In his hit song, "In Da Wind", iconic rapper Trick Daddy tells you exactly who he is “…a ol' sneaky, ol' freaky, ol' geechy-a** n****/Collard green, neckbone-eatin-a** n****” and reminds us that he’s, “Always rude and always in trouble.”  Yet Trick Daddy is also someone with a compassionate heart and lots of love for the kids.  So if you thought that “Trick Luvs Da Kids,” was just a snappy catchphrase think again.

The gravelly voiced rapper recently took the time to remind Sixshot that when he’s not creating witty hard-edged verses he’s out in the hood making the world a better place one child at a time.  Trick Daddy talks his foundation Trick Luvs Da Kids, what’s really destroying our urban communities, he reveals the real reason why he calls himself the Mayor of Dade County, his connection with NBA basketball player Alonzo Mourning, why he remains “hood” even when giving back to the community, and more.

Tell us about some of the programs that your organization provides for the community.

We always do the back to school thing where we give away the school supplies.  We register a thousand kids and make sure we hook them up with everything they need.  We also give away special prizes for the kids with good report cards from the previous year.

In your exper ience what issues within our urban communities need to be addressed the most?

Basically after-school programs for the kids.  They spend so many millions of dollars cracking down on drugs and other crimes—I mean that’s cool, but then how come our kids still ain’t learning?  Is it true that the murder rate in Miami and in my town was the highest in the world?  Is it true that we have more kids graduating this year?  So is what they are doing working and hurting us at the same time?  One thing about it—you only fix what’s broken. 

When the Police leagues and all the other leagues were around, we had things to do as kids and there were fewer kids that got into trouble.  Now the reason why it seems like the crime rate is so high is because it’s hard for somebody in suburbia to have to steal and sell drugs when they’re rich already.  So all we’re trying to do is survive.  While we were trying to survive at least our kids was getting taken care of.

I understand that people feel the need to get their hustle on in order to survive.  But how do you move out of just surviving and begin to do what’s right?  How do you make that transition?

If you’re an unfortunate parent and you didn’t have the proper education, you know that in order for your seeds to continue on successfully they can’t go through the same things you went through.  So make sure your kids eat properly, make sure you show them you love them, make sure they get their Christmas’ and memories—those are important for kids, make sure they have their pictures, and make sure they get their education.  That way the world gets better.  One person can’t save the world.  We got to do this together.  All these problems that are within the world we caused them.  I say we as in people and human beings.  We have to get away from the reality TV shows. 

I wrote a song for DJ Khaled's album where I’m talking about reality shows taking away from our Good Times.  It’s like whatever happened to those TV shows with education and showing real life?  You can put anybody in front of a camera and tell them “Oh, just act and according to what you say and do the ratings gonna go up.”  But that ain’t gon’ help us and that ain’t gon’ help the kids.  That ain’t gon’ help the church, the community, or the schools. 

You proclaim yourself to be the Mayor of Dade County.  Is there a particular message you’re trying to send out to politicians by calling yourself the mayor?

I’m trying to show them that ya’ll talk a good one and say the right things trying to get in the seat but I’m still out here in the hood.  Though a lot of people might look at me as being successful I’m a convicted felon.  I’m an ex-con.  I’ll never have rights.  I’ll never be able to vote.  And I’m out there giving out the school supplies.  All I’m saying is while Trick is doing his part, ya’ll do your part.  Open the new boxes of books you got in there.  Come out with a computer.  Approve a budget. Help me!  That’s all I’m saying is help me!  Help me lead! 

Is there anyone who gave back to the community when you were growing up that inspired you to now do the same?

[Long Pause]  Luke [Luther Campbell] has given back to different arts programs.  He tried to help with high school and college recruiting but they tried to make it seem like he was doing illegal things.  Betty Wright helps with the kids, singing, and other things.  I can’t remember anyone besides those two people.

That may be part of the problem.  A lot of people say that not enough people give back to the community.  Do you think that enough people within the hip-hop industry give back to their own communities?

I don’t know.  Like I said I haven’t seen it.  This doesn’t cost any money.  Organizations are non-profit.  It’s a hundred percent tax-deductible.  So all it takes is time.  Remember your heart controls your mind no matter what.  If it ain’t in them,  it just ain’t in them. 

So you don’t think enough rappers give back?

Don’t.  You know that you ain’t gotta ask me that.  Not just rappers, but actors and athletes.  It’s bigger than just rappers.  Right now we’re talking about famous people.  In order to become one of those people somebody had to give you an opportunity by watching your movies or buying your material.  The fans make you.  That’s where all the money is generated from. 

What’s up next for the foundation?

We’re trying to get bigger.  I met a lot of people and I’m trying to do things as far as—wait, I have to go back.  I made a mistake.  Alonzo Mourning probably did more than any athlete or person I know of that had the opportunity to do so.  I hooked up with a lot of people that he deals with and that’s how I make it happen now.  He’s showing me the ropes because it’s hard for me.  I’m hood.  I’m ghetto.  I got gold teeth.  So it’s hard for me to walk around asking for donations.  So what I do is—I know the Chad Johnson’s and Clinton Porter’s of the world.

So I just pick up my phone and I’m like, “I’m gonna need like five stacks for a little event tomorrow.”  That’s how I handle mine.  I just keep it real.  I don’t deal with all those funny-acting dudes.  I ain’t gonna come to you with no proposal because I ain’t with it.  I’m gonna give you your paper and you gon’ get your little write-off.  It’s all legit and I’m gon’ get everything done right because the government don’t play about that money.  If anybody plans on doing anything fraudulent dealing with any type of non-profit organization they need to be sentenced to the rest of their life in prison. 

Any closing words?

Thanks to the whole Dade and Palm Beach County because we’re getting our thing together now.  It’s very important that we stick together.  There’s a lot of money, high-rise buildings, and opportunities being made here.  There’s a lot of rich folks that want to come here and get richer and make us poorer, but we want in.  So we’re here.  They got to see the hood no matter what they do.  So hopefully we made some changes today.  Hopefully a lot of these dudes with different wives who go around leaving these babies in all these different cities and counties across the world will take care of them.  They need to be down with us making a difference.  I don’t mean to burst nobody’s bubble but it is what it is.  Ya’ll already know.    

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You can look me up at: www.trickluvsdakids.com