In the latest episode of Pamela Price Unfiltered, Oakland’s own Mistah F.A.B. joins former Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price for a heartfelt, unflinching conversation about healing, community, and second chances.
“You never know how tall a giant is when you’re standing next to him,” Mistah F.A.B. says, reflecting on his childhood friend and filmmaking legend Ryan Coogler. But the words could just as easily apply to Mistah F.A.B. himself—a multi-platinum songwriter and record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist whose work has transformed lives across Oakland.
A true hometown hero, Mistah F.A.B. is the force behind Dope Era, a streetwear brand, boutique, and community hub in downtown Oakland, as well as Dezi, a lounge and cultural space. He’s also the visionary behind Thug Therapy—Teaching, Healing, Uniting & Guiding—a community initiative that blends art, mental health, and restorative justice.
In this dynamic and revealing interview, Mistah F.A.B. shares his deep love for Oakland, his passion for building safe, creative spaces, and his journey from the Hyphy movement to holistic healing. His advice to the community: never leave the playground. “That’s where your innocence was real and your dreams were born,” he says.
But this episode isn’t just about inspiration—it’s a call to action. Pamela Price connects Mistah F.A.B.’s message of healing and growth to a deeper systemic issue: the broken reentry process for people coming home from incarceration.
“Too often, the reentry process is left to depend solely on the minimal resources of a family struggling to survive in under-resourced communities—more often than not, on the shoulders of a Black mother,” Price says. “Returning citizens are 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general population.”
The problem is especially urgent for people released directly from local jails like Santa Rita without a reentry plan. “As Alameda County District Attorney, I saw too many cases where a person served their entire sentence in Santa Rita and was released into our community with no plan, preparation, or support,” she explains. “We saw folks with serious mental health issues in jail, and those issues were no better when they were released.”
That’s why, during her tenure, Price established a pilot reentry commission in partnership with community organizations to assess resentencing and reentry through the lens of public safety and successful reintegration. The DA’s reentry unit, built to support resentenced individuals, quickly became a model of progress and compassion.
But since being appointed by the Board of Supervisors, current District Attorney Ursula Jones-Dixon has reversed course. “She stopped all resentencing cases and disbanded the reentry unit as soon as she was appointed,” Price says. “The new administration does not believe in second chances.”
This episode challenges listeners to recognize reentry not as an afterthought but as a public safety imperative—and to demand more from elected leaders.
Listen to the full episode of Pamela Price Unfiltered to hear Mistah F.A.B.’s powerful reflections and learn why reentry must begin long before release.
