WHAT'S HOT
The War & Treaty’s Michael Trotter Jr. Recalls Getting ‘Stabbed’ at Age 12 in a Gang: ‘That Was the Turning Point’
Published
5 months agoon
The War and Treaty’s Michael Trotter Jr. is opening up about the rough journey that led him to where he is today. The duo is the latest guest on Bunnie XO’s Dumb Blonde podcast, where Trotter shared his experience with gangs and family trauma.
“Cleveland is not something I talk about often,” Trotter explained. “Growing up in Cleveland, I grew up in a strict Christian household, it was very cultish to me. Friday night sundown to Saturday night sundown. It’s nothing but God. You can’t do anything. You can’t watch TV, I couldn’t go play with friends, none of that stuff. It was just church, church. It really altered my life for a minute there.”
He continued, “It was a big contrast to what real life was. Friday to Sunday it was like, ‘Hallelujah, Jesus, Jesus’ and the rest of the week, we were living like s—.”
The singer noted that in his faith, everyone was “putting on this faith and saying that they’re happy,” but divorce and drugs were prominent throughout the community. He started “rebelling” early in life, after dealing with abuse at the hands of his father, who was struggling with addiction. “I turned to the streets in Cleveland, had a strong gang life. The gang association is called Folks, and I had a cousin who was very high up in gang life in Cleveland. I had my little initiation and I started selling.”
Trotter shared that his gang activity started at age 11. “I got stabbed when I was 12, and I think that was the turning point,” he recalled. “I was laying in the streets of Cleveland, and my cousin had been killed, so my mom then was like, ‘We need to get out of Cleveland and get to D.C.’”
Over time, and through processing his PTSD, Trotter has grown through his trauma, forming The War and Treaty in 2014 with his wife, Tanya. Since then, thankfully, the husband-and-wife duo have grown into musical success. The War and Treaty were one of two country acts nominated in the Grammys’ best new artist category in 2024; the other was Jelly Roll, Bunnie XO’s husband. “The space we occupied was really important,” Michael previously told Billboard. “The two artists representing the genre were not representative of that genre at all, if we’re being completely transparent. You got Jelly Roll, a tatted-face rapper who can sing a little bit, and Mike and Tanya, these Black, overweight, gospel-trained singers. Country music is actively trying to attack the narrative it has created, and I’m proud to be part of that change.”
Rania Aniftos
Source link
Ms. Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Doechii & New Edition Among Stars Booked for 2025 Jazz in the Gardens
Kai Cenat Recaps His Grammys Experience, Says He Got Jay-Z’s Phone Number
Usher Offers Some Advice to Fellow Super Bowl Halftime Performer Kendrick Lamar
Ariana Grande Credits ‘Thank U, Next’ With ‘Saving My Life’ During ‘Dark Times’
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 17 Power Rankings: Episode 5 — Live From the Main Stage, It’s RDR!
Exclusive interview with Corey Miceli SuperHumanSociety
Humble Hefe: From Trials to Triumph in the World of Hip-Hop
Celebrity HipHop’s Next Up: Exclusive Interview with C.J. Brown
Celebrity HipHop’s Next Up: Exclusive Interview with Truth
An Exclusive Interview With Jizzyjondabeat
CENTRAL CEE – TRUTH IN THE LIES (FEAT. LIL DURK) (MUSIC VIDEO)
Latto – Blick Sum (feat. Playboi Carti) [Official Video]
Tyler, The Creator – Sticky feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne (Letra/Legendado)
CENTRAL CEE – LIMITLESS (MUSIC VIDEO)
OhGeesy – Paid N Full [Official Music Video]
TRENDING
Ms. Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Doechii & New Edition Among Stars Booked for 2025 Jazz in the Gardens
Ms. Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, New Edition and newly minted Grammy Award winner Doechii are among the established and rising...
Kai Cenat Recaps His Grammys Experience, Says He Got Jay-Z’s Phone Number
Kai Cenat had a great time at the Grammys and now he seems to be buddies with Jay-Z. The popular...
Usher Offers Some Advice to Fellow Super Bowl Halftime Performer Kendrick Lamar
To no surprise, Usher brought his A-game to The Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday (Feb. 4). Skating his way onstage...
Ariana Grande Credits ‘Thank U, Next’ With ‘Saving My Life’ During ‘Dark Times’
Ariana Grande has a lot of gratitude for Thank U, Next. While reflecting on her career in an interview with...
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 17 Power Rankings: Episode 5 — Live From the Main Stage, It’s RDR!
With RuPaul’s Drag Race bringing back their Rate-a-Queen system for season 17, Billboard decided to rate each of the new...