Death to the Trap: Rewriting Your Story and Building a Better Future

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of High Velocity Radio and this is gonna be a good one. Today on the show, we have author, speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Alpha Mentality Global Mentorship (AMGM) Donovan Badgett. Welcome.

Donavon Badgett: Hey man, how’s it going? Thank you.

Lee Kantor: It is going well. I am so excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about a m GM Alpha Mentality.

Donavon Badgett: Global mentorship is just something that I started up when I created the curriculum for the book. It was something that I wanted to do to kind of bridge some gaps and, you know, create some mentorship stuff. Obviously, that’s in the title. I just wanted to be there more, you know, for the young men that were around the community and stuff. And I wanted to create an avenue, you know, that they, they, they had a safe haven in some sort of way. So the alpha part of it, you know, is not standing on top of anyone or anything like that. It’s just a, a mindset of like, of progression and, and taking accountability for your actions as a man and growing up. So that’s how it started. And I’ve just been building.

Lee Kantor: And the book you mentioning death to the trap, what inspired you to write the book?

Donavon Badgett: Well, the death trap inspired, you know, mostly by, you know, my son coming into the world. He he was turning two years old around that time. Um, it was also inspired, like I said, from my past and some of the things that I had to overcome to get to some of the places that I am today, to continue to continue to keep being creative. And some of the things that I had to do on my journey to, for my mental health, you know, to be able to continue to keep growing. So that’s where the inspiration came from, from those two aspects of my life. And there were some other things going on in the media at the time in the hip hop community that pretty much inspired me some things as well. And, you know, I just felt like I just needed to create something that could bring some good energy. You know, that was going to create and save others for the world my son was going to be in as well because, I mean, obviously I want to save my baby and create a better world for him. But in order to do that, I felt like I had to be doing that for others as well.

Lee Kantor: Now, why did you decide to put it in book form rather than maybe share the message through music?

Donavon Badgett: Well, actually it is an album. I actually did write some music. I created a whole album called death to the Trap, and the book form of it just came. Just wanted to be creative more and wanted to reach a different part of, you know, the demographic that I was trying to reach. I know everybody doesn’t like, you know, hip hop music in the form that I wrote that album. So no disrespect to it, I’m sure in anyone’s world I just want. I know they probably just needed to reach the word, um, another way. So I created the book for him just to be more creative and to reach, you know, a broader audience of people that like to read. And also, you know, I put a section in the book to where you could take notes. So I wanted it to be, um, a self-reflection, uh, diary type thing as well. So that was a, that was another reason to why the book, um, the book idea.

Lee Kantor: So what when you say death to the trap, what is the trap?

Donavon Badgett: Well, originally when I was speaking about it, it was talking about, you know, trap houses, um, the trap, uh, meaning, you know, places where, you know, dope is being sold. Um, you know, users are coming through, you know, in a, in a way. And I mean, there’s guns there, you know, in some, in some of those communities, people are losing their lives, you know, to either being incarcerated or, or murdered, you know, being in the game and stuff like that. But it also, it also is a mindset as well. I mean, everybody has different, Um, thoughts and different things, you know, that they get lost in and can be stuck in, in life. Um, it could be, you know, something somebody said to you in traffic ten years ago or some, some way somebody made you feel, you know, when they told you something and that you didn’t agree with or didn’t agree with, you know, some sometimes people get stuck in cycles of these things and they don’t know how to get over them. So that was also something I was talking about. Meaning of the trap, um, as well. And just some of the things, you know, like out in, you know, society, um, from people that come from where I come from, you know, uh, the systematic traps and different things that we could get caught up in. Um, was also one of the meanings of.

Lee Kantor: So, um, how often do you see people break out of those kind of, uh, maybe negative cycles? Or do you. It must happen somewhat, but I would imagine it’s rare. What’s your experience been when people are in one of these cycles of, uh, that are kind of downward spirals, what can they do to, kind of change the trajectory?

Donavon Badgett: Well, one, one of the things is actually, you know, knowing or wanting to actually be somewhere else, you know, first. I mean, it starts, you know, with your ideas and, you know, and the direction that you want to go in is never going to be an easy thing. Um, everybody’s, you know, trajectories, everybody’s destiny, you know, things that people go through are different, you know, so it’s not really a, a, um, it’s not really one way to do it. You know, it’s, it’s starting with actually knowing that you want to go somewhere, having an idea, you know, what I’m saying of where that place could be, you know, and putting yourself around the things or, you know, the best way that you can, you know, to make, to make that happen. I mean, because people, you know, and energies and, you know, information is also one of those things, you know, that helps you break, break out of those, those traps. Um, and so for me, I always saw, I always knew that I wanted something more for myself. So even when I was put into certain situations. You know, I started to look for the information, you know, that I needed rather that would be, um, enrolling myself into, you know, an institution or, or seeing someone that, that I liked. You know, as, you know, someone that I could see myself being and, and asking for mentorship or, or rather that have been reading something or researching something. I mean, there’s, there’s multiple different ways, you know, that I, that I started it, but it was starting with knowing that I wanted something different for myself. You know, I didn’t know at that particular time where, you know, where I wanted to be or what, but, you know, as I, as I grew and, and learned more about myself, you know, self-reflection first, you know, those, those ideas started to come to you and, you know, you just continue to just keep growing from that.

Lee Kantor: Now when you have that kind of realization that you want something more, how do you create kind of the escape velocity to leave maybe an environment that is, um, not helping you achieve the things you want to achieve.

Donavon Badgett: This may sound crazy to some people, but using your imagination and like that’s very. It’s very important to be able to like to see something different, you know? And sometimes we don’t always have the things around us that we need to see that’s different, you know, so imagining these things and imagining places that you would want to be and things, you know, and just giving yourself something else, you know, to, to, to, um, give your mind someplace else to go rather than, you know, and escape from what your reality, reality could be every day. And like I said, that’s not always an easy thing. That’s why, you know, I created the mentorship program, you know, because we need, we need the, the ten years before us, you know, to pass those the game of those years down to us, you know, and so that’s one of the mission statements for, you know, the, um, for my company is, you know, to, to pass the game, you know, bridge the gaps and stuff like that, because that’s, that’s the important step to the survival and getting to the next stage. And so like I said, also, um, but imagine a man using using that mind, you know, and, and seeing, seeing and thinking of the places that you could be because they could be reality, you know, just it takes some, some effort and some and some time, you know, and, and knowing that things don’t happen tomorrow, you know, if you haven’t been working on them already, you know, things gradually happen over time and it’s okay to take small steps at a time. Um, so a lot of people we get lost in while we’re growing up and thinking that things happen like this and, and get lost in, you know, um, you know, not not understanding, you know, what time does and how time works and stuff like that.

Lee Kantor: So now in your personal journey, did you have a mentor? Were there people that were in your life that came and helped you kind of maybe break some of those, um, traps?

Donavon Badgett: Yeah, I did, um, I found out what the word mentor meant. I was a young man. I was, I was a lot younger than I am now. I had to bend probably right, right around. Um, preteen, I would think. Um, I remember my mom, she was always, uh, you know, a strong person and she would try to find male figures for me. So she, so this one guy, so that’s where I met. That’s why I’ve heard the term mentor for the first time. And I remember this guy that she brought around, um, me and him hung out a few times. He. But it wasn’t too consistent. I only saw him, you know, every so often. And so that turned in, you know, my story turned into what it turned to. But during those years after I saw another guy, you know, um, at one of the alternative schools that I attended around, maybe I might have been around 15 at this time. And like I said earlier, I saw him and I liked him. I thought he was a cool guy, you know, and I thought he, I liked the way he dressed, you know, I liked the way he carried himself and stuff like that.

Donavon Badgett: And so I went up to him, the way he the way he reminds me of the story because we still friends to this day. Um, and I’m turning 36. But the way he reminded me of the story, he said, I came up to him after a retreat that we had because we um, and we took all of the, all the students that went to, um, this military base and we had a little weekend retreat, you know, and there were different activities and stuff that we did together. And so he said, I came to him after the retreat and in the hallway. I mean, I wasn’t even in his class. And he said that I came up to him and asked him to be my mentor. And he said that he would have to speak with my mom first. And, um, and at the end of that day, he spoke with my mom and me and him. We’ve been tight since. And like I said, I was around 15 at this time. So I learned, I learned the term mentor from my mom looking for that for me.

Lee Kantor: Now, you mentioned, uh, an important element to this. You approached him.

Donavon Badgett: Mhm.

Lee Kantor: But he kind of followed through to make sure that you were serious and that it was something that was going to be beneficial. And, um, is that kind of one of the traps that are out there that a lot of people are waiting for somebody to approach them. They’re not the ones taking the action to kind of get them out of the situation. They’re waiting to be saved, rather than to try to save themselves by finding somebody that might be a good person, that can help them get to a new level.

Donavon Badgett: Yeah, yeah. I mean, and that that’s just something that I was blessed with, you know, that self-starter spirit. Um, my mom, you know, she instilled that in me. And also, you know, um, you know, you know, whatever, you know, our higher power, you know, have instilled something in me, you know, before I knew also. And it was just something that was, uh, you know, able to, it was a light that I was able to, to flip for me at a certain point in time because I was, you know, what they call today? I was a y in, in my time, you know, I was, I was carrying guns illegally. I was running the streets, you know what I’m saying? Selling drugs. I was doing all of that robbing. I was doing everything, you know, I was the y in of my time. And but it was, like I said, over time, things just started to come to my mind that, you know, I wasn’t like this, you know, like it just started, just started to to calculate all the time. I can’t even tell you where it came from, you know, but I knew I wanted something more. And then as I started to get older, you know, a little older, it just, it just started to set in even more. So I just was, like I said, I was always a self. I always had that self-starter spirit. I always just wanted to wanted to.

Lee Kantor: Write, but a self-starter, uh, spirit and a person who takes action if it’s, if that energy is going in a negative way, all that can turn into negative things. But if you can kind of harness it and aim it to something positive, then you can change the world.

Donavon Badgett: Yeah. And so that’s, that’s what alpha mentality global mentorship is about, you know, letting them see exactly what you just said, you know, because if you don’t have, if, if you don’t see it, if you can’t see it, like we say, we our imagination, but we know how probably rare that is now for people to be using their imaginations and stuff like that to, to start manifesting. So there’s people like me. You know what I’m saying? That that are trying to be out in the community and, and create these mentorship programs and different things so that we implement, you know what I’m saying? Those things within those, within those programs, you know, like being with the kids or well, not just kids, you know, just, you know, being with, you know, the person and actually showing like real support outside of just some shit that’s like failing systematic to them.

Lee Kantor: Now, do you think that the, the, the dramatic shift would have occurred in you had you not became a father?

Donavon Badgett: Yeah, because it started way before it started, way before I didn’t become a father until I was, um, uh, about 29, 30. So, um, it started way before I didn’t know I didn’t have it all together. I still don’t have it all together. We always learning, but, but as far as, you know, um, going through the levels of manhood and stuff like that, like I was still, um, learning, but obviously you still make mistakes as well. So, you know, I got my bachelor’s degree and I finished that in 15 and I got what, 11? I think I went, you know, so there was always something that was changing over the years, over the years, over the years. Um, and so, you know, just the older I got, you know, the more mature I got and, you know, the more it like turned on and, and, and turned into something that I wanted to, I started to see what my, what the young men actually needed because like I said, I’m, I’m them. So I knew what I needed when I was that. So I just wanted to create something that was that was that that was what little Donovan needed, you know?

Lee Kantor: Right. But being a father, then the stakes become very real because now now the, you know, it’s one thing that you do something and you’re thrown in jail. But now this this kid doesn’t have a father anymore. Like the stakes are a lot higher.

Donavon Badgett: Exactly. And so once that happens, now we’re starting a whole downward trend because now you have all the traumas that’s coming from dad not being there and stuff like that. And when the things that that dad could have been that teacher, you know, so it’s a, it’s a downward trend that starts, you know, from these things. And we’re just trying to fill the gaps, you know, from and, and make sure because we can’t, we’re not going to be able to save everyone, but we just want to fill the gaps and make sure you know that we have, you know, the knowledge of these things. And so like you were mentioning, you know, Halo coming, you know, it wasn’t the it wasn’t the, the beginning of it, but it turned it up. Even it turned that spirit up even more because like I said, I want to, I don’t, I don’t want my baby to be in a world that’s, you know, even though we know what the world is, you know, I want to do what everything that I can to put to make my mark in it. And, you know, for it could be better for him. And so like I said it, it started to calculate as if I’m doing that for him. And he and it’s in the world that he’s going to be living in. I, I have to, in some sort of be doing that for someone else’s baby as well, because those are the people that he’s going to be around, you know, and going to be living in the world with him. And so it just turns up another notch, man. It makes you want to do more. Especially when you have a self-starter spirit and you still have your dreams and goals as well. And now you have someone else’s along with that. So it just turns it up even more.

Lee Kantor: Now, is there advice you would give kind of the the younger Donovan is there. What would you tell younger Donovan today? Um, knowing what you know now.

Donavon Badgett: Just handle your business right the first time, whether that be in school, high school, um, whether that be, you know, um, anything, just, just just do it and get it done first. Like don’t, don’t bounce around, start stuff and finish it. You could do multiple things at once, but start things and finish them. And, um, that was really about it. And, and probably, um, don’t be an experienced learner, even though I feel like that helped a lot, you know, I, I could have avoided a lot of things as well that, that could have taken my life if I wasn’t learning it from experience. And rather than hearing someone tell me, you know that it can go like this and still playing those cards that way anyways, so probably just those three things.

Lee Kantor: Now what about, um, is there a story you can share that maybe? Um, I’m assuming you’ve been mentoring some people now don’t name their name, but maybe share the impact you’ve made on, on somebody that has gone through some of the mentoring you’re talking about, you know, because I would imagine that the impact you make on a young person could be very consequential to the trajectory of their future.

Donavon Badgett: Yeah. So I, um, one of a part of my program, we like to take them into martial arts gyms and stuff. So good friend of mine, um, he had started a new gym out here and I, I had about five boys at the time that I was taking in there from the company that I was working with. And he, it was about, I’d say about 5 or 6 other ones that, you know, were coming in with him, so I guess I have like a spirit to where the young men, they just, I don’t know, they just tell me everything. Like I just like I’m like, not so much their friend, but like their friend. Like they get comfortable around me and they talk to me and stuff. So anyways, you know, all those boys, man, they, they became like my little brothers, like, you know, quickly. And so, um, some stuff happened with the company that I was with and I had to leave the gym. And so one day I think we started back up. This might have been like a few months ago, we started back up, you know, with the program and stuff. And one of the kids, you know, saying, he came up to me and I hadn’t seen him in a minute. He was like, bro. He was like, dawg, where you been at, bro? I’ve been trying to find you for the longest. And I was like, for real? He’s like, yeah, you know, I wanted to let you know that I’m about to go, um, somewhere in Virginia. I think he was going to get like a plumbing apprenticeship or something like that he was leaving for, and he was telling me how I inspired him, you know, and the stuff that I used to talk to him about, you know what I’m saying? To go and chase your stuff or whatever.

Donavon Badgett: But I hadn’t seen the kid in, in maybe a year, you know? And then when he came, when he saw me come back in, his face just lit up. He. Because he was working out when I walked in the gym and when he saw me, he just lit up. And, um, he. Yeah, he was telling me about, you know, the, um, the apprenticeship that he was getting ready to go and do that stuff. And he was actually leaving that next day because I was, I told his mom that I wanted to take him to lunch and stuff like that, but he was actually leaving that next day and he told me, you know, how inspiring it was, you know, to, to be doing what he was doing and the things that I was talking to him about. And that was one of the things that pushed him, you know, to go ahead and start getting his stuff together to get into that program. And I saw him after about a year, and he was super excited to let me know that he had been trying to find me and stuff, and he was about to go and do that. So that’s one story of many, but I feel like that that was a pretty good one.

Lee Kantor: Yeah. I mean, the impact is real. There’s um have you heard of Maya Angelou? Have you heard of her? She’s a poet.

Donavon Badgett: Yeah. Yeah I have.

Lee Kantor: She talks about living a life of service and impact and that the ripples that you put into the world, they’re going out there and they’re, you know, you might have changed that kid’s life. And you’re not going to see him have a family, maybe everything. And the impact he’s going to have on multiple people, even generations. I mean, what you’re doing is so important.

Donavon Badgett: Yeah. It is. And I appreciate it. I appreciate you saying that too, man, because this this is why I do it, man. I don’t even do it for the money. I know how to make money and stuff, man. The impact and actually seeing these boys, you know, see their lives through because manhood, man, you don’t learn. You learn things when you’re supposed to learn them. Not before, not after. And if you crash out before you get to the point to where you’re supposed to learn what you’re supposed to learn, you know, you’re not first, you’re not seeing your life out. You’re not, you know, you’re not leaving the mark that you were supposed to see and leave, man. So it’s super important for them to see for them to go through the stages of manhood. You don’t you don’t get it all in, in ten years. You know, like it doesn’t work like that, right?

Lee Kantor: And they’re seeing somebody who it could have ended in a bad way for you. And you’re showing them. It doesn’t have to end in a bad way. You can you have control of this. You can turn this thing around and you can make an impact. You can now be a force for good in the world and help, um, people, your family, your community, um, grow and, and do great things. I mean, you should be so proud of yourself. What you’re doing is an amazing story.

Donavon Badgett: Thank you man, I appreciate that and I am proud to know I’m even prouder to know that I’m doing what I said I wanted to do, you know, and fighting front line for a better world for my son.

Lee Kantor: Right. And and you’re doing the work every day. It’s not something that happens because you wanted it to happen because you’re doing something every day.

Donavon Badgett: Yes, sir.

Lee Kantor: So if somebody wants to get a hold of the book or your music or get Ahold of you, is there a website or social media? What’s the best way to connect with you?

Donavon Badgett: So donbadgett.com is the website. That’s donbadgett.com. Um, the book is on Amazon. It’s called Death to the Trap. Um, that’s my full government. Donovan A Badgett is the author on that one. And, uh, also all of my socials. Don Badgett on Facebook, um, @thereal_donb on Instagram and TikTok. And I mean you and you probably just be able to find everything googling all that stuff too. Uh, Don Badget, Death to the Trap or just my full name, Donovan Badgett.

Lee Kantor: Well, Donovan, thank you so much for sharing your story. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Donavon Badgett: Thank you sir. Thank you. I appreciate you having me.

Lee Kantor: All right. This Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on High Velocity Radio.