Anerae "X-Raided" Brown, a Sacramento rapper who found fame in the 1990s, made a remarkable life and career turnaround after spending 26 years in prison for his involvement in a murder.
X-Raided was sentenced in 1996 for his role in the 1992 killing of Patricia Harris, the mother of an alleged rival gang member.
While he denies pulling the trigger, he was convicted of second-degree murder, with prosecutors using his lyrics as evidence of gang-related activity.
Today, however, his story has taken a new turn, with X-Raided crediting brothers Erik and Lyle Menéndez as key figures in his rehabilitation and eventual release.
@rockthebells @X-Raided drops some 💣💣💣s with this one! 🤯 His new album #ASinInHeaven is a return to the reality-tinged storytelling that helped Hip-Hop blow up
♬ original sound - RockTheBells
The Menéndez Brothers' Impact on X-Raided
Erik and Lyle Menéndez, convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, have been in California prisons for decades, gaining renewed attention in pop culture through recent Netflix series and documentaries that explore their lives and experiences in jail.
During his time incarcerated with them, X-Raided says the brothers played a vital role in his personal growth, inspiring him to pursue education and find a new identity beyond gang life and crime.
X-Raided claims that the Menéndez brothers offered emotional support, helping him view prison as a chance for redemption.
Their profound influence motivated him to develop his music skills, focus on education, and prepare his parole application with a transformed mindset.
In a recent Instagram post, X-Raided shared a clip from an interview where he voiced his support for the potential release of Erik and Lyle:
"Anyone who has been following my story knows that I have been saying the Menendez Brothers should be freed for YEARS. We are now one step closer to that becoming a reality so don't be confused as I become increasingly more vocal about it. This isn't about politics for me, this is about justice, love and brotherhood - in that order. As a father of two baby boys, I had a very difficult time reading the motion filed by DA Garćon. I don't even want to fathom the horror that they experienced from as young as six years old at the hands of their own father. I don't even want to wrap my brain around it and I cannot comprehend how anyone could still try to deny the reality and extent of it.
The mental health community broadly recognizes four types of trauma responses: 1. Fight; 2. Flight; 3. Freeze; and 4. Fawn. These four types of trauma responses can manifest in different ways for different people so whether or not you believe they reacted "correctly" or "incorrectly" doesn't change the fact that they reacted to REAL TRAUMA and that they would not be incarcerated if they were the Menendez Sisters."
Parole and A New Chapter for X-Raided
Anerae Brown was finally granted parole in 2018 after demonstrating significant rehabilitation and a commitment to leaving his gang life behind to focus on music and community projects.
Since his release, he has worked on various initiatives to help at-risk youth avoid his path, using his story as a lesson in change. In an interview with Vice, X-Raided acknowledged that his release was due to his own transformation, yet admitted that, without support from figures like Erik and Lyle, his journey would have been much harder.
Meanwhile, the Menéndez brothers are appealing for freedom based on new evidence. A recent Peacock documentary introduced testimonies of abuse by their father, José Menéndez, which their lawyers argue could justify a review of their sentences.
Additionally, California recently updated its policies on life sentences for crimes committed by young people, creating the potential for reduced sentences for the Menéndez brothers, who were young adults at the time of the murders.
Grateful for the brothers' positive impact on his life, X-Raided remains dedicated to his music and social change projects, helping others see a path to personal transformation.
-- Originally published in Latin Times
