Ben Amaru 'The Truth' Watson (---- --, 1990- September 13, 2007) also known by his stage names: Young Poet" or "The Truth, was an Australian artist renowned for his rap music, slammin' rhymes and his social cleansing. He is recognized in the 2007 Christ Church Leavers Book as the number one selling hip-hop artist with 1 of his albums stolen and distributed throughout the school. Most of Ben's songs are about growing up in the ‘Golden Triangle’ and the hardship which he endured during his upper-middle class upbringing. His songs also often involve his plans for social reconstruction of Australian society. Ben's life is admired amongst many students as one of triumph over adversity. Ben often referred to himself as a "Black Man trapped inside the body of a White Boy".

In 2002 Ben first appeared to CCGS as an aspiring young artist. Ben's best selling and debut album The Truth, released in 2004, won critical acclaim for its smooth rhymes and clean beats. Ben also confronted issues that no one had before in Christ Church Grammar School, thereby giving hope to all CCGS boys his music inspired that they too, could one day break the poverty cycle and escape the 'Golden Triangle'. Ben was never far away from trouble during his life - he was recently involved in a liquor store robbery in which he was charged and convicted for stealing a packet of chips from BWS Claremont. "The Truth" faced constant adversity regarding his dream of becoming a world famous hip-hop legend. Ben regards this as one of the biggest lessons learnt in his life next to that of him actually being white.

The world stopped on September 13, 2007 when Ben was shot 29 times in the head during a dispute with another rapper and former friend Edward Rufus Hall. Hall was charged with Ben's murder and is currently serving a 4 month sentence for murder. Many speculate Hall received such a lenient sentence due to the poor performance of the Christ Church mock trial team which were serving as the Prosecution.

Early Life

Ben was born on in 1990 in the Adeilade ghettos. Ben's grandfather was Malcom X. It is no doubt that Ben's struggle for black rights are as important of that of his uncles. 'Young Poet' learned much from his time with his uncle. He was constantly reminded of the evils of the white man and the cycle of the poverty in which the black man is locked. Malcom X may have died in 1965 before Ben was born but this did not limit the impact Malcolm had on Ben. On his 6th birthday Ben recived a Fisher and Pykle Do-It-Yourself recording studio from his father. His father had to work day and night running his own business of which he saved his fund for nearly half a day to be able to buy the present for Ben. This sparked a new wave in Ben which he was expelled from Adelaide Grammar a upper-middle class school for his constant scuffles with the 'white boys'. This culminated with Ben taking to the stage on his own will and performing his trademark song the Truth. Shortly after Ben and his family fled to Perth escaping the social and cultural adversity of Adelaide.

Early Career

After Ben arrived in Perth he immediately began performing in North Bridge night clubs including the Renowned Perth night life location Connections. Ben performed for these crowds (in more ways than one) until 2004 when Ben became aware the audience thought his songs were a parodies. This gave Ben the opportunity he needed to work on his album the Truth. Ben worked with then friend Ed Hall spinning beats through out the night at times until his ears bled. This was a labor of love for Ben with taking one year to spin all his beats.

Cadets

It was at this stage that Ben found another way of escaping the poverty of the Western Suburbs, and he found this outlet through army cadets. In his early expieriences with the corp, none of his peers expected Watson to last long, howerever he fought hard through his own gayness and somehow attained the role of the cadet Adjudant. The Adjudant's role had a line of esteemed predecessors, such as west coast artist Callum "strike-out" strike, and gangsta rapper jackson "my balls are that small" Carrol. It was at cadet courses and camps that Ben was able to associate with those more like himself, that being kids from impoverished nieghbourhoods desiring to find an inner blackness. Watson acted as a mentor to these kids, and his respect form his troops was so high, that they even tried to hang him form a tree and bury him in a bushgrave . Watson however, was continually made the butt-end of the unit jokes, and ultimately his cadeting reputaton was clouded by a gay love scandal with his paper pushing bitch Arthur Yao.

The Truth

Ben's self titled album debuted at number 1 on the Christ Church music charts and remained their for 15 months. The Truth was helped along by Micheal Burke and Matt Nasuti who spread the album amongst the school via First Class. The groundbreaking marketing initiative spread the Truth throughout the school. The album sold a record 1 copy and actually gave people a reason to use their First Class. The album showed Christ Church boys the adversity faced by themselves which they were previously unaware. This sparked riots which caused the old library to burn down and the CLC to be built.

Many remember the lessons learned in the Truth. Many rhymes the boys could reflect from their own experiences.

Memorable Lines from his debut LP

Ripping virgins with my big ass dick

Leave you standing their with your dick in your hands

They call me the dragon. Cos i spit fire

The Truth is here the Truth is me. I'm the blackest mother fucker you will ever see.

This is real hip-hop not that fake shit. This is music, straight from the heart, thats why I don't give a fuck if it don't top the charts

I pay too much taxes, but my will is strong, so fuck off

Downfall and Death

Ben realized early in 2006 that his album and its messages had been laughed at. This sent Ben into a downward spiral. He took up drinking...coffee. He also hanged up the mike and vowed never to rap again. Life was made harder for Ben when the love of his life Soph Flynn left him. He tried to confess his love for her yet this failed in desperation but this failed and he was left 'with his dick in his hands'.

Ben's life continued in this way for a while but in 2007 he thought it was all over. At the Christ Church year 12 Ball the Truth was surprised again. The DJ played the Truth. This sent back a wave of bad memories and Ben's life spiraled out of control. Ben realized Ed's involvement in this and the two split.

The night Ben was killed was September the 13th, coincidentally the day Tu-Pac his idol died. Ben was rolling with his hommies outside HJs in Claremont that fateful night, when he was approached by Ed and his armed gang. Ben was shot by these felons 29 times at close range. Ben did not immediately die - his bulletproof vest deflected 1 of the shots... in to his mouth. This subsequently ruined his thousand dollar smile. During his final moments, he scribed on pavement his last will and testament, as well as the lines from his upcoming EP "The Life and Lies of Ben Watson". Unfortunately, both these lines were washed away by the same street cleaner who found his body a week later.