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| Photo provided by David Wade |
Growing up in Washington, Pa turned Wade into the artist he is today. There, he began writing poetry, fell in love with rap and produced his first mix tape.
He reminisced one of his earliest memories in this adored neighborhood when he transfered his father's biblical accounts into comic books. Then in 7th grade, Wade indulged in poetry.
"Shortly after that is when everybody started rapping," he recounted. " I knew it was something I would be good at because it combines storytelling and poetry."
He tried rapping and instantly became good at it, piquing his schoolmates interest. One of his best friends, Adam, who was a more experienced rapper, mentored him.
"He helped me develop my draft," revealed Wade, who also turned to the Late Registration album of Kanye West for inspiration.
"I used to sleep listening to it and thinking I could make great music like this one day."
Determined to follow his dream, Wade, along with Adam and his brother, Scott, formed a group called Shottas (a Jamaica word for gangster).
They purchased soundtracks from Radio shak and made the living room of Wade's mother their studio to record their first mix tape.
"[It] was a shout out mix tape," he recalled.
"All my friends were coming over. It was our voice, our story, what were were experiencing in that part of our life."
"It was so memorable because we made it and printed all of those CDs on my mom's computer. We played it outside in the project."
"One of our friends' older brother had a really nice car, and we played [the mix tape]. Everybody from the neighborhood came out and [sang along]. I didn't even know they knew the lyrics. That was my first mix tape experience. It's crazy to see where I came from."
Wade went on to produce another mix tape when he moved to Ohio. It was his first solo mix tape, marking the beginning of his career.
"I wanted to become the best rapper in the world," he stated. "That was my dream." After graduating high school, Wade went to New York University to study dramatic writing. There he found people who shared his passion for music and who helped him fulfilled his dream.
"My friends hooked me up with some amazing beat-makers, producers and engineers."
His popularity as an underground rapper started growing. He even had a sold-out show in Union Square.
"I started an independent label. I had committed people working for me. I was recording my first album in a multimillion dollar studio."
He was a rising star, but on April 2010, he brusquely changed his path.
"One night I was tripping on [magic mushrooms] and started hearing demonic voices telling me to kill myself," he vividly remembered. "The only thing I could say was 'Jesus.' [After that], the voices were silenced, and I felt protected. I ended up butt naked in a field after this crazy spiritual battle, and when I came down from tripping, I didn't know if what I just experience was real or not. The next day, I decided to stop doing drugs and to start reading the bible to see if what I heard in church was real."
"I read through the scriptures , and I was convinced he was who he said he was. He is God."
"He was all I needed as well," he added. "It was like a process. [I was] meeting God through the bible." This new discovery urged him to become a disciple of God.
"I had a crazy opportunity, and in the middle of it, I decided to start following God."
"It was a hard thing to do, but I left that stuff to find my new identity and find who I was before pursuing these things so that I can do it from the right perspective."
As a result, rapping became a way for Wade to convey the message of God.
He wants to be a positive role model. His goal is to continue being the best rapper that he can be without the drugs and the sex.
"I'm just a guy writing about my story. I came from the bottom and rose to the top. I started following Jesus and left all of the glamour."
"Shortly after that is when everybody started rapping," he recounted. " I knew it was something I would be good at because it combines storytelling and poetry."
He tried rapping and instantly became good at it, piquing his schoolmates interest. One of his best friends, Adam, who was a more experienced rapper, mentored him.
"He helped me develop my draft," revealed Wade, who also turned to the Late Registration album of Kanye West for inspiration.
"I used to sleep listening to it and thinking I could make great music like this one day."
Determined to follow his dream, Wade, along with Adam and his brother, Scott, formed a group called Shottas (a Jamaica word for gangster).
They purchased soundtracks from Radio shak and made the living room of Wade's mother their studio to record their first mix tape.
"[It] was a shout out mix tape," he recalled.
"All my friends were coming over. It was our voice, our story, what were were experiencing in that part of our life."
"It was so memorable because we made it and printed all of those CDs on my mom's computer. We played it outside in the project."
"One of our friends' older brother had a really nice car, and we played [the mix tape]. Everybody from the neighborhood came out and [sang along]. I didn't even know they knew the lyrics. That was my first mix tape experience. It's crazy to see where I came from."
Wade went on to produce another mix tape when he moved to Ohio. It was his first solo mix tape, marking the beginning of his career.
"I wanted to become the best rapper in the world," he stated. "That was my dream." After graduating high school, Wade went to New York University to study dramatic writing. There he found people who shared his passion for music and who helped him fulfilled his dream.
"My friends hooked me up with some amazing beat-makers, producers and engineers."
His popularity as an underground rapper started growing. He even had a sold-out show in Union Square.
"I started an independent label. I had committed people working for me. I was recording my first album in a multimillion dollar studio."
He was a rising star, but on April 2010, he brusquely changed his path.
"One night I was tripping on [magic mushrooms] and started hearing demonic voices telling me to kill myself," he vividly remembered. "The only thing I could say was 'Jesus.' [After that], the voices were silenced, and I felt protected. I ended up butt naked in a field after this crazy spiritual battle, and when I came down from tripping, I didn't know if what I just experience was real or not. The next day, I decided to stop doing drugs and to start reading the bible to see if what I heard in church was real."
"I read through the scriptures , and I was convinced he was who he said he was. He is God."
"He was all I needed as well," he added. "It was like a process. [I was] meeting God through the bible." This new discovery urged him to become a disciple of God.
"I had a crazy opportunity, and in the middle of it, I decided to start following God."
"It was a hard thing to do, but I left that stuff to find my new identity and find who I was before pursuing these things so that I can do it from the right perspective."
As a result, rapping became a way for Wade to convey the message of God.
He wants to be a positive role model. His goal is to continue being the best rapper that he can be without the drugs and the sex.
"I'm just a guy writing about my story. I came from the bottom and rose to the top. I started following Jesus and left all of the glamour."
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