Wayne Walton talks to Jonathan, an affiliated gang member in East London

Wayne Walton talks to Jonathan, an affiliated gang member in East London, he tells his story of gangs and drugs, acknowledges the streets are dangerous, but insists there is a solution: “Government has not always done enough to invest in young lives, leaving them with the feeling of few choices other than gangs and drugs", but he hopes young people steer clear of using knives and guns.

Jonathan’s misguided ideas of gang culture as a way of life led him to serve a prison sentence at just 17 years old. Whilst in prison he met a gang member who inspired him to continue living the gang ways and introduced him to selling drugs. Failing to take stock of his life he was sent to prison four more times. After serving the fifth time in prison, as a gang member, he got caught up in two or three murders, one of which was a friend, whom he mourned, but saw the incident as part of everyday life. He doesn’t hide the fact he sells drugs but claims his real aim is to help young people do something positive with their lives through music.

Jonathan eventually would like to leave behind the streets, the gangs and the drugs and has taken the first step by enrolling on a course of study. He loves his music, rapping and song-writing, and his latest album, a mixtape on CD, is called ‘Streets Is In Me’.