Joe,31,has spent nearly three years in a prison in Douglas, South Africa, counting the days in prison for house breaking. Joe made bad friends, who were always talking about stealing. Later, Joe did things bad. "I want to be a bright, bright star. I want people, when they hear me, to see the darkness a little less." The first seven months in prison he thought about "everything".Then he started to write songs." I started to put my feelings into words," said Joe. Aron Turest-Swartz, Freshly Ground's founder, noticed Joe's music." I was really shocked because I hadn't heard a voice like that before,"he said. Turest-Swartz visited Joe and listened to some of the 40 songs he had written in prison, and came up with the idea of recording an album   there. When Joe was 13, his family was very poor: his sister would tell him that she had a headache because of no enough food, but there was nothing to give her. Joe made bad friends, who were always talking about stealing. Later, Joe did things bad. Finally, he was put behind bars. Prison could have broken him: he couldn't even see his family members buried. His father died when he was in prison. So did Joe's 18-month-old daughter. Before prison, he'd seen her in the hospital. Joe felt broken when she died. But he marked the time of his rebirth--his decision to be a better man--from that moment." I decided to be myself. So I started behaving like a gentleman,"he said. On December 13,2010,the album he recorded in prison was timed for release ( ).He was set free for good behavior after two years and 10 months. That afternoon, Joe gave a concert at the prison to celebrate his freedom and his CD, Crazy Life. Joe got into a crowd favorite. Why was Joe put into prison?
For fighting. For stealing. For being crazy. For killing someone.