Artist Kevin Lauren (35) has been a well-known face in recent years, and not least easily recognizable with his bright rasta braids. This autumn he has also been seen on the TV screen twice a week in prime time, through his participation in “71 degrees north – Norway’s toughest celebrity”.
Two years ago, the situation was a little different. Lauren was sentenced in March 2021 for, among other things, illegal storage of drugs, and for driving under the influence of drugs.
Answers what “everyone” is wondering
In August of the same year, he packed his bags and turned his face to prison to serve his 45-day sentence.
When Dagbladet meets the 35-year-old, he tells honestly about his time “behind the walls”, and at the same time uses the opportunity to clear up a number of misconceptions many people have about prisons and inmates.
ANNOYED: Kevin Lauren and Caroline Nitter have got their own tent in “71° nord celebrity”. It creates problems. Video: Rød Løper/TVNorge/Discovery+ Show more
– Many misunderstand
– It’s a bit funny how people talk about prisons and how nice it is in Norwegian prisons. It looks like an old camp school, I think a lot of people know what I mean when I say that. It’s not ugly, but it’s not nice either, Lauren tells Dagbladet.
– Bedridden for several weeks
The prison he served in consisted of three long houses, or barracks as they called it. In the air yard, they had, among other things, a ball pit and a basketball court, which the inmates can use when they have time off.
– But what people don’t understand is that it is your freedom that is being taken away from you. You can zone in a palace, but you still can’t go out. You can’t do your thing, you can’t do that, so it has nothing to do with how nice or bad a prison is. The point is that they are taking away your freedom.
GOOD FRIENDS: Caroline Nitter and Kevin Lauren became good friends during “71 degrees north – Norway’s toughest celebrity”. Photo: TVNorge Show more
– They decide when you should eat, when you should get up, when you should sleep – they decide on your whole life. You can’t be with friends or go visit family, you’re trapped. I find that many people do not fully understand what it entails.
BIRTHDAY: Kevin Lauren had a birthday during the recording of “71 degrees north – celebrity”, and received a special birthday present in the tent. Video: Rød Løper/TVNorge/Discovery+ Show more
A typical day
The 35-year-old describes a typical day in prison as “damn boring”.
Early in the morning you are woken up by the light being switched on in the cell, then you just have to put on your clothes before you have to stand in the hallway so that the officers can count the inmates. Then it’s time for breakfast.
– She is a good lady
– After that, you can either stay in the cell or work a bit. You can, for example, chop wood, tinker with cars, wash or paint some things – quite simply boring things. I mostly stayed in the cell and watched TV, but it got really boring in the long run.
In the afternoon he could go out to the air farm, before dinner and a little more TV watching.
Shares unknown disclosure: – I had enough
– It’s really just sprains all the time. You don’t do anything, it’s just about making the days go by.
– Fortunately, I served time with a good friend of mine from the Sandnes gang, so it was very good. Then I had protection if something stupid were to happen. I had a huge bodybuilder who had my back all the time.
MOUNTAIN FLIRTING: “71 degrees north – Norway’s toughest celebrity” is back on the screen, and Kevin Lauren and Caroline Nitter must answer for some statements that were reported before departure. Video: Red Runner Show more
– Meets many sad fates
Lauren’s 45 days as an inmate gave him a perspective on a part of society that he doesn’t otherwise get much insight into.
– There are so many different stories. I met a man in his 60s who said he had spent about 45 years of his life in prison. So you kind of have those guys there, you also have those who have had financial problems who have cheated on their taxes, some are in prison for violence and probably some for rape.
Reveals accident: – Ended up in the ditch
– The latter is talked about very little in prison, says Lauren.
He explains that there was often a lot of talk and speculation among the inmates about who was serving time for rape and things like that.
THE PICTURE WITH THE BAG: In a new clip from the upcoming series “Girls of Oslo”, Sophie Elise Isachsen, Isabel Raad, Anniken Jørgensen and Nora Haukland talk about the photo published last winter where a bag of white powder is held in the hand. Video: Prime Video Show more
– Some false stories were often made up – that they are in prison for something else, for example, because there should not be any noise in the prison. There is a lot of “prison justice”.
– But you meet a lot of sad fates when you sit inside. There are many people who just haven’t been dealt the right cards in life. It was awful to see, because many of them could be good people. But it was very educational.
From cover girl to outcast
From prison to superhit
When the 45 days had passed and the sentence had been served, Lauren could return to life outside the prison walls. From there, it didn’t take long before he was back to everyday life.
– It was very strange to get out of prison. I had spoken to the guys in Ballinciaga earlier that year and agreed to release a song together when I got out, so while I was serving time they had written ‘Loud Luxury’.
AT CELEBRITY PARTY: Kevin Lauren with David Mokel during Universal’s garden party this summer. Photo: Andreas Fadum / Se og Hør Show more
When Lauren let out, the whole song was ready, except for his verse. From prison he went straight to the studio, where he wrote the verse in just 15 minutes.
– It just sat right away, it was “meant to be”. The song became a super hit and that’s where the adventure began. Not long after, we released “Aunt”, says Lauren.
And the rest is history.
2023-10-29 14:02:12
#freedom
