Dog In The Yard

Edward L. “Boo” Andrews is a sociologist, author, lecturer, and urban trauma specialist from the Red Hook Projects in Brooklyn, New York. After being sentenced to 33 years in prison and serving 22 years for murder, Boo returned home determined to transform his experience into purpose.Today he is the Founder and CEO of the Second Chance Re-Entry Initiative Program (SCRIP), an organization dedicated to helping justice-impacted individuals overcome systemic barriers and rediscover their identity and potential. Through mentorship, education, and community engagement, SCRIP focuses on addressing the long-term effects of incarceration and urban trauma.Boo’s work has been recognized across the Connecticut metropolitan area through media features, radio interviews, and speaking engagements. He was also inducted into the Hall of Change in Connecticut for his service and impact on the community.In this episode of Dog In The Yard, Boo discusses prison, rehabilitation, trauma, and the importance of leadership in helping others rebuild their lives after incarceration.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Smurkz grew up in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood on the Darkside. At just 19 years old, he was arrested and sentenced to 40 years to life for murder.During his time inside the New York State prison system, Smurkz was transferred through multiple facilities including Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, Upstate’s SHU, Attica, and Groveland. While fighting his original case, he also caught a separate case on Rikers Island that resulted in a 7-year sentence running concurrently.Years into his incarceration, Smurkz received a reversal on direct appeal, meaning his original conviction was overturned and a new trial was ordered. The fight for his freedom continued as he faced retrial on serious charges, ultimately accepting a 13-year flat sentence before being released on conditional release.In this episode, Smurkz reflects on life behind the wall, navigating the prison system, fighting cases, and what it means to come home after years of incarceration.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Porsche Truck Ruk, known as Ruk, is an artist and entrepreneur from Schenectady, New York. After being charged in a federal R.I.C.O. drug trafficking case and sentenced to 120 months in prison, he served 10 years before returning home determined to rebuild his life.Now home, Ruk is an MMA fighter, rapper, promoter, and business owner. He founded Elite Juice Parlor, launched a Redemption Center and Event Hall, and owns a cannabis strain called “Huttt” available in New York dispensaries.This episode explores accountability, transformation, and what it takes to rebuild after federal time.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Shawn Robert Johnson was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and raised in Asbury Park and Neptune. A gifted basketball player in his youth, his life took a different direction in his early teens when he became involved in the streets.In 2006, Shawn was arrested on a murder charge, with an attempted murder charge later added. After maintaining self-defense throughout trial, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison. He served 19 years at New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, where he focused on rehabilitation and mentoring others.Due to his rehabilitation and the circumstances of his sentencing, 41 years were commuted from his original term. He was released on December 4th, 2025.This episode explores accountability, trial consequences, rehabilitation, and life after long-term incarceration.Hosted By: @pistolpetekartsGuest: @shawnjohnn1222Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Pena The Mentor shares his journey from growing up in the Patterson Projects of the South Bronx to federal prison and ultimately finding purpose through mentorship and community service.After early incarceration, luxury living, and deep ties within the reggaeton music industry, Pena faced an 11½-year federal sentence. During his time inside, he endured the loss of his mother a moment that reshaped his outlook on life. Now home, he has turned his influence into impact mentoring youth, launching free educational programs in audio engineering and photography, working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and dedicating his life to service and faith. This episode explores identity, loss, accountability, and transformation.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Anthony Colón Sr., known as Scarface, is a Bronx native, entrepreneur, and community advocate whose life includes more than two decades spent incarcerated across state and federal systems.Growing up on 188th Street and Marion Avenue, Anthony served four prison bids totaling 22½ years for charges related to drugs, assault, financial crimes, and organized schemes. His incarceration experience spanned New York State, Pennsylvania, Florida, Atlanta, and federal custody, exposing him to multiple systems and realities.Now eight years home, Anthony is the founder of Premier Wellness of South Florida, a published author, homeowner, and co-host of Success After Lockdown. This episode of Dog In The Yard explores his journey from repeated incarceration to ownership, stability, and service—and how empowerment and education became central to his mission.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Eric Benson, known as EB, is a Bronx native, entrepreneur, and credible messenger whose life was shaped by early exposure to the streets and transformed through accountability and education.At 20 years old, EB was sentenced to 25 years to life for taking another young man’s life. He spent more than 27 years incarcerated, where he made a conscious decision to change. Entering prison without a GED, he earned multiple college degrees and vocational certifications, building a foundation for life beyond incarceration.Released in August 2020 and fully discharged from parole in 2023, EB returned home focused on work, growth, and service. Today, he holds multiple roles as a case manager, facilitator, and motivational speaker, using his story to support others navigating reentry and personal responsibility.This episode of Dog In The Yard explores EB’s journey of accountability, education, and what it means to truly rebuild a life.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Emmanuel Pierre-Louis, known as “Supreme,” is a Queens-born entrepreneur, certified CMS practitioner, and community leader whose life bridges business, culture, and violence prevention.After returning home from incarceration, Supreme built First Choice Enterprises, launching ventures across fashion, music, nightlife, and retail that gained national visibility and celebrity support. His brands and creative work helped define streetwear and hip-hop culture throughout the East Coast.Today, Supreme applies his experience on the front lines of community safety as a CMS-certified interventionist with NYC Health + Hospitals / Lincoln Guns Down Life Up, leading violence interruption, crisis response, and youth development initiatives. As Founder and CEO of N1DP INC, he continues mentoring young people through sports, culture, and entrepreneurship. This episode of Dog In The Yard explores Supreme’s journey from survival to leadershi and how vision, accountability, and purpose can transform lives and communities.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Wise Money is a financial educator and entrepreneur who turned adversity into opportunity after overcoming a federal prison sentence.With limited formal education, Wise Money fought and won his own federal appeal, earning his freedom and using that second chance to completely transform his life. Since returning home, he has dedicated himself to financial education, mindset development, and helping others break cycles of poverty and incarceration.Through the Wise Money platform, he teaches investing strategies, discipline, and long-term thinking especially to individuals who were never given access to financial literacy. In this episode of Dog In The Yard, Wise Money shares how self-education, accountability, and execution changed everything, and why financial freedom begins with mastering your mindset.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Joe Avianne, born Yosef Aranbayev, is a New York City based jeweler and entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and public face of Avianne & Co. Jewelers, a custom jewelry brand that emerged from Manhattan’s Diamond District and became closely connected to hip-hop and pop culture. After immigrating from Uzbekistan and growing up in Brooklyn, Joe entered the jewelry business at a young age. Alongside his brother Izzy, he helped grow Avianne & Co. into a globally recognized name, known for bold custom pieces worn by artists and athletes.In June 2020, Joe Avianne was arrested in Queens, New York, in connection with an incident that led to serious criminal charges, including attempted murder and assault, according to public records. While the arrest and charges are documented, publicly available sources do not clearly show a final conviction or sentence. This episode of Dog In The Yard examines Joe Avianne’s journey through success, controversy, and public attention highlighting how business, culture, and accountability intersect.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Born Charly Wingate and raised in Harlem, Max B helped shape a sound, language, and movement that influenced an entire generation of street music. His creativity and individuality made him impossible to ignore and even during years away from the spotlight, his influence never faded.Recently released from prison, Max B joins Dog In The Yard for an exclusive conversation focused on clarifying his upbringing, addressing long standing legal misunderstandings, and reflecting on the personal growth that came with time and distance. This episode is not about rumors or headlines it’s about perspective, accountability, and telling the story in his own words.Max B speaks openly about where he comes from, how his environment shaped him, and what it means to return home with clarity after years of reflection. He discusses legacy, responsibility, and the lessons learned through hardship offering insight into how time behind the wall changed his outlook on life, freedom, and purpose.This episode captures a pivotal moment: a respected voice returning to the conversation, ready to move forward with intention and truth. 🎙 Hosted by:Pistol Pete: @pistolpetekartsBX Tone: @tonybxtonewindley🎤 Guest:Max B: @maxb140Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

In Part II of Tony Yayo’s Dog In The Yard episode, the focus shifts from incarceration to life after coming home.Yayo reflects on returning to freedom, reconnecting with his crew, and navigating personal growth while carrying the weight of past experiences. He speaks openly about loyalty, maturity, and how time behind the wall changed his outlook on life, music, and responsibility.This episode explores what it means to move forward after the system  balancing success with self-awareness, and understanding that survival is only the first step toward purpose.🎙 Hosts:Pistol Pete (@pistolpetekarts)BX Tone (@brainbodysequencesdevelopment)🎤 Guest:Tony Yayo (@tonyyayo)Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Before becoming a household name in hip-hop, Tony Yayo faced a defining chapter shaped by the justice system. Between 2002 and 2004, Yayo was incarcerated on charges related to felony weapon possession, bail jumping, and the use of a forged passport, stemming from a 2002 arrest involving a firearm and false identification. Despite having bail posted, the seriousness of the charges kept him behind bars during the early rise of G-Unit.In this first part of his Dog In The Yard episode, Tony Yayo reflects on that period watching success unfold from the inside, navigating the system, and preparing himself mentally for the moment he’d finally return home.Part 1 focuses on the time, the pressure, and the foundation that shaped the man audiences would later see back in the spotlight.🎙 Hosted by:Pistol Pete – @pistolpetekartsBX Tone – @brainbodysequencesdevelopment🎤 Guest:Tony Yayo – ​⁠@tonyyayoDog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

King Ace D’General’s journey is rooted in movement, survival, and reinvention. Born in Rhode Island and raised between R.I. and Brooklyn, King Ace’s life shifted early. By his teenage years, he was living in Dorchester, Boston — specifically Devon Street, known as D-Block — where he entered the system through foster homes, group homes, youth detention, and eventually adult incarceration. In December 2019, King Ace was indicted in a massive federal RICO case targeting the Latin Kings, charged with a leadership role as Boston Chairman alongside 62 co-defendants across multiple states. After being on the run for three months during the federal raids, he was sentenced to just under four years and served over three years in federal prison at USP Canaan, followed by federal probation. Since his release, King Ace has moved with purpose. Within months, he hit the road on a nationwide tour with Millyz, sharing stages with artists like Jadakiss, Styles P, Dave East, Jim Jones, Albee Al, and O.T. The Real. At the same time, he recommitted himself to fatherhood, music, and giving back through involvement in his local football community. This episode explores the realities of the system, federal indictments, identity, and what it takes to come home focused after everything is stripped away.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

At just 17 years old, D Rock was sentenced to 15 to life.Growing up between Castle Hill and Forest Houses in the Bronx, survival became his job long before he became a man. But prison brought a different kind of fight - CO beatings, near-death moments, being targeted on the inside, and the mental battle of facing a life sentence while still a kid. In the middle of that darkness, D Rock found one thing that kept him alive: his faith in God. That faith carried him through the pain, the trauma, and the years he thought would break him. When he finally made it home, he chose transformation. Today, D Rock is the creator of Drock That Body Fitness, helping people rebuild their bodies, minds, and purpose through discipline and resilience. This is a story about survival, faith, and the strength it takes to turn scars into a mission.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

He grew up in Alphabet City without stability, structure, or safety raised by grandparents after being abandoned, surviving the streets before he even understood what danger was. By 15, the streets pulled him all the way in. By 16, he was sitting in a county jail cell. And by adulthood, Coach Jay was staring down a 24-year prison sentence that would change everything. While serving time, he suffered one of the deepest losses anyone can face the passing of his young daughter to leukemia. That moment shattered him, but it also awakened something inside him. From that pain came purpose. Inside prison, Coach Jay became a boxing coach, HIV/AIDS counselor, facilitator, mentor, and leader, helping build the only active boxing program in the NYS correctional system while earning his GED, counseling certifications, and guiding men toward transformation. Once released, he dedicated his life to healing and rebuilding his community. Today, Coach Jay is a USA Certified Boxing Coach at El Maestro Boxing Club, a youth mentor, a counselor, and a living testament that transformation is real and possible even in the darkest places. From freestyle skating and breakdancing with the NYC Breakers, to running his own boxing program, to saving lives inside and outside prison, Coach Jay’s story is about redemption, pain turned into power, and a man who refuses to let the past define the future.This episode is raw, inspiring, and proof that discipline, love, and purpose can rebuild a broken life.Dog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

He grew up in Grimey Grant with pain on his shoulders, loyalty in his chest, and the streets calling his name before he even had a chance to figure out life. Yayo’s story is the reality so many young men face a childhood disrupted, a future derailed, and a loyalty that cut both ways. Raised in Harlem’s Grant Projects, Yayo came up in a single-parent home, with a mother doing everything she could, a sister holding the family together, and a father battling addiction. By 11, the system had already stamped him with a P.I.N.S. petition. By his teens, stick-ups, guns, and the street cycle had pulled him in deep, even after getting accepted to F.I.T for Graphic Arts & Design. While his brother was on the run for an alleged homicide, Yayo was getting caught up in his own trouble two young men living parallel lives in chaos. He wasn’t gang-related, but he lived by a code, loyal to his friends even when it cost him everything. In total, Yayo lost 15 years to incarceration years he now sees were avoidable had he listened to the elders trying to guide him. Now finally off papers after a 26-year journey, he’s ready to tell the truth about the path that shaped him, the pain he carried, the loyalty that misled him, and the lessons that took him decades to understand. #DogInTheYard #Yayo #GrantProjects #HarlemStories #RedemptionStory #PrisonToPurpose #NYCStories #StreetLifeTruthsDog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Jadakiss is a Top 5 Dead or Alive MC - a hip-hop icon whose voice and lyricism shaped New York culture. But behind the legend is a man who’s lived real life, real pressure, and real growth. In this Dog in the Yard episode, Kiss opens up about his journey from Yonkers to global respect. He talks early LOX days, Bad Boy, Ruff Ryders, and the personal lessons that shaped his evolution as an artist, father, and businessman. We also get into the moments the world doesn’t always hear about: - His partnership with Pistol Pete & The Academy of Hope pushing prison reform and youth empowerment. - His 2004 North Carolina case — marijuana & gun charges resolved with a plea deal and three months probation. - His 2006 Yonkers arrest involving a .38 revolver and marijuana. - How maturity, accountability, and purpose helped him rise above that era. This episode is raw, honest, and centered on growth. The story of a man who turned mistakes into momentum, and pain into purpose. #DogInTheYard #Jadakiss #TheLOX #Top5DeadOrAlive #PrisonReform #AcademyOfHope #YonkersNY #HipHopLegend #RedemptionStoryDog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Shanduke McPhatter is living proof that transformation is possible when purpose meets discipline. Born and raised in South Brooklyn, Shanduke’s early life was marked by instability, foster care, and the absence of his biological father. By 16, he was incarcerated at Rikers Island for robbery and it was there that he joined the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods, becoming one of the first five adolescents to form the set on the East Coast. Known in the streets as “Trife Gangsta,” his influence grew but so did the consequences. Over the years, Shanduke faced more than 18 arrests and served a total of 13 years behind bars.  During his last prison sentence, everything changed. Through a spiritual awakening, Shanduke decided to redefine his life. Upon release, he founded Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes Inc. (G-M.A.C.C.), a nonprofit dedicated to reducing gun violence and uplifting communities. Under his leadership, G-M.A.C.C. helped achieve a 65% reduction in shootings in East Flatbush and provided hundreds with mental health counseling, legal aid, and job training. Today, Shanduke is an activist, motivational speaker, and certified trainer who travels the country teaching nonviolence, conflict resolution, and community empowerment. From the block to the boardroom, his story is one of redemption, resilience, and real change.  #DogInTheYard #ShandukeMcPhatter #GMACC #BrooklynStories #GunViolencePrevention #RedemptionStory #FromPrisonToPurpose #CommunityHealingDog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org

Joseph “Yusuf” Cobb is a community activist, leader, and mind cultivator based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania known for his tireless dedication to driving positive change and helping others heal from cycles of violence and loss.  A survivor of the streets who turned his life toward service, Yusuf now channels his experience into empowerment. As Vice President of S.A.V.E. Pennsylvania, he advocates for peace and safety in communities impacted by gun violence. Through his work with the Victim Impact Program, he helps others find healing, accountability, and direction after trauma. Yusuf is also a public speaker, trainer, and mentor captivating audiences with his insight on street violence, grief, leadership, and self-transformation. Beyond his community work, he’s known as a “mind cultivator,” guiding people to grow through reflection, purpose, and personal discipline.  This episode of Dog in the Yard explores Yusuf’s powerful story of redemption from navigating street life to becoming a force for peace and change in Philadelphia and beyond.  #DogInTheYard #YusufCobb #Philadelphia #SavePennsylvania #CommunityActivist #RedemptionStory #MindCultivator #FromPrisonToPurpose #ViolencePrevention #HealingThroughActionDog In The Yard: Real Stories From Real Comrades🎥 Full Episodes: YouTube.com/@DogInTheYard📱 Follow: @dogintheyardpodcast📩 Booking & Inquiries: therealdogintheyard@gmail.com🌐 Join the movement: dogintheyard.org