In recent years, there’s been an unsettling trend on social media that glorifies prison life, making it look like some twisted version of reality TV. It’s not uncommon to see posts or videos that show inmates engaging in bizarre behavior, often played off as entertainment. But let me be clear: prison is not something to be admired, envied, or normalized.
In fact, what you see on social media is a far cry from the grim reality that exists behind bars.
Take, for instance, a video I recently came across: a group of men in prison dressed in feminine clothing and wearing makeup, participating in what looked like a perverted fashion show, supposedly for commissary snacks. On the surface, it might seem like just another example of what happens when men are left to their own devices in confinement. But peel back the layers, and a darker truth emerges.
Some of these men may not be willing participants in this so-called fashion show. In prison, the power dynamics are skewed in ways that many of you on the outside can’t even imagine. Coercion, manipulation, and exploitation are rampant. Men may be forced into these humiliating displays for survival, for fear of violence or worse. When you’re living in a world where basic survival can come down to a pack of noodles or a snack cake, things get real twisted, real fast.
It’s important to understand this: no heterosexual man would stand around and watch something like this for entertainment. Most of the guys I knew in prison wouldn’t participate in anything like this voluntarily. And for those that do, it’s rarely out of genuine choice—it’s often about fear, pressure, or trying to gain a semblance of safety in an environment where every day is a struggle to maintain your dignity.
The idea that prison life can be glamorous or some badge of honor is deeply flawed and dangerous. Let’s be real—prison is a place of violence, isolation, and broken spirits. It’s not a place where respect is earned through strength of character; it’s often a place where power is maintained through force, manipulation, and fear.
When I see younger people getting caught up in the illusion that prison is just another part of the “hustle,” I want to remind them that there’s nothing admirable about it. It’s a place that strips you of your freedom, your humanity, and often your hope.
What you don’t see in those viral videos are the men who are broken from the weight of being separated from their families, the men who live in constant fear of violence, or the ones who are forced to compromise themselves just to survive another day.
This is not something to aspire to. There’s nothing cool about losing your freedom and being reduced to a number. There’s nothing heroic about surviving in a system designed to break you. And there’s nothing empowering about becoming someone else’s entertainment or bargaining chip.
So, to anyone out there thinking that prison is some kind of rite of passage or that it’s just another step in the “real” hustle—let me tell you this: nothing could be further from the truth.
Prison is a dead-end. It’s a place where dreams go to die and where survival comes at a cost most people on the outside can’t even fathom.
Don’t let the social media hype fool you. Stay out of those gates and keep your freedom—because that’s the real hustle.
