MOST Magazine Fashion MAY-JUNE'15 ISSUE NO.9 | Page 175
I am a very bad fan. I could barely tell you
the albums of my favorite artists because I mostly
listen to music study rather than to follow the artists
themselves. Today some of my favorite acts are
Eminem, Slaughterhouse, Hopsin, Bruno Mars,
Ed sheeran, Adele, Keith and Krystin Getty, Joy
Lippard, Tre Matthews, Megan Trainor, Daft Punk,
Pharrell, and Drizzy Drake.
MF: In your music and performances you
address racial stereotypes and how silly and
damaging they can be. Have you had personal
experiences with racism? Is that what inspired
you to teach kids about it?
PP: Yeah, I’ve had a lot of experiences with
stereotypes and personally not fitting into any one
group. Being an international black male from
a third world country in a predominantly wealthy
white American environment that’s being raised in
a Chinese martial arts culture- will do that to you!
Usually, whatever people think they know about
me based on my “pedigree” is totally inaccurate
and false.
Photo Credit: Fashion photographer Yvonne Taylor
with Hopsin and probably Cory Gunz because
different aspects of their artistic approaches
remind me of my own approach. Another amazing
rapper and the best song writer I know is artist, Tre
Matthews. In regards to producers, it would be
Rick Rubin, Pharrell Williams, and Dr. Dre. Right
now I am working with a guy name Patrick Tweed,
and he’s amazing.
MF: What kind of music did you listen
to growing up? Who are your favorite
contemporary artists to listen to nowadays?
PP: Once I got passed my dad hating rap, I
listened to Michael Jackson, Tracy Chapman,
Eminem, Nas, Big Pun, Tupac, DMX, Jay, NSYNC
(they have had some impeccable song melodies)
and WU Tang.
What inspired me to teach kids about the
issue of stereotypes does stem from my personal
experiences, but it mostly originates from my
desire to address the current racial and political
tensions in America.
MF: Where do you find your inspiration?
PP: My main inspiration really is my faith. I am
always taken aback by the story of Christ. To think
that the Creator and commander of all things
would come down to our level and sacrifice
Himself to pay the penalties for my selfish
mistakes - so that I could be justly forgiven and
have a personal eternal relationship with Him,
is the most compelling love story in the history
of man. Besides that, martial arts and great art
inspire me to create.
A model and a role model-an artist who is not
only devoted to his craft, but devoted to actively
doing his part in helping the next generation
grow up in a better society, Philippe as one half
of Hero Art, the martial arts duo together with his
brother James Whitley, puts on a show called >>>
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