DMV rapper Phil Ade is currently opening for MMG artist Rockie Fresh on his “Electric Highway” tour
Article By: Catherine Hooper
Life on the road can be daunting for an artist. Hop on the bus, hop off the bus. Another day another city, and then back on the road again. As challenging as the road may be, there are moments in an artist’s career that make it worth it. For Washington, D.C. Phil Ade, one of those moments came during the L.A. stop of Rockie Fresh’s “Electric Highway” tour. Phil Ade began to perform his remix to the popular Dom Kennedy track, “My Type of Party.” Before he could even get a word out he told his DJ to cut the music. Since he was in L.A. he said, he had to do it right, so he brought out Dom Kennedy and Skeme. It’s moments like these, and being able to reach new fans that make the hours on the road worth it. This recent performance at Key Club brought Ade back to perform in L.A. after having stopped through during the Sneaker Pimps tour in 2010. As a city not only known for it’s entertainment, but fashion as well, it only made sense that the coveted street wear and sneaker strip on Fairfax was a must stop destination. Ade noted that on this particular trip to L.A. he was sure to hit up Supreme, Diamond Supply, Popular Demand, and Twelve Bar.
The other ”Ade,” which means royal or crown in Yoruba, fell in love with rap at an early age, despite being brought up in a strict Seventh Day Adventist household. On his track “Let It Shine,” he alludes to his upbringing, not only lyrically but musically as well. The stand-out track borrows from a popular hymn sung in church (or for many in Sunday school). “This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine.” Ade let the track set the tone for who he is, and also to encourage his fans who he refers to as “Royal Fam” or simply “fam.”
His brother was a huge Tupac fan growing up, and even went so far as to wear bandannas tied to the front like the legendary rapper, would sneak and listen to Tupac records. It was then that Phil Ade was first introduced to hip hop. The first hip hop album he ever bought was Mystical’s “Tarantula” way back in 2001– the edited version of course. It wasn’t until some years later that he discovered his knack for writing, for battling his peers after school, and that he was really quite talented. Ade spoke of notebooks filled with rhymes, and that it wasn’t until a few years ago that he began to take performing more seriously, after being introduced to Raheem DeVaughn by the brother of a friend he recorded with in college. Ade eventually left college to pursue music full time, and the rest as they say is history. As a common fixture in the DMV (the acronym made nationally popular by Wale refers to Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia), and with the success of the “Electric Highway” he is positioning himself to be known outside his hometown.
Without a doubt, Phil Ade is someone to look out for beyond his hometown, and most certainly someone “yoo” should take a close listen to. Check out the video for his track “Gone” below, and be sure to follow him on Twitter (@PhilAde_RF) and Instagram (@PhilAde_RF).
Check out his popular video “Gone” here.
