Lock down, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Living life behind the wall can break the spirit of the strongest man and we’ve seen many break. Incarceration can either make you or break you, it all depends on the man you want to be. Turk decided what he wanted to be and went and got it.
His career started out bright. When we first heard his voice, it was part of the hip-hop foursome called the Hot Boys. Along with Lil Wayne, B.G. and Juvenille, hi picked up gold and platinum plaques, toured the world and picked up numerous awards. By the time his debut album “Young and Thuggin” dropped, it looked like he was on the fast track to stardom along with his Cash Money brothers. Then life happened in January 28th 2004.
The incident began around 2 p.m. on Monday, when a dozen Shelby County narcotics and SWAT officers served a search warrant for drugs believed to be inside an apartment in the Hickory Pointe community in southeast Memphis. After no answer from knocking on the door and identifying themselves, the officers entered and began searching the apartment. Turk then allegedly shot at them with a 9 mm handgun. A small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, including spoons and syringes used to inject heroin, were found.
While overtime, evidence would show that Turk might be innocent of the attempted murder charges, he was still held behind bars. As he sat there in a cell, the music industry would go on. The Hot Boys would break-up, Cash Money would add new members. Yet Turk remained strong, knowing that one day, the handcuffs would be off his wrists and he’d be a free man again. That time came a few weeks ago.
Turk was released from a jail, a new man with a new plan. With a book in hand, a screenplay and new music, he’s set forth to forget the past and forge a new path towards the future with hopes of regaining his footing in the game he loved the most, music. Turk spoke with Content Editor for Hip Hop Enquirer Magazine, Mehka about his new found freedom, his new music, record deals and his words for those who might be following his footsteps.
Hip Hop Enquirer: What does it feel like to be back home and on the free land?
Turk: It feels good to be reunited with my family and the block.
Hip Hop Enquirer: What was it like being locked down?
Turk: It was hectic. You had days you was bitter, some days you was happy, days you was sad. It was like an emotional roller coaster. Being back out with my family, I can get stable again, being around my fiancé. Being able to talk to my son everyday. It’s just family, it feels good. I don’t have to sleep with one eye open anymore.
Hip Hop Enquirer: When you were locked up, who in the music industry stayed in touch with you?
Turk: A whole bunch of people. Of course I talked to Wayne. I talked with Baby. BG before he got locked up, Juveille. The whole Cash Money basically. TI when he got out the first time. We were actually at the same place. I was at Forest City. He left a few days before I came. Waka Flocka, Trae the Truth, Rocko, Paul Wall. A whole lot of people reached out to me.
Hip Hop Enquirer: What are you working on now? You planning a mixtape, EP or something like that?
Turk: Yeah. Me and Drumma Boy are working on a mixtape called “Blame it on the System.” It will be out in December. I’m working on a book. I’m negotiating deals right now, the autobiography of Turk. I’m working on the screenplay “Reckless” which is about my life. I got the double CD “The audio-biography of Turk. “Just getting it in
Hip Hop Enquirer: Before you were locked up, there was no social media. How has it been trying to navigate twitter and facebook and all of that?
Turk: It done got easier. It didn’t take me long at all.
Hip Hop Enquirer: You got back to the music pretty quick too. I know you dropped the “No Worries” freestyle. What was the response from that like?
Turk: The response was crazy. I just turned it out last night. I really sent it out on my twitter and it wound up being everywhere. It just let me know that the people still got love for Turk. And let me know that they was I’m going is the right way. I’m about to turn up and give it to them like they want it. They want that old thing back. That “Young and Thungging” back
Hip Hop Enquirer: Looking back, do you have any animosity towards the police in Memphis for taking you in?
Turk: That chapter of my life is over. It’s a chapter of my book. It’s just how I felt at the time. You’ll see when you read my book. As of right now, I’m enjoying life. I’m about to get married and everything. It’s all good. I’m highly favored by God and I’m back on top of my game. I’m about to put it down.
Hip Hop Enquirer: If you could give any advice to kids out here young and thuggin like you were, what would it be?
Turk: Sometimes, you got to take the bitter with the sweet. I just have to give it to them raw and uncut. If you out there living that life, then you already know what it is. If you do this, then you know what can happen. You have to be able to accept what comes with this. I aint going to stop you because I respect the hustle. For the ones that just caught up and want to get out, there’s a way out. You got to think, anything you put your mind to you can do it. You got to make the right choices because there are consequences to all your actions. You got to take hardships use Gods gift in spite of negativity, that’s thuggin. That’s the acronym for thuggin. If yall want thug and that’s what you do, then do it and watch it happen how you want it to happen.
Hip Hop Enquirer: Break some news for us. Who are you going to sign with?
Turk: Lebron James went to Miami and he went to a winning team. I’m going where they’re winning.
Hip Hop Enquirer: I know you work with Keno and Keno has done a lot of work with Kanye West. Is there a chance you might go to G.O.O.D. music?
Turk: I fuck with Keno. He just sent me a flock to tracks. He’s going to be doing tracks of the mixtapes. We talk everyday. I just fuck with the industry, all real niggas. I’m going where they’re winning. It don’t take rocket science to get that.
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