met, we stood on the curb for about three hours. It was me, Kevin Gates and a couple other people. Our conversation wasn’t even about music. He told me to come to Austin, Texas, we kicked it, go to the studio, and he didn’t know I did music at that time. Eventually, we ended up talking some more and recorded the song and shot the video. The song just happened organically.
Are you currently working on any other projects?
I just got through dropping a new mixtape called, “Free My Gang.” I’m shooting a video right now. I have an album that’s already done but I’m running this mixtape right now just to prepare people for the album. My little brother just dropped his mixtape so I’m running that and we’re running the videos off the mixtape to prepare them for the videos and the things that we have coming up next.
You’ve been through so much and it seems like you have a team of people who are kind of looking up to you and leaning on you to lead them through everything you guys are doing musically. So what’s the end goal?
Loss Life is the name of my situation. Loss Life Entertainment. The acronym for Loss Life is Locked and Oppressed Soldiers Struggling who [are] Lacking Independence, Freedom and Equality. The only difference between a poor man and a rich man is the mindset. We all have the same opportunities to walk through the same doors but it’s your reason and your purpose for going in that door that matters. I want everything we’re doing to create a platform for people.
