Surviving Prison

By Mike Enemigo

Mike Enemigo, convicted murderer, lifer, and one of the most published prisoners in America, takes you deep into the secretive world of the American Prison System in a way that has never been done before. In one of the most controversial books ever published, Surviving Prison, written from the perspective of a how-to manual and true example stories, does not only provide you with an authentic, "member's only" look into a community of killers, gang members, robbers & drug dealers, but breaks down, step-by-step the secrets of: How to make such things as alcohol, tattoo guns, and deadly weapons; how prisoners meticulously study the arts of seduction and manipulation to increase their power; how to get in tip-top physical, combat-ready shape without weights; how to start and run a drug operation from behind bars for maximum profits, and much, much, more. Whether you know somebody in prison, may be going there yourself, or are involved in the prison and criminal justice system, this book is an absolute must-read! 

WARNING: This book is banned from entering most prisons in America. It is not recommended… that you order this book for inmates. If you'd like to send an inmate valuable how-to and resource information, we recommend Surviving Prison: Special Prisoner's Edition and The BEST Resource Directory for Prisoners, both also by Mike Enemigo. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Cell Block
• Release date: Nov 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781540161307

Mike Enemigo

Mike Enemigo is America's #1 incarcerated author. He is the founder of The Cell Block, an independent media and publishing company with over 25 books published and many more on the way. Among others, Mike and/or his books have been featured on websites like HuffPo.com, Thizzler.com, Hoodillustrated.com, RapBay.com and SacramentoRap.com, and magazines like Straight Stuntin, State V. Us, Kite, and Prison Legal News.

Book preview

SURVIVING PRISON

Published by: THE CELL BLOCK™

THE CELL BLOCK

P.O. Box 1025

Rancho Cordova, CA 95741

FACEBOOK/thecellblock.net

Copyright© 2017 by The Cell Block

Cover artwork by: Mike Enemigo

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

WELCOME TO THE CELL BLOCK...

Murder. That is the crime I was convicted of in 2002 for a 1998 drug-robbery gone wrong, and for which I was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, and it is not the first time I’ve been incarcerated; it is the third. In fact, since I was born into this world May 1979, I have only been free one time since the age of 15, and that was for 17 months. The rest of my life (do the math) has been spent in one prison cell or another; as will the remainder should the State of California have their way.

But the point here is not to get into the details of my crime and case; that is an entirely different book (Conspiracy Theory). The point here is to show those of you who are reading this because you are about to come to prison or are in prison the ways I’ve learned to survive, through trial and error and hands-on experience over many, many years, in hopes you will better endure your time here; and those of you who are reading this to get an inside look into the inner-workings of the devil’s playground, an authentic experience you will get nowhere else. After all, this isn’t Orange is the New Black; or even Shashank Redemption, American Me, or some other Hollywood-made fictional to portray a very real reality in an effort to make a pretty penny off an ugly truth. This is an authentic insider’s-only look into an infamous and treacherous community full of loneliness, misery, pain, depression, hopelessness, anger, violence, betrayal, brutes, bullies, all-around suffering, and how one can best endure it. This book will not only expose you to such a raw display, but also reveal many secrets known only to those of us who have participated.

Not only am I an expert on the subject of being a prisoner and how to survive prison because the amount of time I’ve spent inside, but because I’ve personally participated in and experienced all of which I write. Though I do not admit membership, I am a validated gang member. I’ve done time with members of the Mexican Mafia, Aryan Brotherhood, Black Guerrilla Family, and everything else that exists. I’ve smuggled in and sold drugs. I’ve participated in and orchestrated numerous assaults. I’ve been on both sides of the knife. In fact, when I started this book in 2010, my friend and I was in the hole for stabbing and slicing another inmate who committed an unforgivable offense. As I write this introduction now in 2017 (I put this book on the shelf while I tended to other endeavors), I’m in the hole pending the outcome of an investigation after an attempt was made on my own life, where I was sliced across my face with a razor, from under my right ear towards my chin (he was going for my neck but missed), leaving me with a wound closed with 13 metal staples. It is the third time I’ve been stabbed or sliced. By now such things are routine; at most, a mere inconvenience or petty nuisance – like that nose hair you just can’t quite get, or that fruit fly that keeps coming into your peripheral while you’re tending to extremely important business, such as...staring at the wall.

You should not assume that typical prison shenanigans listed thus far are my only credentials. Since being in prison I’ve mastered the art of turning negatives into positives; a vital key to survival. I decided long ago that, if I’m going to be here, I’ll not only learn to survive, but thrive. Since then, I’ve founded The Cell Block, an independent multimedia company with the objective of accurately conveying the prison/street experience and culture, with the credibility and honesty that only one who has lived it can deliver, through literature and other arts, and to entertain and enlighten while doing so. Every book or product is created by a prisoner, in a prison cell. We are a network of prisoners, who, against all odds, come together to accomplish, achieve, and improve the lifestyle of our community. As you can see, I turn prison (negative) to profit (positive).  The fact that you have a need, or a at least a certain fascination to learn about prison culture, is the reason I wrote this book, something that will entertain and enlighten you, but that I, too, will benefit from....

Most of the information you have regarding the topics of prison is from movies, TV, rap songs, or whatever else has capitalized off what has become part of pop culture. But while the closest you’ve come as of yet to being trapped inside a concrete cage is watching an episode of Locked Down or Locked Up from your comfy sofa, it is my daily reality. Every word in this book was written in one prison cell or another, then somehow smuggled to the free world so I can present to you the secrets and truths they don’t want you to know. They don’t want me to show prisoners how to turn their negatives to positives, and give the public an authentic, insider’s look, all without having to set foot inside a cell. They don’t want me to give you the truth. Fortunately for you, I’ve never much concerned myself with what they want....

Throughout this manual I will not only show you how to pimp your time by turning your negatives into positives, I will show you everything from prison recipes and hustles, to how to make alcohol, tattoo guns, and deadly weapons out of even the barest of materials. I will show you how we ingeniously get fire from our electrical outlet if we need to burn something, and how we write codes that are impossible for even so-called experts to figure out. I will show you how we meticulously study and master the art of seduction and manipulation, and how we get in tip-top, combat ready shape, without access to weights or a gym. In this book you will learn how to start and run your own drug operation inside of prison for more profits than what the COs who’ve been hired to keep us here and prevent us from doing so are paid. All of this and much, much more, of course. Last, but certainly not least, this book will show you what you need to do to increase the possibility of paroling from prison, and not only get out, but stay out. After all, getting out and staying out is the ultimate step to successfully surviving one’s experience with the devil’s playground.

So, if you think you’ve got what it takes, grab your shanks and get ready to ride.

Authentically,

Mike Enemigo

Thee Enemy of the State

Live from The Cell Block

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Use Your Time Wisely    1

Writing      8

Pen-Pal Websites: The Strategies   29

Mini-Writing     39

Surviving a Celly     41

Social Game     50

Reputation     58

Surviving Prison Food    64

Pruno      76

White Lightening     81

Running a Store     83

Tailor/Ironer     85

Barber      86

State Prison Jobs     87

Prison Art     92

Gambling      108

Dope Game     114

Surviving the Hole     128

Fishing      133

Writing in Code(s)     138

Sign Language     142

Mental Health     144

Working Out     147

Fire      159

Prison-Made Candles    162

Weaponry     163

Warfare      171

The Books     181

Paroling From Prison (my 2 cents)   206

Glossary      210   

USE YOUR TIME WISLEY

I understand that you are probably in prison for something that you did not do. Or, maybe you did something, but not what they said you did. Maybe you did do a crime, but the prosecutor railroaded you and you were given way too much time for what it is you actually did. Or, maybe you did everything they said you did plus some, and you just got caught. Whatever your situation is, I get it. But what I also get is that you are here (in prison), and this is where you’re going to stay unless your appeal gets granted or your release date arrives (if you’re lucky enough to have one).

That is the reality of your situation today, so it’s time to accept your reality and deal with it as it is today, and as it is today you’ve got time to do. With that said, your best play is to figure out how to benefit from said time; turn your negative into a positive. Here’s how...

Don’t waste time:

I see so many prisoners just sitting around and doing absolutely nothing. All they do is let time (life) pass by without doing anything to benefit themselves, improve their lifestyle, prepare for the future, etc. They have no drive or ambition. They just walk around looking defeated; straight schmuckery.

Many guys come to prison and do 5, 6, 7 years, and leave no better of a man than they came. I recently met a 30 year old who came to prison and could not read or write. He’s been in prison for the last 6 years and he goes home in 3 months. Guess what? He still cannot read or write. He talks about how he’s going to learn when he goes home. He asked me what type of advice I have for him; I told him he needed my advice during his first 3 months, not his last 3 months. He asked me why that was; I asked him if he can learn to read and write in 3 months. He stated no. My response? Exactly (followed by my turning around and walking away).

The guy I’m talking about is an absolute schmuck. His waste of 6 years, disgusting. As much as I want people to win, and as much as I try to assist people in doing so, I realized that there was/is nothing I can do for him. Sad, but true.

Not only did the guy waste 6 years of his life, but, as much as I hate to say it, he will be wasting more time soon. He will be back; probably before I get out of the SHU for my last hit....

I have life in prison. Unless something happens with my appeal, I will die in a cell. What I wouldn’t give for another shot at life now that I’m older and wiser, now that I get it and my perspective is clear. However, despite what my situation is, my reality; I’m pushing daily. I’m trying to get it; understand? Every day I am on beast mode. Like 50 Cent said: Get rich or die tryin’.

With that out the way, nothing is more disgusting to me than someone who comes to prison and will be out someday, as he has a date, but does nothing with his time except jack off and God knows what else, gets out no better of a man than he entered, and ends up coming right back.

Do not waste time (life). Turn your negative into a positive and benefit from your situation. Figure out (early on!) what you want to do during your stay in prison, what it’s going to take to do it, and get down to business.

So, what do you want to do?

Now that we understand that it is our wisest move to turn our negative into a positive and we must figure out how we can get the most out of our time, it’s time to figure out exactly what you want to do.

The first question is what are you into that at least some aspect of can be mastered while you are in prison, and that is realistic considering the amount of prison time that you have?

For example, maybe you want to be an artist of some kind. If so, then during your stay in prison you should study, learn, and practice drawing as much as you can each day. If your goal is to be a professional artist and you have 5-6 years in prison, imagine how good you can be by the time you get out if you dedicate every second of your time learning and practicing it!

And let’s say you want to get out and paint murals on cars or do graphic design. Maybe in prison you will not be able to practice those specific crafts, but you can master at least one aspect of them: Drawing. Yes; if you want to paint murals on cars or do graphic design, then become the best that you can at drawing while you’re in prison because both of those jobs demand the trained eye of an artist who can draw. The better you are at drawing, the better you will be as a muralist or graphic designer.

Drawing is a good passion to have for a man in prison. It’s something that can realistically be mastered right from your prison cell. You will almost always have access to a pen and/or pencil and a piece of paper to practice your craft. And, even if you’re not going to get out of prison, drawing is one of the best skills you can have while in prison; there’s always a demand for it. From your fellow prisoners to Correctional Officers, from pen pals to people online, great drawings will always be in demand, and there is even a market specifically for prison art/drawings.

Writing is another good passion to have. It’s very realistic to become a master writer from a prison cell. You will almost always have a pen and some paper to write what it is that you want to write/create.

For example, maybe you want to write and publish your own books. Well, you can always get books on how to write properly and self-publish. Get the books relevant to those subjects and learn the entire business, inside and out. Then, write as many books as you can so that when you get out you can publish them. Or, if you’re not getting out, publishing books from prison is a realistic goal. It can be done; especially with today’s technology. Today’s technology, especially the Internet, has levelled the playing field a bit. I have life in prison, and you are reading a book that I wrote in my prison cell, sent out, and self-published.

Regardless of what your passion is, whether it’s to write articles for a magazine or launch your own magazine when you get out, whether it’s to write books or movie scripts, all of these things require you to be a great writer. So, become a great writer if what you want to do has something to do with writing.

Again, both writing and drawing are great crafts to master even if you aren’t getting out of prison because they can always be done from a prison cell. However, if you are getting out, your options greatly increase.

Now, let’s say you have a passion for cars and you want to start your own mechanic shop when you get out. Maybe you will not have a lot of hands-on opportunities in most prisons, but you can still get books and learn everything there is to know about the mechanics of a car. Don’t wait until you get out to go to school, use your prison time to learn what it is that you need to know so that you’re ready as soon as you get out.

Real estate is another good business (usually). If you have a passion for it, get books relevant to real estate and learn every aspect possible about it. That way, when you get out of prison, you’re ready to go.

There are many things you can study, learn, and master from/in a prison cell. Whether you are able to study the exact craft that you are interested in, or something related to it, there is always something you can do to turn your negative into a positive and benefit from your prison time.

And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a business, either. Making money just happens to be my passion, so I used those things as examples. If you don’t know how to spell or add that well and you wish to improve upon it, do it. If you want to get your GED, do it. Just don’t sit there and wait until you get out to start. Start now and use your prison time.

Be realistic:

When deciding what it is that you want to do/get-into, make sure that you pick something realistic. For example, if your passion is basketball, you’re good at it and you want to be in the NBA when you get out, but when you get out you’ll be 32 years old, that’s not too realistic. So, instead you should study something that has to do with basketball, like coaching or managing players, and study those aspects of the business.

Another example is if you rap well and you want to be a rapper when you get out but when you get out you’ll be 43; in that case, maybe you should study other aspects of the music/hip-hop business. Breaking out as a rap star at age 43 might be a bit difficult, but starting your own label and producing is very realistic.

Whatever it is that you decide you want to study, learn, and do with your time, whatever your passions are and whatever goals you have set, fantastic; make it happen. Just make sure that it’s realistic (even if you have to make a few tweaks and adjustments), and that you use all of your prison time mastering it. Do not wait until you get out to learn, study, etc.

Ways to study and learn your craft:

Once you have decided exactly what it is that you want to do, you will need to figure out the best way to learn and master it. Don’t forget, when creating your game plan, keep in mind the resources you have available to you. For example, money for books, courses, supplies, etc.

What’s available at your prison?

The first thing you should do is see if your prison offers a trade or something that is relevant to whatever it is that you want to do. For example, some prisons have welding classes. If what you want to do involves welding, you should obviously do what you can to get into that class. Or, for example, there are prisons that offer such things as a mechanics class, a shop print class, or bakery jobs. If your plan even consists of working on cars, printing, or cooking, you should do what you can to get assigned to the relevant class or job.

Use your prison for whatever you can get from it. If it offers something that relates to/furthers your goal, take advantage of it.

College courses:

Many prisoners take college courses through the mail. If what you want to do is available via correspondence course, or if you are getting out and having a certificate will be beneficial to your end goal (for example, if your goal is to work for a company and having certificates showing your credentials will help you land the job), then taking college courses may be a good idea for you.

Keep in mind that correspondence courses can be rather costly, so in order to take them you will need to have the financial resource. However, if you can afford it and it will benefit you, do it while you are in prison. Don’t wait until you get out.

Buy and read books:

If what you want to do is not available via correspondence course, if you cannot afford to pay for a correspondence course, or if you plan to start your own business and do not need/care-about a certificate, then I suggest you purchase books relevant to what you want to do, and use them to study, learn, and teach yourself everything you want and need to know.

For example, I choose not to take correspondence courses. Instead, I prefer to purchase books relevant to what I want to do, and learn all that I can about the specific subject(s). Not only does this route allow me to pinpoint exactly what it is I want to learn about, it is also much more affordable. But then again, I have life in prison and I own my own business, so I have no need for a credential-proving certificate. If I only had 10 years to do, I’m sure I’d still create my own business upon release; however, I might want the credential-proving certificate(s) because they can really come in handy on the outside. Sometimes, even when you own your own business, you still occasionally work for others.

If you find your interests similar to mine and you think the book route is the best one for you, and you want to learn about, say... the music business, you can buy the book Everything There is to Know About the Music Business by Donald S. Passman. From there, depending on exactly what it is you want to do, you can get books relevant to that specific part of the music business – producing, managing, starting a record label, etc., and master the subject by studying everything you can about it, or, say, for example, if you want to learn about drawing, you can get Drawing for Dummies by Brenda Hoddinott and Jamie Combs, study and learn all the information it teaches, and once you’ve got that down buy some books that are a bit more advanced in the subject until you are a fucking master.

In conclusion:

I can go on and on giving you examples of how to use your time wisely and ideas of specific ways you can accomplish you goals; however, my main points are:

Turn you negative into a positive. Don’t just sit around and waste time (life!) while you are in prison. Instead, dedicate every second of your time to doing something that is going to benefit you. And, no matter what your goal is, there is always something you can do to move towards it. Even if you can’t afford correspondence classes, etc., don’t let that discourage you; instead, purchase books relevant to what you’re into and learn everything you can about it. Buying and studying books specifically aimed at your interest(s) will give you a great education at an affordable price.

True Story!

My original passion/craft is making hip-hop. I’ve been rapping since 1993 and really learning about the business since 1997. Everything I do rap-wise is on point. My concepts are dope; I’m creative as fuck; I’m a lyrical beast; my flow is liquid.

I got locked up in February of 1999, and at the end of 2004 I decided I was going to record my vocals in my prison cell, smuggle them out, have my songs produced in the form of mixtapes, and still release my music. Guess what? I recorded my lyrics in my prison cell, smuggled them out, had several songs produced, and then ran into a wall; not a wall in here where I have the ability to get creative and find a way to do things, but a wall out there. It was too difficult for people to get things done to my standards without me being there and I wouldn’t release my music without it being done right. Therefore, getting songs produced correctly – to my standards – became a very long and difficult process.

Then, lil Wayne raised the bar extremely high by releasing so much material in such a short amount of time. It changed the pace of the game – even for underground artists – to a speed I could never keep up with from a prison cell; it became popular for artists to release weekly freestyles and remixes, etc.

And my trouble didn’t stop there. People stopped buying CDs. everybody just downloads everything for free now, so there’s really no money in CD sales. In order to make money, you have to be able to do live shows; something I obviously cannot do from a prison cell.

At first it was hard for me to accept but I had to recognize reality, and the reality of the situation is, if I was to get out of prison at a young enough age, I am sure I could do very well in the hip-hop business. However, as my reality is today, I have life in prison and I will not be able to compete in today’s market, and I will not be able to make the kind of money I want to make by doing music. And when it all boils down, my passion for getting money is stronger than my passion to use all my time and resources making hip-hop. So, I had to adjust my sights.

And I did. I had always planned to eventually write books – something much more realistic to do from a prison cell. I just had to jump into the game sooner than I had originally planned.

I’ve always been creative and crafty, but my technical writing skills weren’t up to par. So, I bought English Grammar for Dummies and stepped my grammar-game up. I also bought a MacMillan Dictionary to make sure my word game is on point.

My plan’s to write urban books – basically the same stories that are in my rhymes, just without the need for a beat or an engineer (my wall) – so I bought about 15 of the damn things and read every single one of them from the beginning to the end. I dissected the entire format of my urban book collection – what the prices are, how many pages they usually have, roughly how many words are in these kinds of books, how well these guys are writing, etc. I broke it all down into math; something I understand.

Then I looked at all the information I’d gathered and compared it to what I know (the underground game of the hip-hop music business, specifically the mixtape hustle), and I realized that it’s basically the same game – entertainment in the form of urban stories, but sold in the format of a book instead of a CD.

From there, I created my game plan; I would write and publish urban books using the same strategy and formula I’d use for my music had my circumstance been different. Writing and publishing books is much more realistic for me. I write and create everything myself; I don’t need a beat, an engineer, a dope mix, nothing.

Once I re-directed my focus, it was over. I created the thecellblock.net and the cell block catalog. I created the lifestyle experience – my greeting card company and the first mixcard collection ever