The War and Treaty's Michael Trotter Jr. talks about the difficult journey that got him to where he is today. The duo is the latest guest at Bunnie XO's Silly blonde podcast, where Trotter shared his experience with gangs and family trauma.
“Cleveland is not something I talk about often,” Trotter explained. “Growing up in Cleveland, I was raised in a strict Christian home, it was very worshipful to me. Friday night sunset to Saturday night sunset. It is none other than God. You can't do anything. You can't watch TV, I couldn't go play with friends, none of that. It was just church, church. It really changed my life for a minute there.”
He continued, “It was a big contrast to what real life was like. Friday through Sunday was like 'Hallelujah, Jesus, Jesus' and the rest of the week, we lived like…''
The singer noted that in his faith, everyone “put that faith on and said they're happy,” but divorce and drugs were prominent throughout the community. He began “rebelling” early in life after facing abuse from his father, who struggled with addiction. “I went back to the streets in Cleveland, I had a strong gang life. The gang association is called the Folks, and I had a cousin who was very high up in gang life in Cleveland. I had my little initiation and started selling.”
Trotter shared that his gang activity began at the age of 11. “I got stabbed when I was 12 and I think that was the turning point,” he recalls. “I was laying in the streets of Cleveland and my cousin had been killed, so my mom then said, 'We've got to get out of Cleveland and get to DC.'”
Over time and through processing his PTSD, Trotter grew through his trauma, forming The War and Treaty in 2014 with his wife, Tanya. Since then, thankfully, the husband and wife duo has gone on to become a musical success. War and the Treaty was one of two country acts nominated for the 2024 Grammys for Best New Artist. The other was Bunnie XO's husband Jelly Roll. “The space we occupied was very important,” Michael previously said Bulletin board. “The two artists who represent the genre were not representative of the genre at all, if we're being completely transparent. You have Jelly Roll, a ragged-faced rapper who can sing a little, and Mike and Tanya, these black, overweight, gospel-trained singers. Country music is actively trying to attack the narrative it's created, and I'm proud to be a part of that change.”
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