Tag Archives: Phellito Returns To The Old Neighborhood

Back To School

Posted on July 31, 2011 by phella| Comments Off

It’s been fun spending most of my summer with the cool kids over at Tumblr, but class is back in session for me and not a moment too soon. I enjoy the freedom of posting random songs, photos of people and things that catch my eye, sharing some of my own art, and interjecting short thoughts here and there. However, if you’re a writer, you must write. Some like my friend here and my other friend here are able to write freely on a forum like Tumblr with no problem. For me, however, I need this little hub we’ve created over the years. There’s history here. 400 plus posts worth. And it’s Summers end, and it’s the brink of Fall, and I’m 9 days away from my 24th birthday. Overall I just feel a big transition period coming and I wanna document it. I wanna share my learning’s along the way in the hopes that you’ll take something from it as usual.

Thanks to all those who have basically commanded me to start writing again. I thought I was done and I honestly wanted to be done but when you have a responsibility to do something, what you want really doesn’t matter. Sharing my inner most thoughts when life gets as interesting as it’s gotten over the past few months isn’t the most comfortable thing on earth but I live for discomfort. It usually leads to great comfort. So let’s rock. Thanks for caring.

 

Peace + Luv

P.S. The tumblr ain’t going nowhere. Still plan on being active there. But you know, home is home.

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“How’s Business?”

Posted on January 26, 2011 by phella| 2 Comments

I’ve not really had any cause to write recently. Anything I said would have just been shameless self-promotion which I try to limit on this blog; I have other ways to promote my selfish interests and business endeavors. That’s besides the point though.

The story is this: About three weeks ago when I was still on crutches and my now almost healed foot was still in pain, I got someone to give me a lift to Subway — you know their veggie patty sandwich and salad is what I survive on. I went in and placed my order and just instinctively — I guess to dead the silence — I asked the owner (old Indian guy for what it’s worth) who was making my food “how’s business?” and the guy lit up.

Business was bad and he openly admitted it but his expression would have suggested otherwise. He blamed it on the snow and possibly the holiday; this was around or on New Years Day. Even though business wasn’t the best, my two-word question seemed to make the man’s entire day. He was all smiles and as he made my food he suddenly took interest to who I was and how I was doing, asking me how I injured my foot and giving me advice on how to heal faster. I paid him for the veggie patty, we both wished each other a good day, and life went on.

That whole transaction was probably 10 minutes at the most and I’ll probably never see the guy again in life but for those few minutes I like to think I made an impact on his day and vice-versa. This was a Subway in the HOOD “hood” where our tendency is to be as unruly as possible to people who serve us; not to say unruly behavior doesn’t exist outside of the hood because it may be worse with rich folks. We all speak on how rough times are and how society is going down the drain. I think it’s only right that we do our part — however small — to at least try to slow down the process. Just putting the pause button on your life for a second to press play on someone elses can make all the difference, for you and for them. It’s good business.

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Fiddler On The Roof

Posted on June 28, 2010 by phella| Comments Off

I hung out on Sunday afternoon with my friend Sterling in the heart of MY hometown and her “hometown” of DC. It was good times. Humind 100 degree weather, salty food, lots of walking and almost getting beheaded by the shade thing on her rooftoop when the wind uprooted it.

Jokes aside though, we talked about everything from marriage to politics to music to why it seems our society has issues with face-to-face and phone conversations. Just life stuff. I like all my friends but I’ll admit I’m a bit more partial to the ones that can cover the whole spectrum and help me grow as a person each time I talk to them. And also the ones with rooftops.

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Comeback Season

Posted on June 24, 2010 by phella| 3 Comments

“Long as you stay the same, it will come back around” – Jay-Z

Being down is fun sometimes. A lot of times when I play basketball or back when I used to play video games, I let my opponent get a lead. I’ll admit: sometimes I don’t “let” them get a lead, they take it. Either way, eventually instincts kick in, fear and anxiety vanish, and before you know it, I’m back in the game. Not just leading, but winning decisively. Life is going to kick our butts from time to time, that’s a fact. However, it just makes the comeback that much sweeter.

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200 Miles And Running…..

Posted on May 26, 2010 by phella| Comments Off

Since I “moved” to New Jersey, I’ve probably spent about 20% of my time in the actual apartment. Call me a restless spirit but I need to be on the go every chance I get. I’ve been to Philly and a few other places but my destination of course is home (Washington D.C./PG County, MD). The amount of love and support, direct and indirect, I get here is unmatched. I feel like so many people are rooting for me; some whom I don’t even know personally. It feels good to just check in from time to time to let them know that we’re in this journey together and I’m not the one to get lost in the bright lights and forget what it’s all about.

Home is humbling, home is refreshing, home is relaxing, and luckily for me, home is only 200 miles away. Add that to the fact that my Newark apartment is as open and empty as can be (by design and by circumstance), it’s necessary to check out of there and check-in to a more welcoming enivronment every now and then. I made a conscious effort to make it as uncomfortable as possible so I never lose sight of the fact that it’s work. No nice couch to lay on for hours, no excess food to snack on, none of that. Just a place to work to make the people 200 miles away proud.

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Now This Is Love

Posted on February 15, 2010 by phella| Comments Off

“a young!!!!!! i knew i fucked with you for a reason you about your shit all jokes aside my nig im being real honest when i first heard you in 05 on a track it was not plesant at all i just watched that video……nigga!!!!! some body been spring training in the winter as jay z would say no bull shit that vid was on my page all week i was like do i really want to be blown man you surpassed all my expectations a hundred times over the dream you going for is a hard one im not gon lie but if any one can do it you can because i see now your not just talk like alot of these fools out here keep grinding when no one is looking cuz when your time come you will be to bright for them to look away stay hungry my nig”

The above message came to me yesterday (February 14th no less) and made my entire day. As you all know, feedback about my creativity and my art is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME IN THE UNIVERSE. I can crash my car, get dumped by my girl, have my debit card charged twice and get pulled over by a racist cop….if I come home and one person during that day said my music or my words touched them, then I’m good!

This particular gentleman went to high school with me. We were good friends. The high school I went to produced some of the most cruel and harsh human beings you would ever come across in this world. He was amongst a select few who I played my first musical recordings for (when I was using a $10 mic from Staples and recording in my moms dining room). They ridiculed me to no end. I mean people were literally rolling on the floor and laughing.

At the time I took it very personal because I thought I was great and they were just blinded, but as I grew older I realized I was trash and had they not laughed at me, I would have never had the fire that burns in me till this day to keep getting better. Over the years I’ve been approached by several of the initial “focus group” who somehow have stumbled into my newer stuff in the neighborhood, online or at friends houses and a lot of them have been kind enough to say “hey man, you really took this thing serious and it shows. I like what you’re doing. keep going”.

To them I say thanks. Positive feedback from the people who’ve seen you at your worst means everything. Like I told him in my response to this message, by no means am I a complete product. I’m just now hitting my stride. Once I make this move up North and really get focused, God help me…..we’re going to the Grammy’s!

Important Sidebar: I see a lot of people leaving comments on older posts (guess ya’ll only visit weekly now huh? haha, i’ll take it…love is love). The point I’m making is I don’t have the comments going straight to my phone anymore so it takes me a while to see comments and respond if needed but I definitely see everything. Thanks for reading this

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“Champion”

Posted on January 7, 2010 by phella| Comments Off

Champion from Da Fam Cam on Vimeo.

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“Club Nights..One Of The Reasons I LOVE Life”

Posted on December 12, 2009 by phella| Comments Off

 

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lovephelly

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Random Acts Of Randomness

Posted on July 12, 2009 by phella| Comments Off

Was chillin in VA for most of today. This is some of what transpired. Not pictured is a basketball game that went down. My victim was a LeBron James fan so naturally the footage dissapeared. Just know that I won and it wasn’t pretty. I’m taking on all challengers in any city in any of the following: Basketball, Skateboarding, Pool, NBA 2K9, and Taboo.

DaFamCam Episode #3:Phella Kick Pushin from Da Fam Cam on Vimeo.

DaFamCam Episode #4: Blood In Blood Out from Da Fam Cam on Vimeo.

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“Can’t Knock The Hustle”-Jay-Z

Posted on June 8, 2009 by phella| 8 Comments

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The apartments I live in is pretty much broken up into two sections. There’s “front street” which is relatively well lit and people are usually coming and going. The chance of something happening to you or your car there is litte.

Then you have “death valley” which is about 50 feet away from “front street” but a whole different world. That’s where all the smoking, drinking, dealing, whoring and such goes on. Very dark parking lot and anyone there late at night is pretty much up to no good.

Recently the management said we’re only allowed to park one car on “front street”; why? I don’t know. So rather than park my darling Chevy in “death valley” I had planned to move her to my friends crib Saturday. Unfortunately that day ended up being a real busy one for me so I took my chances with “death valley” for a night. Right on cue the above happened.

Some guys broke in and tried to get my dvd player. I wasn’t even upset. I actually applaud their courtesy. Not only did they not steal my basketball and cds but they also didn’t do too much damage (aside from the window).

If you know me, basketball and music is my life. So leaving my ball and cd’s untouched is something I’ll always be grateful for.

3 summers ago this same car was assaulted in Baltimore while me and my friends were slanging fake Bape hoodies in the flea market. They took my DVD player and in the process damaged my entire dashboard and ignition. Now that one HURT!!!!. This one right here, lightwork.

They didn’t even try to take the car itself, all they wanted was the Kenwood so clearly it was just somebody trynna come up on a little spare change. Can’t knock the hustle.

*Sidenote: Ironic that I saw this about 3 mins after posting my “God Keeps Blessing Me” post right? If I wasn’t a clear thinker I would get upset and say “aww man maybe I’m not so blessed after all”. Believe me, for all I’ve gained recently, losing a small car window is more than a fair trade. The post below still stands.

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