Oakland Rapper Keak Da Sneak Returns Home From Prison With New Outlook

OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- Oakland rapper Keak da Sneak, best known for hits like "Super Hyphy" and "Tell Me When To Go" with E-40, is back home.

KPIX 5 caught up with the Hyphy Movement leader in the recording studio, where he was doing what he loves. He served five months for a gun possession charge in Amador County in California State Prison.

"I'm just so blessed, I'm happy, I'm free," he said. "God works in mysterious ways, I think He just wanted me to see how fast you can throw you life away, or throw your freedom away."

Last Saturday, the rap artist, whose real name is Charles Kente Williams, sang his Bay Area anthem before tens of thousands of fans during rapper G-Eazy's set at the Rolling Loud Festival.

"It's a natural body high like, 'Wow, they love me still,' you know what I mean?" he said. "I really needed to see that."

That moment on stage marked a comeback for the rapper. His prison sentence received a lot of media attention, due to his plea to serve his time on house arrest. Keak has been in a wheelchair since 2017, when he was shot eight times at a Richmond gas station.

He also survived a separate shooting earlier that same year. He says after that, he started carrying a gun for protection. He credits a change.org petition, which pressured officials to send him to a facility with quality medical care.

He says for the most part, the facility and its staff took care of him.

"I had my own cell, as far as on the medical level, they did," he said. "They was there for me. As far as my pain medication...they wasn't really giving me no meds for pain."

Keak says he endures severe pain in his lower body everyday, but is thankful to be alive. He showed KPIX 5 the physical progress he has made in the last few weeks.

While doctors aren't sure if Keak will ever walk again, he believes he will.

"This chair is going out the door, so my fans can look forward to me walking," he said. "I need a lot of support."

As far as his advice for fans who want to dream big like he did?

"Hard work and dedication, and there ain't nothing but drama on the street after midnight, so with that being said, be indoors," he said.

Keak will be shooting the music video for his song "I Mean" with The Mekanix in Oakland this week.

He also is enjoying hanging out with his wife and kids back at home.