One of Attorney General Pam Bondi鈥檚 top priorities is cracking down on drugs. And, during a recent Florida Cabinet meeting, she invited a young rapper to spread a similar anti-drug message.
鈥淚 go to school and get nothing but A鈥檚鈥 want to be somebody,鈥� said Curtis Bean Jr., rapping one of his songs 鈥淲anna Be Somebody.鈥�
His rap name is 鈥淜id Balla,鈥� and the eight-year-old boy came to Wednesday鈥檚 Cabinet meeting as a guest of Attorney General Pam Bondi.
鈥淚 met Curtis at Drug Free America Foundation, and this is an eight-year-old who is not only is on honor roll at Bethune Academy in Haines City, but also is a rapper,鈥� said Bondi. 鈥淗e has a positive message thanks to his parents鈥攈is mom and dad are incredible鈥攁nd they show kids that it鈥檚 okay to be anti-drugs, to be positive about grades.鈥�
鈥淎nd, that鈥檚 just showing the kids and giving them another look at life, you know, there鈥檚 just different rap music out there and coming up the positive way,鈥� said Curtis Bean Sr., the father of Curtis Bean Jr.
Bean Sr. is also a rapper known as Balla Bean, who helps write the songs his son performs.
To a standing ovation, Curtis Bean Junior performed his anti-drug song for the Florida Cabinet.
鈥淪ay no to drugs,鈥� he rapped, at the time. 鈥淵es, be drug free. I love sports and reading class. We say no to drugs to accomplish that. I鈥檓 the future. I got big dreams. Yeah, I鈥檓 only eight, but I鈥檝e got big dreams.鈥�
And, at a time when the state as well as the nation is facing an opioid epidemic, Bondi as well as Governor Rick Scott commended Curtis Bean Jr. for his work.
鈥淭hank you, Curtis,鈥� said Bondi, at the time. 鈥淲ith all the 175 people dying a day in this country and this is what鈥檚 going to change it, when we start with eight-year-olds writing a positive message.
鈥淭hank you,鈥� Scott added. 鈥淐ongratulations! You鈥檙e doing a good job.鈥�
The young rapper鈥檚 music can be heard on his father鈥檚 YouTube channel, Balla Bean.
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