X-Raided

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{{Infobox musical artist

| name = X-Raided

| image =

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Anerae Veshaughn Brown

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|07|30}}

| origin = Sacramento, California, U.S.

| genre = Gangsta rap{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/x-raided-mn0000684566 |title=X-Raided Biography |last=Ankeny |first=Jason |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2022-10-26 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027013442/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/x-raided-mn0000684566 |url-status=live }}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Rapper
songwriter

}}

| years_active = 1989–present

| label = {{Hlist|Strange Music|Bloc Star|BMG|Black Market}}

| website =

}}

Anerae Veshaughn Brown{{Cite web |last=Decker |first=David |date=2022-07-30 |title=X-Raided: The Evolution of a Legend |url=https://digitalbeatmag.com/x-raided-the-evolution-of-a-legend/ |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=Digital Beat Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825184544/https://digitalbeatmag.com/x-raided-the-evolution-of-a-legend/ |url-status=live }} (born July 30, 1974), better known by his stage name X-Raided, is an American rapper. In 1992, Brown was sentenced to 31 years in prison on murder charges, which Brown denied, maintaining his innocence. The lyrics of his debut album, Psycho Active, was submitted as evidence by the prosecutors. Subsequently, Brown continued to record rap songs in prison, until being released on parole 26 years into his sentence. He was later signed with Strange Music.

Biography

Brown was raised by his mother, Shirley James 'Jaz' Brown, a clerk at the Sacramento County courthouse.{{cite web |last1=Boucher |first1=Geoff |title=Tied by music and murder |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-nov-17-ca-boucher17-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=24 October 2021 |date=17 November 2002 |archive-date=24 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024043015/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-nov-17-ca-boucher17-story.html |url-status=live }} Brown was raised on the south side of Sacramento and subsequently joined the Garden Blocc Crips which is a block carved out by Florin Road, Meadowview Road, 24th Street and 29th Street. X was from 24th Street. {{cite web |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50563/title.after-2-decades-of-incarceration-x-raided-is-ready-to-carve-out-a-positive-new-legacy |title=AFTER 2 DECADES OF INCARCERATION, X-RAIDED IS READY TO CARVE OUT A POSITIVE NEW LEGACY |last=Wallace |first=Riley |date=March 8, 2019 |publisher=HipHopDX |access-date=2022-10-26 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027020648/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50563/title.after-2-decades-of-incarceration-x-raided-is-ready-to-carve-out-a-positive-new-legacy |url-status=live }} In 1992, Brown released his debut album, Psycho Active, before being arrested in March with four other Crips for the killing of Patricia Harris during a home invasion, with the prosecution citing Brown's lyrics in his trial, accusing Brown of premeditated murder. The weapon that was used to kill Harris was never found, and Brown maintains that he is innocent.{{cite web |url=https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/01/lyle-menendez-reality-show-prison-rapper-x-raided-parents-murder-erik-menendez/ |title=Rapper X-Raided Shopping Around Reality TV Show On Prison Life To Feature Lyle Menendez |last=Roca |first=Teresa |date=January 26, 2019 |publisher=Radar Online |access-date=2022-10-26 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027061511/https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2019/01/lyle-menendez-reality-show-prison-rapper-x-raided-parents-murder-erik-menendez/ |url-status=live }}

Brown's second album, Xorcist, was recorded over the phone while he was in jail awaiting trial. He was later sentenced to 31 years in prison. His third album, Unforgiven, was recorded on a DAT recorder smuggled in by a prison guard. Brown also operated a record label, Bloc Star Entertainment from prison.{{cite web |url=https://theboombox.com/x-raided-stabbed-prison-riot/ |title=X-RAIDED STABBED SEVEN TIMES IN PRISON RIOT |last=Bark |first=Theo |date=May 17, 2010 |publisher=The Boombox |access-date=2022-10-27 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027073104/https://theboombox.com/x-raided-stabbed-prison-riot/ |url-status=live }} The recordings Brown made while in prison documented the maturation of Brown's psychological development as he processed the gravity of his imprisonment. In 2010, Brown was stabbed seven times after he refused to produce a rap album for a gang of other prisoners.{{cite web |url=https://allhiphop.com/news/rapper-x-raided-stabbed-7-times-in-prison-riot-over-rap-album/ |title=Rapper X-Raided Stabbed 7 Times In Prison Riot Over Rap Album |author=Grouchy Greg Watkins |date=May 15, 2010 |publisher=AllHipHop |access-date=2022-10-26 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027020646/https://allhiphop.com/news/rapper-x-raided-stabbed-7-times-in-prison-riot-over-rap-album/ |url-status=live }}

Brown was paroled on September 14, 2018 after serving 26 years in prison,{{cite web

|url=https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/penitent-rapper/content?oid=27180067

|title=The penitent rapper

|work=Sacramento News & Review

|publisher=Chico Community Publishing

|first=Howard

|last=Hardee

|date=October 4, 2018

|access-date=October 1, 2020

|archive-date=October 6, 2018

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006142808/https://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/penitent-rapper/content?oid=27180067

|url-status=live

}} due to a letter of support from Lyle and Erik Menendez, whom Brown had befriended in prison, who wrote that Brown "has developed into a kind and patient person, rooted in integrity, and passionate about his ideas."{{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.49941/title.rapper-x-raided-released-from-prison-after-menendez-brothers-support|title=RAPPER X-RAIDED RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER MENENDEZ BROTHERS SUPPORT|last=Wallace|first=Riley|date=January 17, 2019|publisher=HipHopDX|access-date=2022-10-26|archive-date=2022-10-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027060918/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.49941/title.rapper-x-raided-released-from-prison-after-menendez-brothers-support|url-status=live}} Brown expressed remorse for his past criminal activity, and expressed the intention leading a new life as a changed man, as well as marking a change in his career and lyrical style.{{cite web

| url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/12/05/paroled-gangster-rapper-seeks-redemption-after-26-years-behind-bars/

| title=Paroled Gangster Rapper Seeks Redemption After 26 Years Behind Bars

| first=Joe

| last=Vazquez

| work=cbslocal.com

| date=December 5, 2018

| access-date=October 2, 2020

| archive-date=September 28, 2020

| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928003022/https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/12/05/paroled-gangster-rapper-seeks-redemption-after-26-years-behind-bars/

| url-status=live

}} After being released from prison, Brown signed with BMG Rights Management.{{cite web |url=https://www.935kday.com/2019/04/17/x-raided-on-reinventing-himself-after-prison-nipsey-hussle-signing-w-bmg-records/ |title=X-Raided On Reinventing Himself After Prison, Nipsey Hussle + Signing w/ BMG Records |author=jbanks |date=April 17, 2019 |publisher=935kday |access-date=2022-10-27 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027074146/https://www.935kday.com/2019/04/17/x-raided-on-reinventing-himself-after-prison-nipsey-hussle-signing-w-bmg-records/ |url-status=live }} In 2022, Brown signed with Strange Music.{{cite web |url=https://www.strangemusicinc.com/2022/05/strange-music/the-legendary-x-raided-signs-to-strange-music |title=Tech N9ne's Strange Music has signed the legendary rapper, X-Raided! |last=Flaugher |first=Sierra |date=May 11, 2022 |publisher=Strange Music |access-date=2022-10-26 |archive-date=2022-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220612132517/https://www.strangemusicinc.com/2022/05/strange-music/the-legendary-x-raided-signs-to-strange-music |url-status=live }}

Style and influences

Brown, reflecting on his early music, described his younger self as a "stereotypical rapper" that was "trying to be the toughest, hardest guy, writing a lot of fantastical music in the vein of the Geto Boys."{{cite web |url=https://sfbayview.com/2018/12/the-execution-of-x-raided-the-power-of-redemption/ |title='The Execution of X-Raided': The power of redemption |last=Sawari |first=Amani |date=December 30, 2018 |publisher=San Francisco Bay View |access-date= |quote= |archive-date=October 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027073105/https://sfbayview.com/2018/12/the-execution-of-x-raided-the-power-of-redemption/ |url-status=live }} Steve "Flash" Juon, retrospectively reviewing Brown's debut for RapReviews, described Brown's lyrics as "decent yet unremarkable boasting".{{cite web |url=https://www.rapreviews.com/2022/08/x-raided-psycho-active/ |title=X-RAIDED :: PSYCHO ACTIVE |last=Juon |first=Steve "Flash" |date=August 30, 2022 |publisher=RapReviews |access-date=2022-10-27 |archive-date=2022-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027070439/https://www.rapreviews.com/2022/08/x-raided-psycho-active/ |url-status=live }} Brown cited N.W.A and Ice Cube as his influences at this stage in his career. After his incarceration, Brown's lyrical influences shifted to James Baldwin, Langston Hughes and W.E.B. DuBois.

Discography

=Solo albums=

Psycho Active (1992)
Xorcist (1995)
Unforgiven (1999)
Speak of the Devil (2000) as Nefarious
Vengeance Is Mine (2000)
The Initiation (2001)
And He Shall Appear (2001)
Deadly Game (2002)
These Walls Can Talk (2002)
The Unforgiven Vol. 2: Assisted Suicide (2009)
Unforgiven Vol. 3: Vindication (2011)
Sacramentally Disturbed (2012)
Psychoactive 2 (2014)
Aneraé VeShaughn – The Execution Of X-Raided (2018) as Aneraé VeShaughn
California Dreamin (2019)
There Will Be a Storm (2020)
A Prayer in Hell (2023)
A Sin in Heaven (2024){{Cite web |title=Rapper X-Raided Says CA Rap Lyrics Bill Would've Prevented 26-Year Prison Term |url=https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/25/x-raided-ca-rap-lyrics-bill-gavin-newsom-kamala-harris-strange-music/ |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=TMZ |date=25 August 2022 |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218202625/https://www.tmz.com/2022/08/25/x-raided-ca-rap-lyrics-bill-gavin-newsom-kamala-harris-strange-music/ |url-status=live }}