After a lifetime of trials and tribulations around his impoverished ’hood in Panama City, Florida, the kind of hard times that would’ve crushed a weaker man – Blood Raw has emerged victorious and taken the mic center stage for his debut album as a solo artist, MY LIFE: THE TRUE TESTIMONY, due to arrive in stores June 17th on Young Jeezy’s CTE (Corporate Thugz Entertainment) label imprint, distributed by Def Jam Recordings, a division of Island def Jam Music Group.

            “My album,” Blood Raw told allhiphop.com, “is pretty much about everything I’ve been through in my life.  From being in a family with my mother dying of a drug overdose; my father not being around; going to jail at a early age; going to prison at 16 years old; overcoming a federal indictment.  I mean, you know, everything that people in the world go though.”

            Blood Raw made his major label recording debut last year on Young Jeezy Presents USDA: Cold Summer “The Authorized Mixtape”, the first release from CTE, a co-venture with IDJMG (released May 2007).  The RIAA gold album – and multi-platinum Atlanta-based rapper Jeezy’s nationwide “Street Dream” tour – introduced his latest project, USDA, a collaboration with Blood Raw and Atlanta emcee Slick Pulla.  Cold Summer debuted at #1 on Billboard’s R&B and Rap charts (and #4 on the pop side), and spun off two singles, “White Girl” and “Corporate Thuggin’.”  Blood Raw was later heard on two street CDs, Indictment Papers for DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz, and The Street Love Blood Raw with DJ Smallz.

            Nowadays, Blood Raw (aka Bruce Falson) is grateful to be on track with his career, and put his six years (1992-1998) as a guest of the Florida Department of Corrections behind him – although it was the “OG’s” (original gangstas) in jail who first applauded his rhymes.  When they said, “that shit is blood raw,” a Florida term for The Truth, he knew he found his calling.  After his release, he moved to Atlanta and honed his style at the Hip-Hop Café, for anyone who’d listen.  Back in Panama City, he joined the N.F.L. Crew (Niggaz For Life) and made a few cameo appearances, including former LOX member Genovese’s 2001 debut. 

            A performance in Alabama caught Jeezy’s attention and led to a deal with CTE – over other lucrative offers from T.I.’s Grand Hustle and Trick Daddy at Slip-N-Slide.  “Working with Jeezy just felt right… I knew from the beginning that he was gonna need a go-to artist if his project [CTE] come out to be successful.”

            Today, the heart of the matter for Blood Raw is raising his seven-year old son – an impressive young rapper in his own right, who has already appeared on two DTP/Def Jam albums by his godfather Ludacris, Chicken ‘N’ Beer (at age three) and Release Therapy (at age five).  “If it wasn’t for me wanting him to enjoy his childhood, he could be a overnight super­star,” Blood Raw said, “but I really want him to enjoy his childhood because I just know how this business is, and it’s real funny.”

            Meanwhile, back in steamy Panama City, “I’ve adopted a new nickname, ‘Mr. Florida’ because the game plan is to get back to business by repping my state,” he sums up confidently.