Some people don’t understand that prison isn’t as terrible as one may think….It is not by no means a beautiful place….or somewhere one should plan to visit….It is a place for criminals……to keep them away and apart from our free society…..but when you go through the Holy Bible or Holy Koran and read how God used the lowest of the low to convey his message to the people…..He used a few men who were in prison…….
Prison can be an University… a college…If one uses his time wisely…
He can learn and become a better…..Greater…..Productive person….learn different trades…languages….. obtain your G.E.D. or even college degrees….
Diamonds are made from extreme heat and pressure…
Prison can make you better or make you worse….It all deals with YOU….
This story is about 1 who used his time wisely to perfect his plans of rebuilding an empire and hustle….He was already a name in the streets in his hometown city and was getting money where he started his movement…but it wasn’t until he went to prison where he learnt how to utilize the tools available at his reach to perfect it…..
Gorilla Convict caught up with Adonte Cherry for this exclusive interview, so he can share his story and input while making himself known to those who didn’t know exactly who he is…..and what ” Educated Thug Publications” is all about…..so let’s meet the mind of the man himself….
GORILLA CONVICT: Peace & Love!!!!
ADONTE CHERRY: What’s the science G?!!!!
G.C: Its time to Build…..
A.D: No Doubt…..Let’s do it!!!!!!!!!
G.C.: TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF…..AND YOUR EDUCATED THUG PUBLISHING MOVEMENT.
A.D: My honorable name is Adonte Cherry, born & raised in Springfield, Ohio, which is right outside of Dayton…I came up as a super athletic kid that was heavy into sports….but I was raised by a hard working single mom….with no father in the household..so it allowed me certain freedoms to explore the streets as well…..by High School graduation I was a father to a 18 months old daughter with another baby on the way…I went tho college to play football and study fashion design…but by my second year on campus my cousin Henny (R.I.P.), who was also a student of the Univ of Toledo, caught a connect and I jumped deeper into the hustling game with him….Hustling was cool…but it wasn’t really my thing….I loved the fast money because it fueled my flamboyant lifestyle… I was obsessed with having the flyest gear..jewels..cars…I had the BMW 325 series at 17 yrs old and a Rolex watch at 19 yrs old…so I was caught up with this fast money shit….football wasn’t planning out for me due to my size and I ended up leaving school and starting my own clothing line….this was late 2000!!!… I started ” Fields Finest Designs” and ” Educated Thug Wear”….. my cousin Henny helped me finance it…. It was Long sleeve, short sleeve tees…spaghetti straps, etc…..I had the city loving it…I wore Educated Thug Wear for like 6 months straight.. building a buzz before I started to mass produce them….I moved to Charlotte, N.C. in 2001 with my wifey at the time with our daughter…the tee shirt game was doing aiight….I had started to jump off more locally due to the internet, but it never materialized into the money or notability I needed or was use to when I was hustling ….so I hitted the streets again….and ended up getting jammed up on a gun case….I went to trial and blew….I ended up doing 6 1/2 yrs…..that’s when I decided to start writing books….In 2008 I was sent from a medium security prison to the infamous Lucasville maximum security prison for my adherence as a member of the Nation of Gods & Earths (5%er)…It was there that I penned 3 novels loosely based on events me and my partners had lived through….. I was released Nov 10, 2011…with a 5 yr blueprint that I drawn up…. 3 typed books, a few hundred dollars and my ambition….. I took a few weeks to research and learn how to successfully self publish….I asked some of my friends who were so called hood rich to invest in my vision…but they couldn’t see what I seen and declined and started dodging me…..So I got on my grizzly and hit the streets on some Beanie Sigel in State Property shit……I was 50 bands up before New Years Eve!!!!!!…. Jan 2012….Educated Thing Publications was an official imprint……..
G.C: WHAT MADE YOU NAME IT ” EDUCATED THUG “?
A.D: My partner Rob Moore aka Pimpin…(R.I.P.) gave me that name in 1999 because I was always doing educated type schemes. It was only right that I stuck with that special moniker….
G.C: HOW MANY NOVELS YOU GOT OUT? AND WHAT ARE THE TITLES OF THEM??
A.D.: I got 4 that I personally penned that’s out…..1. Street Royalty 937 “I’m so Sincere”…..2. Street Royalty 937 ” Seven takes over”….3. Street Royalty 937 “Build or Destroy”…and 4. Pound 4 Pound ” A Mike Mission Story”
G.C.: WHAT AUTHORS DO YOU HAVE AT EDUCATED THUG PUBLISHING??
A.D.: My past and current Authors are Jaman Stone aka ” Hec tha Plug”… ..Mandale Bates…..Robert ” Prof. Born” Goldwire… Charles ” Boo Boo” Watson….and of course myself Adonte Cherry…….
G.C: TELL US ABOUT YOUR 2013 AUTHOR AWARD…HOW THAT CAME ABOUT??
A.D.:After I started with Self publishing in May 2012 and dropped my second one in Sept 2012….received the ” Best Selling Urban Author” at the 2013 Dayton Book Expo…..I made sure to attend as many book expos as possible in between doing my regular book signings or club events…. In 2013 my partner Shaunta Kenerly enlightened me the Book Expo in Dayton, Ohio…which was basically where I’m from…Springfield/Dayton….I went ahead and registered last minute…but did no promo cause I was still tied up in a little beef….. with the Police…( long story)…they raided my Street Royalty pt 2 ” Seven’s Takes Over” release party!!!…….Anyway I flew my cover model out and had her attend to attract people to the table…she was flicking it up and signing books with me…we ended up selling out both titles and the committee there was loving us…so they recognized and respected the movement by blessing me with the award…..I did a 7 state, 20 city book tour in 2014…donated all profits from 2 Ohio book signings to become 1 of Springfield, Ohio who helped make it a reality for people behind the G wall to see their work in a published fashion…
G.C.: WHAT OTHER AUTHORS DID YOU WORK WITH??
A.D.: I’ve only cowrote with Jaman Stone…but I’ve worked with and had book signings with a lot of Heavy Hitters…Sean Ramsey outta Oakland….Eyone Williams & Tia Short outta D.C…..Shawn Sinclair and Divine Ortiz outta N.C…..
John Bowers from NY… Shawn Sterling from VA ……Aija Butler & Shaunta Kenerly…..C. Winn aka CC Serva from Ohio…..
G.C.: WHAT YOU HAVE LINED UP FOR EDUCATED THUG PUBLISHING??
A.D.: Right now I’m working on multiple ventures…”Rico: The Rise & Fall of NBM” with Hec Tha Plug……Sincere Wallace ” My Name is my Name”…..
” Consequences Of the Streets” 2nd edition by Robert “Prof. Born” Goldwire…
” Handcuffs-Closed Caskets” by Jaman Stone…… and continuing to build this movement up to something I can leave my son….
G.C.: TELL US ABOUT YOUR CURRENT SITUATION…..
A.D.: I’m currently doing 6 yrs mandatory time for a non violent case where I wrecked during a police chase…my release will be sometime 2022 depending on how many programs I complete….A minor set back that can’t destroy what’s been built…
G.C.: WHAT INSPIRATION DO YOU HAVE TO SHARE WITH UP & COMING WRITERS??
A.D.: Be Yourself, Find your own niche and give it 105%…. Not everyone will support your dream, goal or movement… but as long as you’re independent you can call all your own shots and stand on them……Seeking advice from vets in the game is as simple as reaching out…make sure you do it!! It’s enough readers out here for us all to feed their hunger!!
G.C.: WHERE ARE YOUR TITLES AVAILABLE??
A.D.: Amazon.com/educatedthugpublications……. Barnesandnobles.com
Createspace.com and also educatedthugpub@gmail.com……they in book and eBook…
G.C: ANY LAST WORDS??
A.D.: NO DOUBT!!!!….STAY TRUE TO SELF…..AND KNOW THAT FAMILY IS EVERYTHING!!!!
SHOUT OUTS…..To All my loyal readers….those who followed the movement closely….. Peace to my daughters ChiAnne Adontaya & Adontea Alehia…Princesses becoming Queens…..my 2 and self Isaiah… my tight hand..Love Ya’ll beyond Life!!!!!
My hood 5542…. Loyalty over Royalty!!!……. Real G’s on lock in Fed or State…..
J-Rho…Kwame Teague…CCSERVA, Sandman….Hec Tha Plug….Juvey…G-Code…Lil A….Coke ” Cordell” Snuff….and real special Peace & respect to ShaKim Bio……and Big Ups to GorillaConvict. com………..P.E.A.C.E.!!!!!