Making music with his son Hit-Boy is a dream come true for Big Hit after being separated from his family for years. We sat down with Big Hit to hear about his experience with incarceration and how he’s fighting for a better justice system that doesn’t criminalize race or poverty. At least two million children in the U.S. have at least one incarcerated parent, but you can help. Join us in reuniting families and building a better pretrial system where freedom is not for sale. Learn more and donate at bailproject.org/bighit.
Big Hit The Bail Project
Transcript
I'm Big Hit, Chauncey Hollis. My son is Hit-Boy,�� same thing, that's a junior. We up here at Chalice Studios. This is basically where all the magic is made. This where I'm making all the hits man, from The Truth Is In My Eyes to Black & Whites, to The Game to Paisley Dreams right here. Formerly incarcerated fathers being�� reunited with their children is imperative. In music is like basically everything for real�� because we probably wouldn't be this tight. What Father's Day mean to me, it's big. You know I�� can show my appreciation for my kids and something small as a a letter you know what I'm saying or a�� card even though that's my son he's a father too. Seeing my son Hit-Boy with with C3 and my grandson�� I mean it's like seeing me all over again. How my dad used to carry me, he does my grandson the same�� way. I didn't get to look out for my son like he's looking out for his son. It's kind of painful too�� because I miss that but at the same time it's joy you know what I'm saying. Being able to witness�� that and be a part of that. My son was 3 years old when I got arrested. Before I did get arrested�� I did him like he does you know my grandson, I kept him with me. You know what I'm saying, every day. The�� love was there, just long as that presence was there that's what meant everything. Being in�� jail away from my family was like torture. I stayed on restriction, no phone restriction, I stayed�� on a visiting restriction you know what I'm saying. It kind of like broke those family ties up.�� Times that I did have bail the bail was so high I couldn't post bail. It's like you got to post bail�� immediately if you want to really get out. Cause if you don't you probably go to court and they up the�� bail you know what I'm saying, or even snatch your bail. I wasn't even guilty on a lot of occasions�� and I just pled guilty knowing the cross was in in store and I couldn't I couldn't bail out and�� I wanted to get back to my family or get back to the hustle whatever I was doing. Injustice just goes deep. [In an article with REVOLT you talked about how you were almost killed in the county�� jail. Do you mind sharing a little bit more about that with us?] Yeah, I wasn't almost killed, I was�� killed. As far as the the doctor said I flatlined and that's that's dead. We was in a county jail and�� you know they was shuffling us around. It took probably like a week for you to get a bed back�� then. L.A. County was notorious and this particular time we was in a holding tank just basically going�� from tank to tank to tank. Might stay in this tank all day, then next day go to this tank, we waiting on a�� bed you know what I'm saying and just got tired. Like literally I was just just trying to speak up�� for my rights and they told me to shut the fuck up, put my nose on the wall, and I refused. A lot�� of more police came and they just never stopped coming. And it ended up I was fighting probably�� like 12 police though. They told me after, like man it took 12 police to get you down. They knocked�� me out a couple times and I ended up on a gurney. One time I did wake up and put they hand�� had his hand over my mouth and my nose telling me die. I woke up with tubes down my throat you know�� what I'm saying. The handcuffs was just my my so swollen around my you couldn't even really see�� the handcuffs. I had nerve damage on my ankles and my my wrist. And know this my eye socket�� was broke. Basically my ribs was broke and the doctor told me like damn you you came out�� your coma man you uh, somebody powerful is praying for you. Being reunited with my son is a dream come�� true. We going back, we reminiscing, we getting to know each other you know what I'm saying a little�� bit better and what we missed out on. And getting a better understanding you know what I'm saying�� of certain things that we was confused on and what he was confused on and me at the same�� time. And what I really wanted to do for him was really just prevent him from doing that, from�� being incarcerated. It's a heartwarming you know feeling you know what I'm saying being to able�� you know witness and and be a part of this success. You know what I'm saying and me gaining this�� success in such a short period of time. My latest album is Black & Whites with Alchemist and�� Hit-Boy. We created magic you know what I'm saying. It was a layup and we going this is like therapy�� you know what I'm saying. We be around each other creating and a lot of of things come out�� in the music that we don't even speak about you know what I'm saying. And we find out more and more�� about each other just creating music. I feel like it's very unfair that fathers are in jail�� right now because they can't pay their bail and afford their bail. A lot of dudes is impacted�� like that and was like you know we gonna stay in jail double triple the time just fighting�� this case so I might as well plead out and get time served. That's what you know we get we get presented with a time served situation. Cash bail is extortion. They feel like they're extorting us�� as a people. Anybody. I don't care if you white, Black, Mexican, or whatever. Like you say you're supposed�� to be innocent until proven guilty. If it was that way why it's not free. The whole system to me is�� is reversed. I think you're guilty until proven innocent. I want my fans to know about The�� Bail Project and that cash bail is, man basically they doing something that I was going to do,�� they beat me to the punch, and they basically is helping people out that's in the struggle. They can't afford no bails you know what I'm saying and helping their families out cause�� they can't afford to put no money up. They struggling. It's a beautiful program. I'm going�� be freeing the slaves too man, and looking out for those that's incarcerated man that didn't�� have a chance to get bailed out, as well as the lawyers you know what I'm saying. Man keep your�� head strong. Real talk. Bail Project going up. All the way up! Appreciate y'all coming��through. Having me here on board, I'm on board man.To view or add a comment, sign in
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