Menace II Society's Crackhead Tribute Song & Letter: MUDDY WATERS

**IF YOU KNOW OR KNEW SOMEONE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING THIS IN HONOR OF THEIR RECOVERY.**

*full song on YouTube below.

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Dear Courageous Humans,

As you continue to follow along with my creative journey and the inspiration I try to share, let’s dive into something a little more FICTIONAL for a moment.

I recently stumbled upon some long-lost musical recordings from a character I once played, Gerald from Menace II Society. Did you know his name was Gerald Reynolds?

Well, here’s one of those recordings, along with a letter he left behind. Now, these tracks were created back in the early '90s, so the quality may not be as pristine as I’d like it to be, but I’ve done my best to clean them up. And I’m open to any producer/investor who wants to help polish it and take it to the next level.

I’d recommend listening with headphones and turning up the volume so you can really hear Gerald’s heart. Keep in mind, he was going through a lot at the time, and his voice—rugged and raw from his drug use—is a reflection of the struggles he was facing.

This is a glimpse into his soul. So, let’s celebrate his spirit.

Long live Gerald!

To My Friends, Family and Anyone Listening,

I don’t know if anyone will ever find this letter, or if anyone will care when they do, but I gotta get this off my chest. I’ve been holding it in for too long. The thing is, I tried. I really tried, y’all. I tried to be a good man. I had dreams. Big dreams.

I always wanted to be a music artist. There’s something about music that always spoke to me—something in the soul of it. I grew up on Bill Withers, man. He’s always been one of my favorites.

You know, he didn’t have that high, fancy voice like Johnny Gill or Babyface, but when he sang, you felt it. His voice, it was like talking, but with soul. Like he was sharing his heart, not just his notes. That’s what I always wanted—to sing my truth, even if my voice wasn’t big like theirs. And I always dreamed I would looked polished and smooth like one of those black white boys college boys or punks we liked to call them in the streets.

So, I used to sneak around, recording little songs here and there when nobody was looking. I kept it to myself though. I never let anyone hear it. I was scared. Scared that it wasn’t good enough, scared that it wasn’t polished or powerful like the voices I admired. And honestly, I didn’t want anyone to know I was weak enough to have dreams. Dreams of something more than what the streets had in store for me.

But now, I feel like this one song that I wrote, it’s got to be heard. Maybe it was meant to be hidden for a while, but if anyone finds it, then I think it’s time for it to be shared. I wrote this song for me. For the days when I felt like I couldn’t get out of the mud. When everything seemed like it was slipping away from me, and I couldn’t find a way out. I used this song to encourage myself. It gave me strength. I’d play it over and over again, just to remind myself that there’s more to life than the struggle I was stuck in.

Here are the lyrics:

Head up bro.

Head up sis.

You got this.

Isn't it funny.

How life can be?

So much aint sunny.

But I still believe in what you put out.

And If you live faithfully, things turn out fine and joyfully.

I gotta get my head up above muddy waters.

I know I gotta get up for the so

🎙️ The Pivotal Point w/ Dwayne Barnes – Explore radical authenticity, emotional freedom, and spiritual resilience. Dive into coaching, meditations, and books at www.authordwaynebarnes.com. Join the movement and transform trauma into trans