Tru2it feat. Danisia & Lil Zai
My name is Adilson “Tru2it” Neves. I was born in Praia, Cabo Verde, on April 20, 1990. I came to America at 19 days old and was raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, once home to heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano. From the age of 4 to 17, I lived in the Crescent Court Housing Projects, located in the heart of the city. This is the same neighborhood where Chris Bender grew up. In 2008, at the age of 17, I was charged with felony murder in connection with the senseless death of Mr. Edward Conley, which occurred during an attempted robbery that ended tragically. In 2011, at the age of 20, I was found guilty and sentenced to a natural life prison term. It is important for me to say that I am 100% accountable for my crime and remain committed to making whatever reparations are possible to help prevent future harm. In 2014, the Diatchenko/Miller decision changed the law by redefining the age range of juvenile offenders. As a result, a sentence of life without the possibility of parole was deemed unconstitutional for redeemable juvenile offenders. In 2015, upon arriving at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk, I was introduced to the philosophy and practice of Restorative Justice. I became a coordinator in the program and served more than 1,500 incarcerated individuals, with a particular focus on those between the ages of 18 and 30. In 2018, our Restorative Justice work was featured in a documentary by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams. In 2019, I became Co-Coordinator of the R.O.L. (Redefining Our Leadership) Initiative. This two-part initiative addressed both community violence and structural violence. It helped bring together two opposing sides of the city of Brockton to begin making amends following one of the most violent disputes in the city’s history. In 2024, I had my initial parole hearing and was denied parole with a two-year review. Following my first parole hearing, I transferred from MCI Norfolk to Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center (SBCC) before later transferring to NCCI Gardner. While at NCCI Gardner, I assisted in creating a team dedicated to developing a Restorative Justice Community Development Plan. The plan serves as a guide for developing, implementing, and sustaining a restorative justice culture within a correctional setting. It is now complete and ready for implementation, offering a structured framework that promotes accountability, rehabilitation, and meaningful engagement among incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, and community stakeholders. The Massachusetts Department of Correction could benefit greatly from implementing this model across its correctional facilities to strengthen restorative practices and foster healthier institutional communities. On June 18, 2026, I had a subsequent parole hearing and am currently awaiting the Board’s decision. My latest release, “I Grew Up (Jailed in America),” is my way of expressing myself while giving back to the community I once harmed through my previous criminal lifestyle. Through my music and my continued work in Restorative Justice, I hope to encourage others to make different choices and demonstrate that accountability, redemption, and positive change are possible.
Dein Feedback zu diesem Release