It’s even worse when your suggestion comes with no basis whatsoever…her reason why I NEED to go back to school? So we can have a party. I guess it’s in her best interest since she’s a caterer. Forget that since leaving school four years ago due to reasons she’ll never know I’ve done more to upgrade my life and the lives of others than I could have ever done if I would’ve stayed. Forget that if I stay alive long enough I’ll soon be able to help thousands of people better their lives. Forget that I’m very happy and I’m a better human being physically, mentally and spiritually since I decided to teach myself. Forget that celebrations and parties annoy me. Forget all that…I NEED to go back to school so she can party.

Joke or no joke, she’s on the list.

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6S and I at Cannon Coffee enjoying some food and tea they hooked us up with. Great venue, great crowd, great city. Love Pittsburgh.

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In Lebron’s old town with his old classmate. 6SisLife.com (What up Matt. What up Fresco)

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We live in a day and age of rhetoric. Everyone wants to say that next thing that will be quoted or gain cool points. The thing about rhetoric is that it works better when you know what you’re talking about it. When you feel it. When you live it and will die for it. Short of that, it’s just more rhetoric. No matter the amount of exclamation marks or cool font you put behind it. Same with spoken words — shout it, swag it out, chew extra mints if it makes you feel better — those words still mean very little without true sincerity and action behind them.

I know a lot of people who like to be lied to. They live in a made up world and become uncomfortable around truth. You ever speak to someone for hours and not gain a thing? Like after the conversation you don’t feel like you’ve grown in the slightest way? I’m not about that life. Those conversations can be extremely draining so I try to stay far away from them. It’s like staring at great art that’s been destroyed. Very hard to look at because you know it’s not how it should be. You know it could be better and if you’re like me, you hate being cheated. I want to see my mother at her best. Same with my brother, same with my girlfriend, same with those I work with, same with even my living room. I want everything at it’s greatest or at least on it’s way there.

Let’s joke and have fun, but most importantly, let’s grow. Let’s be better. Tomorrow we enter the third month of 2011 and I just encourage whoever reads this to be 100% about what you speak. Talking is wonderful. Communication is necessary 4 the growth process but not as necessary as action is. Even with the best written speech, Dr. King would have been just another dreamer if he didn’t March first.

**** Like how I tied that all in? Last day of Black History Month? Dr. King? March First? never mind…..

Peace & Luv

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Not my best but I had one foot at the time. The point is to make the best out of what you have. Being fit and healthy doesn’t have to be a million dollar project if you push yourself hard enough.

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I never wanted to be famous, not even popular. Not even remotely known. Just wanted to get messages out, inspire people to be better and possibly profit from it in the process.

Those are the loudest thoughts going through my head as I write this 400th iamphella.com post. It’s been 3 years now and I sincerely thank you all who read what I write…thanks for sticking with me through the droughts, the highs, the lows and the in between. Thanks to those who left and came back. Thanks to those who are new. Thanks!

I’m far from famous and that’s the scary part. If I’m already feeling too known and too on the radar at this point, what’s going to happen as we go further? Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for every fan, friend, and follower I gain; without that, these words would mean nothing. However, I wish there was a way to get my vision out without having to attach my name or face to so many things and so many people. I know the day is coming but it can’t come soon enough. I just want to make change in the world (using artistry, athletics and literary work), put change in the pockets of those I love, buy a few nice things and ride off into the sunset — only to be heard from when I absolutely have something useful to say.

I just feel like the world, in particular the young entertainment world, is so loud. Just noise everywhere. Everyone trying to out- “cool” and out- “grind” one another. So few actually cool. Even fewer actually grinding. Attention seeking is at an all-time high, regardless of the price we have to pay. I can’t blame people. We’re currently more lost than human beings have ever been. On a minutely basis we have all these things being thrown in front of us that distract us from the main goals in life. Even the most focused man or woman will occasionally give into the temptation…this week alone I’ve strayed from my eating habits twice, slept way past my 5AM wake up time all five days of the week, failed to make enough time for my spiritual practice and served my own interests far more than I did anyone else’s.

I guess I never realized just how bad it was because I’ve been in it for so long. But after two relatively noise-free months, to suddenly find myself conference calling while driving across state lines, while updating statuses is a reality check as to how crazy things can be. And like I said, this is just pre-game. The further into this year we get and with the hard work myself and people around me seem like we’re about to do, the calling, driving, and status updating only increases from here on out.

It doesn’t help that I’ve watched my favorite movie, “Carlito’s Way”, a few times. For those that don’t know, I’m convinced that minus a few differences, that character is me; that’s why I jokingly call myself Phellito sometimes. Basically a guy gets out of jail and swears to live a clean life; all he needs is to get his girl, get some money, and disappear to paradise. Unfortunately for him, he gets caught in a web of betrayal, not knowing who is who or what is what. Despite the change in mind frame, he’s still surrounded by people and things that bring the very kind of trouble he’s trying to escape. What can he do? It’s all he knows. That loyalty to “friends” and inability to completely separate from all things bad cost him everything. For me it won’t. I’ll say peace out to all worldly things before I allow myself to succumb to the pressures of them.

All that said, check out my latest videos (www.youtube.com/dafamcam), my two updated websites (www.dafaminc.com) & (www.dafamink.com), add me on Facebook: Tobi ‘Phella’ Alli, Twitter: @Phella. Damn.

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The Video: Exclusive footage and photos that most of you have probably never seen unless you’ve been with me since day one.

The track: Produced by Wake.
Download Here

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This week makes one year since I launched Da Fam Inc and I completely understand now why he did those things. I understand now why Jay-Z, as president of Def Jam “took too many vacations”, or why Diddy does what he does. Because now I find myself doing similar things. Bare in mind that Da Fam Inc is nowhere near the level of FF, Bad Boy, or Def Jam, but it’s still the same. I’m at the beginning stages of building what we all hope will be something great and I’m learning that when you lead, especially in hip-hop where proper business protocol is usually disregarded, you’re faced with so many things that it’s important for your sanity to just get away — weekly if possible. When it’s not possible to take a trip, it’s probably wise to have a few hours where you neglect your Blackberry and computer. Not because you don’t care, but because you’re still human. Success in today’s business setting requires you to become a robot. If you act like a robot long enough, people really start to think you are one. They call you at anytime of day with any kind of problem, expect you to solve it, talk to you how they please, and you’re expected to just take it because, well, you’re a robot and that’s what robots do.

With that said, shout out to my co-manager Kunle Oki of Skc who is in Miami right now, living it up I hope. And shout out to me for typing this from a remote location — Blackberry off, slippers on, robot mode temporarily disabled.

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