Compton, Calif., Musician Confronts Absentee Father in #FatherlessBae Video

If you could confront your absentee parent, what would you say? Compton, Calif., musician Garren had a lot of questions for his father and used a familiar video format to get some answers. Suggested Reading Have You Heard of The Tragic Story of Phyllis Hyman, a Beautiful, Soulful Singer Derailed By Her Own Demons? Waiting…

If you could confront your absentee parent, what would you say? Compton, Calif., musician Garren had a lot of questions for his father and used a familiar video format to get some answers.

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In the tone of the viral #HurtBae video, Garren confronts his father in a video titled โ€œ#FatherlessBae,โ€ an emotional video of reconciliation and questions. The rapper simply wants to know why his father chose a life of being a gangbanger and jail.

โ€œI grew up that way. My friends was in it. We were all buddies, so we all stuck together,โ€ Garrenโ€™s father tells his son. โ€œIt was fun. It was exciting. I just kept going with it.โ€

As a child, even when his father was released from jail, Garren says, he and his siblings were the last to know.

โ€œYou chose the streets as a priority, in our eyes,โ€ Garren says in the video. โ€œOn the times that we did find out that you were out [of prison] we was knowing after your homies. You were on the block hanginโ€™ out. You werenโ€™t coming straight home when you got it.

โ€œEven on my birthday, I remember seeing you. You know, it was my birthday; Iโ€™m looking for you and you should be looking for me, or at least calling for me.โ€ Garren adds.

Garrenโ€™s father says that he didnโ€™t realize he wasnโ€™t being a good father. Garren says he wanted to let his father know that he almost walked in his gangbanger shoes, just because he looked up to himโ€”even though he knew that the lifestyle wasnโ€™t something he should be involved in.

โ€œI was going to commit to a Blood neighborhood. I was going to do it because I looked up to you and I knew I would get some stripes like, โ€˜Yo, Iโ€™m a gangbanger too! Just like my pops,โ€™โ€ Garren says.

Watch the video below:

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