2008 Woodie Awards
Vallejo cop inspires with music
LaTasha Monique
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: News
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A Vallejo police officer is using rap music to reach out to the community, using his personal experiences and love for music in hopes of deterring the use of violence and drugs.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to a middle-class family, Steve Darden recently spoke during a presentation at Solano Community College hosted by the Ethnic Studies Program.
The youngest of nine, Darden admits feeling alone and angry. "I was rebelling...it was just me and the streets," he said.
By 16, Darden like many others gave into the anxieties of peer pressure and began to give up many of the values his parents had given him.
"I just drank and partied, partied and drank," he said adding, "I just existed."
Deciding he was tired of being the "geek," Darden worked hard to establish what he thought to be a "favorable reputation."
"By senior year, everybody knew who Darden was," he said.
Putting more time and energy into his outer appearance, rather than his schoolwork, Darden would soon find himself in fear of not graduating.
Both "desiring and knowing" he needed the "structure and confidence," the military had to offer, Darden would enlist and serve as a U.S. Marine.
"They teach you how to walk, talk and think all over again," says Darden. "They broke me down, and they built me up again."
Darden also states that being in the Marines showed him that he "never wanted to fail at anything again."
"Life is full of choices," said Darden. "It's up to you which way you want to go."
"You have to evolve, grow and learn from your experiences and the experiences of others," he said.
Now deciding to evolve himself, Darden is attempting a rap career. His C.D., entitled "It's Rough Out Here," reaches out to youth who, due to parental incarceration, may have had their "definition of a man or woman," snatched away.
The message that Darden hopes to send is one of self-respect as well as respect for others.
"The lyrics took over one year to create," said Darden. He gives a lot of credit to Vallejo legend James Early, who gave him his first taste of studio life in 1989.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to a middle-class family, Steve Darden recently spoke during a presentation at Solano Community College hosted by the Ethnic Studies Program.
The youngest of nine, Darden admits feeling alone and angry. "I was rebelling...it was just me and the streets," he said.
By 16, Darden like many others gave into the anxieties of peer pressure and began to give up many of the values his parents had given him.
"I just drank and partied, partied and drank," he said adding, "I just existed."
Deciding he was tired of being the "geek," Darden worked hard to establish what he thought to be a "favorable reputation."
"By senior year, everybody knew who Darden was," he said.
Putting more time and energy into his outer appearance, rather than his schoolwork, Darden would soon find himself in fear of not graduating.
Both "desiring and knowing" he needed the "structure and confidence," the military had to offer, Darden would enlist and serve as a U.S. Marine.
"They teach you how to walk, talk and think all over again," says Darden. "They broke me down, and they built me up again."
Darden also states that being in the Marines showed him that he "never wanted to fail at anything again."
"Life is full of choices," said Darden. "It's up to you which way you want to go."
"You have to evolve, grow and learn from your experiences and the experiences of others," he said.
Now deciding to evolve himself, Darden is attempting a rap career. His C.D., entitled "It's Rough Out Here," reaches out to youth who, due to parental incarceration, may have had their "definition of a man or woman," snatched away.
The message that Darden hopes to send is one of self-respect as well as respect for others.
"The lyrics took over one year to create," said Darden. He gives a lot of credit to Vallejo legend James Early, who gave him his first taste of studio life in 1989.
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