Saturday night I was at 007‘s Audio Future album release party and interviewed his former rhyme partner E-Rock.

During our conversation E told me that Lo Life, the other member of their 5th Ward Boyz trio, was still in prison but now a believer. He said the brother changed his name to New Life, is pursuing Christian rap, and recently held a concert inside the walls where 213 inmates showed up and 85 had to be turned away due to a lack of security.

This sparked something in me and I remembered the verse of Scripture from Hebrews 13:3 which says:

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

I wanted to get New Life’s address so I could write and encourage him. Then on Monday, 007 hit me with the mailing address and about an hour later I saw that FLAME sent out this Tweet about rallying the Christian hip hop community to write to Lil Wayne while he is locked away.

God is moving and I want to get on board.

So why don’t we start the CHH Kites Program? (“Kite” is street slang for correspondence received while incarcerated.)

Let’s send these two brothers all kinds of mail that uplifts and shares the love of Christ.

Don’t ask for autographs, record deals, or for the dudes to check out your music. Break ’em off with a good word from the Word, tell them that we’re looking forward to seeing them on the outside, and share a little bit about what being a follower of Jesus has done in your own life.

Here are their addresses. Now go pick up a pad and pen.

Lil Wayne
Eric M. Taylor Center (EMTC)
Dwayne Carter
NYSID# 02616544
L10-10 Hazen Street East
Elmhurst, NY 11370

NewLife formally LoLife of the 5th Ward Boyz
Richard Nash Jr
1303820 One Circle Drive
Sugar Land, TX 77498

[update]
Pharoah is a member of Houston’s underground Street Military/South Park Coalition collective. IBC tells me he’s been writing Pharaoh for a minute.

You can hit him at the address below:

Pharaoh aka Mr. D.J. Burton # 1151396
Coffield unit
Rt.1 box 150
Tennessee Colony, Tx. 75884

If you know of any other MCs on lock that could use encouragement, please send me their addresses and I’ll help get the word out.

[update]

This is a GREAT way to minister and can be very effective, however, please remain cautious when corresponding with inmates. Providing personal information about yourself, such as your full name, physical address, telephone number, date of birth, etc., may fall into the hands of someone it was not meant for and could have ill effects.

County, State or Federal Facilities will not deliver items which are considered to be contraband. For specific information regarding what contraband is, contact the unit where the inmate resides and ask for this information.

Ministry & safety guidelines:
www.bgcprisonministries.com/assets/files/Letter-Writing%20Guidelines.pdf

Texas Department of Corrections guidelines:
www.tdcj.state.tx.us/policy/BP03.91_rev1_july13_2007.pdf

Written by: Sketch