EXPLORING MISSISSIPPI: The Poorest State In America's Forgotten Cities (Meridian)

[00:00:02]Everybody going to be saying I don't nobody like her. I don't know why.

[00:00:09]We in West man on the west side of West really west side really man. Where everything really go on for real. This building got set on fire. I don't know how many times. My first spot right here. Right now I ain't supposed to be out here. I'm on the band. I swear to God. I said we move cooler than Jackson.

[00:00:26]But like it's going on for sure. going on just as when you walk out the door like you you know what you want to do if you going to goddamn be in the street or you going to goddamn take the other life >> if you don't make no fun right >> yeah basically like you got to make your fun every day man every day >> I got a lot you can't come out here you man real Meridian, one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in Mississippi, the poorest state in all of America. By now, if y'all have been subscribed and locked into the channel like y'all should be, then y'all know we've been exploring the out of Jackson, the state's capital. But now we're expanding outward outward to see how some of Mississippi's other cities are getting by in what is allegedly one of the most fiscally mismanaged and corrupt states in the entire US. Starting right here in Meridian, Mississippi and what is according to riolink.com the number six most dangerous city in all of Mississippi due to excessive violent crime, autotheft, and property crime as well. But even with those things in excess and what looks to be an economy in decline, the city has still managed to produce several mega talent gems such as the likes of southern legend Big Crit, multiplatinum producer Tristan Genius, and the street sensation making leak. So today we link up with Ruger Boy 1753 whom is looking to join the ranks of the great talents to break out of this city as he details for us what life is like coming up in Meridian, one of the most dangerous cities located right here in Mississippi, the poorest state in all of America. Lego.

[00:02:20]We in West man on the west side of West man. where everything really go on. For real, where I come from, like where I'm from, that where I born and raised at my crib down there, that my old crib down there, I stayed there like 13 years.

[00:02:35]>> Literally right there. That building?

[00:02:37]>> Yeah. That apartment right there. 125.

[00:02:39]>> Straight from the hospital, but right here. No, not straight from the hospital right here. See, I really can't just tell you where we were. Then we What that big called? What the old carousel called, Drake? I know. We used to live in Frank Bear and >> Okay. My mama live in the alien [ __ ] probably when I was a newborn though.

[00:02:56]That [ __ ] on the east side. They from my mama know from the east side from like two like 3 years old though. That where I'm from right here in my crib. I can look out my window and see what going on. Like if everybody outside if it's a boring day, a good day or anything. I can look out my window. Front door the back side too.

[00:03:15]They were really everything for real.

[00:03:17]Anyway, you walk outside fighting. This building got set on fire. I don't know how many times.

[00:03:24]You look out there though, you see everything. You see the field over there. Got the kids and I don't even say the kids. Us. You feel me? Like us as growing up right there. That field. You see all that that we normally be over there. We'll be playing football and when we were young had BB guns all type of [ __ ] But uh >> got over gun.

[00:03:47]>> Just look right here. This will show you everything you need to know.

[00:03:49]>> Okay.

[00:03:51]>> A lot of got locked up.

[00:03:52]>> Lot of mother got locked up.

[00:03:56]My first right here. No cap.

[00:03:59]>> And I'm be that [ __ ] >> that [ __ ] >> that was the project. They killed the whole hood. You know what I'm saying?

[00:04:05]But like being who he is, still jump, you know, we put a date on, you know, just some cool [ __ ] >> On God.

[00:04:12]>> How old were you?

[00:04:13]>> 2021.

[00:04:15]>> 2020.

[00:04:16]>> Yeah.

[00:04:18]>> Like 2021.

[00:04:20]>> [ __ ] Like 15 16 [ __ ] >> God, it's a lot of change though, man.

[00:04:24]Like managers and they change. One manager can't keep up with everybody. So they got to get a new manager that be on ho [ __ ] You know, right now I supposed to be out here. I'm on the band list.

[00:04:34]>> Oh, really? I swear to God.

[00:04:35]>> So, is this one of like the main cadre homes in the west side?

[00:04:39]>> Yeah, they really the only hood in the west side. You got other hoods on the west side, but like apartments.

[00:04:44]>> You got goddamn like the village and [ __ ] that's on the west. You got carousel like I said.

[00:04:51]>> See, it's more apartments across the street, but that basically what she want to sh David Court. Yeah. But this the real project out of all those, you know, this, you know, home of the land, the guns of America, you know, >> for people at home kind of separates Meridian from like the other cities in Mississippi. Like >> Meridian just Meridian like you goddamn we just interview just dropped the other day. We was just talking about how goddamn ain't too many cities in Mississippi, you know, that like Jackson law Meridian. Goddamn.

[00:05:19]>> That's it. Those are the main ones.

[00:05:21]>> Main ones.

[00:05:21]>> Main ones people need to know about a [ __ ] like that.

[00:05:24]>> You know, Rich take a lead. He come from here. Flip switch it big 308 turn we take over money and murder we don't go if we do then do like there a lot of really artists come from a big crit like we got stars you know in we got real stars and [ __ ] where a lot of stars come from and a whole lot of they were born and raised out here in western you know what I'm saying that would be Crazy.

[00:05:56]>> You got to drive, man. I feel like I the last one left though. But I'm going leave it to my young though. Bro, Baby Smack the only one we got out here.

[00:06:04]>> He the only one. Baby Smack. He in the crib right now. Go tell him come outside. See, we had fat school out there, too, though. But he end up dying though. You I'm going be Jackson way bigger than all. So, I'm going to say I say we more cooler than Jackson. But like it's it going on for sure. [ __ ] going on every day. I could probably go check page right now. It probably some happen. I ain't even heard about it cuz you feel me? Where we chilling at SC post everything that happened.

[00:06:34]>> [ __ ] can happen. Scatter scatter reports on Facebook.

[00:06:37]>> Okay.

[00:06:38]>> Anything wrong like for your ass like right now goddamn strip out here and tear out this mother.

[00:06:45]He call the police. He going on scatter.

[00:06:47]Anything I do, he going to make scatter.

[00:06:49]>> The thing about sky ain't going to come out.

[00:06:52]Mhm.

[00:06:53]>> Wait, not going to come out this?

[00:06:54]>> No.

[00:06:55]>> Yeah, I know. SC probably chill at the gate with this [ __ ] He ain't going to chill at the gate be like that. It just going to happen.

[00:07:07]Like when you young like it be young out here like I tell my go to school every time like but just as when you walk out the door like if you you know what you want to do if you going to goddamn be in the street or you going to goddamn take the other life but n out of 10 what be going on like I love my dad when I was 10. So like my mama got sick like right after that [ __ ] So I knew damn I was going to finish school anyway. So I ain't saying it for nobody else to do that but like that's my life. I got a reason you feel me? My mom ain't had that we probably needed or something.

[00:07:38]Like we got my mom got eight kids. You know what I'm saying? Everybody do what they can. So I goddamn had to take a risk and try some. You know what I'm saying? That how I got my feet wet. I ain't tell nobody else to do that. Like that ain't the way. I ain't doing it no more though.

[00:07:51]>> Why young [ __ ] like his son? Now I grew up. I'm in a band. Got a drum. He clutching on his for nothing. He just shot it in his own. I'm all on camera trying to score.

[00:08:09]I ain't talking basketball. Set a pick and I'm a roll. I'm trying to shoot it lights out.

[00:08:15]>> This how it is though. Like mother go out come outside. They know they want to goddamn be in the street to do what they want to do. They watching. They watching other mother that's around them and they just adapting to that. And I swear I don't want nobody to be in the street.

[00:08:32]Oh, we ain't do that down here. No.

[00:08:35]After school activities and you know what I'm saying? Boys and girl, people had Bible stud. I know. I remember that.

[00:08:43]>> So, you got to do what you got to do.

[00:08:46]>> You said you had a mom and kids and you had to do something.

[00:08:49]>> I had to do something. How long you been doing with it?

[00:08:52]>> Probably like 4 months.

[00:08:54]>> Really?

[00:08:54]>> Yeah.

[00:08:55]>> So, you I'm just now starting to feel myself for real though.

[00:08:58]>> Oh, that's crazy. It took me a say it took me some time, but when I first started doing music, I dropped the video right away and that did good for my first video. So, I was like, why not, you know?

[00:09:09]>> Why not keep going?

[00:09:10]>> Why not smack on [ __ ] like [ __ ] I want ain't trying to shig.

[00:09:24]>> Okay, drop it. I had to drop some music.

[00:09:28]United Mouse and they get to pay me. I'm like, damn, people paying me for features and >> it's cool, right?

[00:09:34]>> I'm godamn paying me to come to their goddamn party and I'm like, okay, see what really going on like, you feel me?

[00:09:43]I love this.

[00:09:44]>> This my job right here. I rap. I love rapping.

[00:09:47]>> Lot of fun, lot of parties, a lot of lot of down here. [ __ ] wake up and drink.

[00:09:52]>> Ready for the night.

[00:09:56]>> Ready for the night, man. wake up post on Instagram and snack.

[00:10:03]It's too hot. Like we fall out like hell. And I don't even drink, >> but I get drunk. I mean, bro, if that makes sense.

[00:10:13]>> Everything down there 15 minutes away.

[00:10:15]Ain't Well, ain't nothing less than 15 minutes away. I'm telling when you get off the west side, you get on goddamn like 8th Street and you get like on 29th, they take you everywhere. So you can go left and go all you can go go left and go all the way straight. God damn. You on the north end and goddamn east side. You keep straight. You on the east side regardless. You go right you on the south. We on the way. Guys on the east side though.

[00:10:41]>> Hey. Yeah. We got guys on the east side though.

[00:10:43]>> Do the sides get along for the most part or are there like some long standing?

[00:10:46]No.

[00:10:47]outside how it going to be. You know what I'm saying? I ain't saying ain't that how it is. Nobody like it. I don't know why.

[00:11:01]You know, no hater, man. That's all I can say.

[00:11:08]>> They doing that bad, man.

[00:11:11]>> All I see is goddamn bar. They thought you got like flat cloud or nobody see it.

[00:11:17]>> Not enough jobs, not enough money making opportunity.

[00:11:22]>> Get them n to keep going. What's up?

[00:11:26]>> What's up with it buzzing?

[00:11:28]>> You got the most going all the time to go work >> Mississippi in general. Do y'all feel slept on musically?

[00:11:34]>> Hell yeah.

[00:11:36]>> I feel like we the best. Oh god, we the best. Like >> straight up.

[00:11:40]>> Hell yeah. We the best. from the south.

[00:11:43]>> You got to listen. Shout out T Money for sure though. That's They're my favorite camera. Shout out T Money. Start here in Mississippi.

[00:11:51]>> He ain't even here from Mississippi. He from Jackson Money hard, man. Man, they damn near the best. I ain't going to lie. [ __ ] was way little back then. Like cuz we was young and [ __ ] like [ __ ] was way little back then. But you know like people doing their own thing now. But you know hood still get deep. It's still lit. Yeah. We got a lot of mother left too. Long live a bro too.

[00:12:12]>> Free cash.

[00:12:13]>> Yeah. Free cash. Long live bro.

[00:12:15]>> They walk this way. They go to the court. I go to the court. I can go to anybody crib right now. Knock on the door. Call my tell me what door knock. I go I go anybody care right now. My swear to family. You can't come out here.

[00:12:30]We just be chilling.

[00:12:32]Chill [ __ ] court. That mother that gold been cricket my whole life. Ain't no piece that [ __ ] That's the first guy I tried to dunk. I couldn't do that. I knew sport was for me.

[00:12:46]>> I knew sport was for me.

[00:12:47]>> I need another round, huh?

[00:12:49]>> Football and you play baseball right there, man. Hey, Ju used to be here right there. We used to go down playball and kickball type of like that be fun.

[00:13:01]>> I'm talking about it was snowing and man, we out here playing football. It's snowing and >> playground.

[00:13:07]Should I tear it down? Yeah. Yeah. All this [ __ ] Okay. Don't be have nothing to do now. They just be out there be riding like you feel me. They where we come from. I feel like it shouldn't be a problem with them. Come chill. You know the people love her. You know we ain't doing nothing wrong. We just coming out here. Y kid probably coming up today like let me get you [ __ ] We always goddamn. You know >> if you don't make no fun >> Ry basically like you got to make your fun.

[00:13:37]Another city you probably just pop outside and it just automatically be something to do. Many [ __ ] mother actually set something to do. Like you got to make you don't make something do >> we that young though. I swear to God the old going to say old people but like if you older than 25 you're old.

[00:13:53]>> I'm sorry if no disrespect folk.

[00:13:57]>> Like if you older than 25 I just feel like you old. So if they be having some going on downtown every every Friday. I don't even know. I think they do that a day. I just don't be tuned.

[00:14:09]Man, I ain't going to lie, man. They Man, I I definitely I definitely put some pools and [ __ ] like I'm put it like this. Do what I do. Do what I do. Do what I do. Me personally, >> I buy the hood, right? I buy my hood.

[00:14:22]>> Buying this whole >> body right here. Yes. I buy this whole [ __ ] >> and like I put like there so many open spaces and [ __ ] like we need food place.

[00:14:32]Hatterburg got a lot of [ __ ] We can't get a lot of >> like man, let me tell y'all about city too, man.

[00:14:37]>> This for our city, man. We need food places, man. Tired ain't the same.

[00:14:40]>> That one thing I can say, you can go to Hannburg and eat you some food. Now you can go to Jazz, get you some food, like and mother really be driving up there to go like Chipotle and give us Chipotle like >> you feel. We got two, man. We got two damn Chicks and we got three of the same.

[00:15:01]We got four. We got everywhere like we need.

[00:15:04]>> We got a Masid.

[00:15:07]Yeah. Don't tell Popey down. Y'all can do whatever.

[00:15:10]>> They need to take some away too. We got too many.

[00:15:13]>> No, we don't. We got three, >> bro. We got four. We got three.

[00:15:18]>> We got four. A got no B&B or none. We got like two of them, but we need you.

[00:15:23]If you ever just ride through the city, man, you see a lot of abandoned buildings, man, that people can do something with >> like downtown. They got >> make a lot of business like all them build get turn places go instead. They want to build that we already got.

[00:15:41]>> You see how they turn the cameras and [ __ ] they turn them [ __ ] like every now and then. Wherever they feel like chilling, then they going to turn, you know, like >> watching. Yeah.

[00:15:48]>> Yeah.

[00:15:49]>> They try to watch us. So we just find a blind spot. How the hell it increase like police presence and around here?

[00:15:54]>> They've been trying like >> I'm I'mma just say like if if we get real deep out here 12 pull deep >> they really have they really have the same one patrol they don't be on though. They just tell you you don't live out here go. I >> ain't going to lie though man. I love the project though man. Where I'm from man.

[00:16:15]>> It's just life and like do what we do.

[00:16:31]New York shig start with my crew. Don't make me smack you. Don't worry about what she me every day, man.

[00:16:59]>> Every day.

[00:17:01]>> Long live my mama. You talking about long live mo, man. Long live my mama.

[00:17:05]I'm just glad to see this going on.

[00:17:08]We should probably see on the billboard real ticket. For real.

[00:17:14]>> For real.

[00:17:15]>> DON'T COUNT. DON'T COUNT MY out cuz he gonna make make sure y'all count me.

[00:17:18]Shout out man.

[00:17:21]My dog glo you can't come out here from around here man. I'm telling you man real terrible.

[00:17:32]>> So there y'all have it there. A day in Meridian, Mississippi. One of the most dangerous cities in the poorest state in all of America. Now if y'all ask me it's got potential. The powers that be focus on building enterprise and business there, which will in turn create jobs, which will in turn create more tax revenue, which in theory could be invested to make it an overall better city with more social programs, after school activities for kids, sports, etc., etc. Meridian will be in a good place. But y'all know the drill by now.

[00:18:02]Spend some time, check out Ruger Boys music, and you'all already know. Hit the like. Drop a comment if we missed anything or there's anything y'all think the world needs to know about Meridian or Mississippi in general. And definitely hit that subscribe. But for now, we'll catch y'all on the next video. Big C of Valley Club. Audi.

[00:18:19]>> Valley Club. Valley club.