Jayden Mayo and Kemali Green

00:02 My name is Kamala green. I'm 28 years old and I know mail from Rikers Island, Young Adult Services. My name is Jayden Mayo. I'm 18. And I know Kamali from Rikers Island, get it started. So when and where were you born? I was born here in Brooklyn. I was born in Brooklyn. I was born when, and where were you? Born?

00:29 2002.

00:38 St. Mary's St. Mary's at what part of Brooklyn Crown Heights?

00:46 Okay, cool. Where did you grow up? What was it? Like growing up in coming up in Crown Heights?

00:58 Mean.

01:00 Everybody. Everybody knows everybody. So it's like

01:03 You going up? This place is like going over family. Everybody knows everybody, okay?

01:09 What's your favorite part about Crown Heights?

01:12 A lot of parks growing up. Every Park in Hyde, Park's basketball,

01:29 Do you have a, a best memory of your childhood that you can think about?

01:37 I don't know if that would be hard to pick, you know, any anything that stands out of like, you know, when I was young this day, was, it was a very fun day. I really like, I said, when I was young, I was pretty. I was, in all honesty. I was bad in school, but I got in trouble a lot. So, like one week, I had a great week at school and I want student of the week. I was like, oh man, that's I was just, wow. I don't know how I did it, but I did it take. Gregory to see you too. Nice. Nice School.

02:21 Just told you, I got a lot of trouble, but I got a lot of trouble.

02:31 Course. Yeah, a lot of friends.

02:34 Yes. Yes, sir.

02:40 So, you want to touch base on any?

02:46 Anything from your childhood that was negative.

02:51 Or a hard time growing up in Crown, Heights, the environment.

02:56 It might have been fun. But it was just the environment. I grew up in that environment, dangerous, dangerous, dangerous.

03:09 You got to prepare yourself early for what you walking into. So what would you tell her, you know, a fifteen-year-old moving account Heights right now and you have to give me some advice.

03:23 Stay out the way.

03:25 The only thing, okay.

03:33 Can you tell me about someone that had a big influence in your life? My grandfather?

03:43 My grandfather e.

03:46 He had a every day was a new story is just based on his life. Be, if you were born in 1935. You should have a story that I read it. So.

03:57 Yeah, I'm pretty sure he had a lot of wisdom. So was he born here in America? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Tallahassee, Florida.

04:07 Only the southern guy. What's your favorite thing about your grandfather?

04:15 He's a wise man. That's that's a very wise, man. He he knows how to

04:22 He breaks things down to show you the the right way to go.

04:28 Is if he still around, he just passed away recently. That must be rough. Yeah, my grandmother passed away last summer, and that was my first time losing somebody that was close to me. So that really that really hurt. I'm actually bringing ashes back to Belize. That's when she's well. She's from my door was, but she lived in believe, so I'm bringing it back. So, you know, I feel like when it comes to losing people, that's close to you, you mourn. But then at some point, you should celebrate their life rights away. Soon as you get out of here, you know, whatever favorite food, or whatever. Y'all used to do.

05:16 You got it, you know, get to it and could just keep his, you know, is his name a lot.

05:25 Can you share? Do you remember any any advice that he ever gave you a, you know, of a good memory of them is very one all the time. They ain't your friend stay to yourself. The very one I ain't your friend. Stacy yourself for the boys. Ain't your friend stay to yourself. That's his favorite one right there.

05:45 How long has he been telling you that?

05:49 I can't remember.

05:54 Okay. So yeah, let's let's change the tone a little bit. Yeah. I know. We spoke a lot in the past about music and based on my understanding your artist, correct. So you want to talk a little bit about that about how you got starting to music?

06:12 Nina was mobile. My friends force me to do it. I didn't really want to

06:19 The way I am a one song. I got a lot of attention or you guys, you should keep going with this. Just got going in.

06:28 Music. Now the Monaco the name you go by Jay, Aston taxes, and I got a lot of buzz on on the, on the internet.

06:46 Yeah, okay. That's what how much use. I'm actually about to. I'm about to touch a million viewers on my first song on YouTube.

06:55 So can can you talk a little bit about what artist inspired you or like what, you know artist you enjoy listening to motivate you to get to make music. I listen to a lot of Lil Durk.

07:13 G. Herbo.

07:15 That's pretty much it. Like okay, what what made you gravitate towards those artists those cuz I know those artists from Chicago, you know, they're very popular in a drill drill music. What what made you gravitate towards those artists? Cuz some some things they say you guys are related to

07:34 I like they say we can relate to.

07:37 So is like,

07:39 Got you. Got you.

07:43 Is there any artist you like? Yeah, you might I may already know the answer to this. But is there any other artist you would like to collaborate with that you haven't yet?

07:54 Not really. I don't.

07:59 I don't know. I just like to do my own thing.

08:03 Well, if you want to make music with me tonight, it's different, but I'm not the one that goes out here. So make

08:10 Okay, I like to keep it in the family. So, you know, I know you've been incarcerated for you know sometime it have you continue to write music.

08:25 I tried once in awhile. That's Raw.

08:30 Is harder though, cuz it's a lot of

08:32 It's a lot going on within the environment. So it's like I can't really can't really concentrate where you at right now. So it's like,

08:41 Got you crazy thing is, I remember old Tupac interview, and he said the same thing, but he said,

08:50 When he's in jail, he doesn't have like inspirational motivation to make music. Don't. It's just like, look at it. Look at where I'm at. What can I talk about?

09:01 All right. All right. So so so how did that make you feel that? You know, something that you love to do, you plant environment and you can't even focus on that.

09:12 Slight.

09:14 It's not it doesn't make me want to find something else to do is just alright, this is on pause for a minute. So

09:21 Maybe, maybe, I don't know. It's just on pause for a minute. I don't think it's over for. I just, this is on pause for a minute.

09:30 You don't think this is going to make you?

09:34 Kind of lose your Rhythm. Would like, fall off a little bit. Musically, not even just a little.

09:42 Yeah, and so I know we on Rikers Island right now and you know covid-19 has drastically impacted a lot of lives. You want to talk about how covid-19 impacted your life or your loved ones?

10:00 Well, I was home for the start of the covid virus. So it was like everything wasn't.

10:07 Not really doing nothing. It's just I'm in the house stores are closed.

10:12 I'm just here with my family and I can fight it. It, it broke families closer cuz it's like night. It's been a lot of time with your family. Now, doing you doing a whole bunch of talkin now, but other than that.

10:27 Just,

10:30 I don't know. I just

10:33 At at. What about when did you move when you got to the island with covid?

10:39 For one, I don't know. I look crazy. I didn't see a barber shop on Rikers Island since I've been here, but other than that, it's like Court.

10:50 Cody's get a gerund.

10:53 Is, it is really just the waiting process now because everything that is going on, it's taking longer to go to go home. He would have been here for 45 years. Now that could have either been one up top for a home. They still saying it because of covid.

11:09 Yeah, that's that's rough. I hate. I hate those stories every day. And I know do the covid-19 sore. Not, you know, another thing. We'll talk about that.

11:24 I mean.

11:25 It's like it's like FaceTime say no screen and talking to my family, but it's like it's not the same when I can't, I can't, I'm not in person. I can't see what I'm used to see how every day. I don't get to see them now because talking to you to a computer now, it's weird but it's like what we got to do it right now.

11:44 Yeah, yeah, a lot of I hear a lot of stories about people not being able to hug a loved one in a long. Of time. Like, I don't think it's hard for me to even like really think about that because a hug or something that's so normal to people, that's not incarcerated. So when you head, a person can't hug, it's like that. I mean a lot, cuz there's some people that just need a hug, like, they could be having a rough day. You won't see it. But, like, deep down. I just need a hug.

12:16 It. So,

12:19 So not having a support. How do you deal with that being here? Like, is there anything you do to try to keep you going? Keep you motivated. Then it's just making me a smaller person.

12:32 Cuz this is like, this is, this is chess. That's all it is. So, the way I look at it.

12:39 Everything happens for a reason. Everything has a purpose behind it. So I can't just sit and be mad at the world before straight it. I just do what I got to do.

12:48 Yeah, that's definitely a good way. A good way to think about it, for sure.

12:53 So, so

12:55 You want to talk about any, any goals? You want a compass when you when you get out of here?

13:02 Me. I was thinking about that the other day, it's crazy. I asked that I was thinking about the other night. I haven't really set any goals, but I'm definitely like putting out in place.

13:14 Yeah, it is. As long as that, you know, you start thinking about it, you know, the next up just, you know, writing it down and and just plotting it. So you could go ahead and do it. Yeah. Yeah, honestly, like what my goals is something that I think about it all the time, but sometimes I feel like I'm not always apply myself to accomplish it. So I feel like in general, a lot of people will let me speak for myself cuz I'm not about to throw myself on the bus instead of other people. So with me, I feel like you really have to plan it, write it down and come up with up with a strategy to accomplish it because I will have a goal. I'll write it down, I think about it everyday, but I won't do nothing to move forward with it. So execution and there is some very important.

14:06 Right, so we can go. Let's go back to the family base. So, other than your grandfather, is there, anybody else in your family or you have any support in the community that, that you talked to, after my mom tomorrow. Very big role in my life.

14:24 What's your favorite thing about your mother?

14:29 She's is crazy. She's just like my grandfather. Like, that's the female version of my grandfather, same exact person. It's just she understands more because she's more hipster was going on out here. So she knows what's going on. She understands. So it's easier to talk on it with your mother and she was describing you. What would you think? What do you think she would say?

15:02 I don't know if it's a logical. Say, I'm very energetic on. I don't know. It's just a lot. You could say, I don't know.

15:11 I have my days with my mom so she can say anything.

15:20 Where you only child? No, there's 10 of us on the 3rd.

15:29 How many brothers, how many sisters for boys?

15:33 Sexy girls.

15:35 Always in the same house. No me and my youngest sister. We live together.

15:42 Everybody else's.

15:50 16 siblings. I got nine sisters and seven brothers.

15:55 So,

15:57 It's a lot a lot too much to keep up with it. Is I think it's a good thing because I'm going to Coney Island, see your sister over there, you know, East New York, to go to Canarsie, to go to Crown Heights, and then I got siblings in different states, North Carolina, Florida. So, yeah, I think, I think family, I enjoy having a big family.

16:28 Osso.

16:31 Yeah, so so

16:35 Did you guys go to school together?

16:38 Only me, and my little sister. My younger sister. We went to school together. How old is she? She just turned 13 2nd, April.

16:47 Cartoon, the big number, what are some of those conversations like

17:05 I'm making a Tik-Tok on my Snapchat is regular young. Kids was they do. So it's like,

17:15 If your if your little sister was still listen to this interview, you know, five ten years from now.

17:23 What message would you want?

17:27 To get to her.

17:30 Some advice or

17:34 Funny thing is she's the one who gave me that advice. This is how I this is she's the one you would think she's the older sister, so

17:46 You doing what you doing? I was like, she's doing, she's doing the right thing. You doing. What you doing?

17:53 Yes, it sounds like she's a very mature person. Larry.

18:00 And you got any other people that you consider your support system that you know, keep you, you know, level-headed while you were in his you know this environment.

18:10 Me and I don't really.

18:12 I don't really call people. I just called my family. I said that's pretty much like that's my saves on right there. As long as I have my family voice. I know everything is good.

18:23 Pretty much it.

18:25 Is there any people in the community that you disconnected with that you that you didn't expect and you don't got to say their names, but

18:34 Not really.

18:38 Not really. No, not really. It's just

18:42 I'm the person as you go your way. I'll go my way and it is what it is.

18:48 Joshua.

18:53 I'm not sure if you were aware yet. We can go. If you can change it up about some criminal justice things, that that's some laws that have been passed solitary confinement. They just passed a law in New York state that I believe, they going to be cutting the days and half 15 days instead of dirty cuz I don't want to be alone. Like it's something that I can't handle being alone for that long.

19:21 People need to be around other people though. They might not know. It is being in GPS. Like, that's like being having a family, especially when you get locked up you building relationships. So it's like, oh man, I got to be around these people. They make me feel safe. I'm I feel comfortable away from people right now. I'm locked up in myself, 23 hours. I cannot.

19:45 That's that's great 15 days. Instead of 30.

19:51 And, and also for the trash for the whole public, but 21, and under it won't be any solitary confinement at all.

20:02 So yeah, I remember at one point when I was working on the island a few years ago. They have 16 and 17 year olds here and in some years before that, like people likely brought it was here and they spent like 23 years in the box at a funeral at a young age. And I know what I don't want to say I know for sure but I think it's obvious that that's not you know Jets won the Metro that's not easy for the mind cuz even though even me during covid-19 in myself or my family and I was living in, you know, I'm staying in the hotel during the first people, I was going to head to avoid bringing back covid-19 to them. In like being alone, is it is not easy.

20:46 No matter where you at being alone, is not something you want to, you want. If you always going to need somebody around no matter who it is.

20:58 So yeah, you mentioned, you mentioned your housing ever. You're being a GPS like family.

21:07 You want if you want to talk a little bit about that, because I think it's interesting that, you know, people that you never met to come into the same house. And every year you located at and you guys are cooking making food when everything together when you first got incarcerated, how was it adjusting to all that? I'm in? This is my first time being incarcerated. So it's like I know how to adapt fast, but it's like, wow, I'm really in jail right now. So

21:34 And especially going to jail and then being around people that I know from the town soon as I see what I've been yelling for a minute. So they know how to deal with all this. So they, they're telling me all that you do this this way. Do they stop making sure I know everything. So from 1, so that way, when I'm not awake and I'm not with them and I'm away from them. I know how to deal with things and I'm able to pass this on to another person who is just, this may be their first time close to ready.

22:05 So yeah, you mentioned, it's your first time being constipated. So what was the like, I know you probably heard all the stories about Rikers Island, but when you finally got here, what was the thoughts going through your head?

22:19 This is a playground. This is his you hear stuff. But then when you actually experience is like

22:26 Where is all the stuff that was talking about?

22:29 Where is everything at?

22:33 So, so you saying that you want to

22:38 Touch base when at a little more, for more clarity.

22:43 Jail is not a place you want to be, you get treated worse by the staff, need to do the inmates.

22:50 That's pretty much it.

22:53 It's not. It's not really damaged. It's just got so much anger. Build up. They take it out on inmates. So it's like it may look like it. May look how it sounds, but it's not really. I ain't that.

23:07 What do you think of some of the, you know, contributing factors that lead to inmates incarcerated people having anger build up here for a long. Of time?

23:22 Been in the housing area for a long. Of time. This be days. You don't go to work for 23 days. You don't even get to see the corridor.

23:31 You don't go anyway, just there cuz I guess just some people, I need the icing, need to go outside and get some fresh air and take a breather if I workout.

23:42 So it's like stuff like that. Be a little things and some fresh air, which is the minimum standards. Like that's, that's a big deal. And you know, it's it's sad that everyone doesn't really get all those things that they should be get it. That's the fat.

24:09 Yeah, so what so what about all are you? Are you in school while you're here? I tried to enroll but with everything that's going on.

24:18 I don't know what's going on either? So.

24:21 I'm just waiting.

24:25 Okay.

24:26 So I'm guessing you were in high school in a community. How was that?

24:34 I started off in charter school and I actually switch to Alternative School.

24:40 Just so I could speed up the process.

24:43 And I was, that was kind of fun to Alternative School is is like I

24:50 You doing everything ye credit faster, getting out of here faster. I don't care.

24:58 Long as I get to the phone, I don't care. But then colder head over. Now. If you're going to school from online is harder. You don't have a teacher in your face to explain how to do this, how to do that.

25:11 Nas, I can make you one and I don't want to do this no more. I don't care and nobody had to help me.

25:18 Yeah, I actually know a lot of people that's in that predicament. I can honestly I was going to go back to school but I'm a person that needs to be in the classroom with professors of teachers from asking questions. I'm like, I like to interact so I could only imagine how hard it is.

25:36 Especially in here cuz I believe.

25:39 School just started back on Monday and they started giving out tablets supposedly. They didn't give them out to everyone but I guess if that's what they say they're doing and that's what might be happening. So you don't you don't think that's

25:55 Like a fact all the way around, don't know. I hope it is because it's people who want to get their diploma want to

26:05 Finish who actually shows like. Did you have plans on Friday during your education past High School?

26:14 I thought about it considered it.

26:18 But now it's a lot going on.

26:23 I rather just finish High School.

26:25 Get a job start.

26:28 Making some type of money.

26:31 Also.

26:33 Raccoon River.

26:37 I know I'm kind of all over the place because I didn't did anything surprise you that that salt, that you was getting so much attention. And people, you know, here in about you is like

27:01 When I show us like I made a video I posted it a hundred thousand views. Wow. This then when the number to start going up over time is heading six hundred thousand seven hundred thousand eight hundred thousand hundred thousand like

27:24 That's almost a million views. So it make you want to keep going cuz it's like you have all these people watching you. You don't want to stop now.

27:31 Cuz I feel like what I'm saying, are you going to? Like what I have to continue to say?

27:36 Do you have any music that wasn't released yet that you plan on releasing a lot? A lot, a lot?

27:45 Lot of music. So how you going to go about that or you going to wait for your case? I mean, I did drop a few songs while I was here actually.

27:55 So,

27:58 I'm just whenever I feel like, I want to hear the song.

28:03 I want the old people, I want to hear that song. You should drop that. I like a lot. I do a lot in the crib. We all do that cuz it's a lot of people in the Houston area. Nicely wrapped venison in the town's. So,

28:20 All that tell you, I want you to drop by.

28:23 All right, I'll go do it.

28:26 Now, I just also you tell you you wrap some of the unreleased music and then I got you.

28:34 I got you. What does your future hold?

28:42 The world may never know.

28:46 I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, I know. That's that's a unique question.

28:59 ESO for future generations of your family or anybody listen to this years from now. Is there any wisdom you want to pass down to them?

29:09 I know your grandfather passed a lot to you.

29:15 Stay true to yourself.

29:18 Be yourself. Don't try to be like everybody else lead, don't follow.

29:26 Following brings you here.

29:28 Yeah, that's some powerful words. Alright, cool.