Bobby Martinez said being a good uncle is like being a father with less responsibility.

At times, he’s had to step in as a surrogate father to his brother’s children. And it wasn’t easy when his older brother Chris was heavily involved in gang activity.

Bobby decided early on that he wanted to have no part in Chris’ Reno gang scene. Though he associated with gangs for a short while, he quickly determined it wasn’t for him.

“I did my share of bad things and hung around the gang scene for a while in high school, but I went my own path,” Bobby said. “I changed up my style, wore tighter pants, changed my clothes.”

When Bobby was 15, he started writing songs and that interest remains with him today, as he continues to write for a hip-hop group and works in Sacramento.

“We all have our different paths,” he said. “(Young people know) they can take different roads instead of violence. They can look to music or making music. For others it’s riding bikes and for others it’s sports or clubs.”

Bobby said lifestyle is about choices, which made all the difference in the way the two brothers grew up.

“He chose his, I chose mine,” he said.

Their decisions affected the dynamics of their relationship, as well.

“We had our share of hard times and conversations trying to talk him out,” Bobby said. “A couple of times he came home with a split-open head. There was one occasion he got chased through the house with a gun and they were shooting at him and the kids were all around.”

Since he has taken fatherhood seriously, Chris said his brotherhood has also become more important to him,.

“(Bobby) told me I should just stay away because I could end up dead and he looked up to me and didn’t want me to get shot or die,” Chris said. “He talked to me about hanging out with my gang member friends. I didn’t really care. Yeah, (our relationship) changed once I started realizing family comes first.”

Bobby said he has noticed the difference in Chris’ life.

“I see him as a strict father. He’s a good father,” Bobby said. “I questioned him before but now he’s coming together. It’s the kids. He doesn’t really do anything anymore. The kids have changed him. That’s what kids do.”

Bobby wants to show all youth there are alternatives to gangs.

“I have a show in August and it’s to help youth,” he said.

The drawback, however, is the place that was reserved for the concert, the Baldini’s Sports Casino in Sparks, only allows adults 21 and older.

“It was an idea to influence the younger crowd, but it didn’t work,” Bobby said with a laugh. “But we’re hoping to keep on with the show and turn it into a big event and have it be an annual or semiannual thing. … We want to throw different options out there for people.”

Bobby’s show is at Baldini’s Sports Casino, 865 S. Rock Blvd. in Sparks on Aug. 15 at 9 p.m.