Drill & Brandon

Drill, 25

Brandon, 5

"I basically grew up on my own. Everything I learned, I learned on my own. I never had a father figure. He was more into the drugs. He was on them so that's probably one of the reasons he wasn't there for me. Today he's back and forth but he'll try to get in contact with me. There's nothing there, though. There was so much time missed that there's nothing that can make up for that."

"He was born when I turned 20. It changed my life for the better. Everything I do is for him. It's a great feeling. I don't see how people could just have kids and not be involved in their kids' lives. They're missing out on so much, like watching them develop at certain ages. There's so much insight you can gain. So much joy in watching them develop. For someone not to wanna' see that just amazes me. It's crazy. For me it's a wonderful feeling."

"I'm 25. By the time I'm 30 I don't plan on working for nobody. I'ma put his name on everything to let him know he don't have to depend on nobody. If you wanna' make it happen, you can make it happen. As long as you take pride in your work."

"My favorite part about being a dad is seeing what's actually happening with him. What he's learning. His development. His smile just brightens up my day, bruh. No matter what I'm going through, no matter how I'm feeling. I could just look at a picture of him and see how happy he is. That shit man.... I got a lot of shit bottled up that I don't even talk about. For him, that smile just makes me happy. No matter what I'm going through. If I could see him smile, make him laugh, like… that shit just makes me happy."

"I don't want him to be around all this shit that's going on. It's a lot of madness out here in Newark. I don't want him to be around that shit but I want him to know that he could get through that. You don't have to be in or around that shit. There's people from Newark that make it. You could be one of those that make it. You could be one of those that make that difference. That could make that change and take off. You don't have to be stuck in this shit just because you're here."

"He could sing, bruh. He could do everything. My son's intellect is great, like, he could hold a whole conversation. He knows what to do and what not to do. I could have a conversation with my son just like I'm having this conversation with you. He's not the average 5 year old kid. I want him to know, man, whatever he's doing, make sure he takes pride in it, and if he's gonna' do it, do it. Just take pride in that shit. He's gonna' find out what he's worth, but he also gotta' know his worth. If that’s your dream and that's what you're passionate about, don’t give up on that shit. Invest in yourself, bruh. Never give up."

"I actually love being a dad, you feel me? That's just something that I take pride in. Especially when I'm with him. It's so much joy, bruh. That's why I can't understand how people miss out on being with their kids. My boys got kids and they see the way I treat my son. For me to see them doing the same thing...being there for their kids, that shit amazes me. It's an unexplainable feeling. I enjoy it 'cause I know it's making me better as a person. Everything I do for him I do because it wasn't done for me."

"Being a dad is not easy but it's not hard. If you're there for your child, they gon' remember that. And they gon' love you. I'ma always be there. That's something that I'm supposed to do. It's not an option for me; it's a full time job, bro. I'm supposed to do that and I'm gonna' make sure I do that. There's nothing in the world that can stop me from being with my son. Nothing that I wouldn't do for him."