What I learned from being robbed

Image Credit: PhillyTF

8th Apr 2020
Tags: Music News PhillyTF Rap

PhillyTF is a rapper from Dayton, Ohio, not Philadelphia, as his name might suggest.

His single ‘Woahh!!!’ is currently getting some play on xRhythms. 

The rapper attended church while he was growing up. But he was also living a secret life that would have shocked many in the church. 

He told Cross Rhythms, “I knew about keeping my grades good, staying out of trouble. But as I progressed in life, I found my way in the streets - fornicating, selling drugs, just running the streets.”

The rapper had formed his identity based on all the money and possessions that he had gained.

In 2012, Philly’s apartment was broken into at around two in the morning. Prior to this, the rapper had formed his identity based on all the money and possessions that he had gained. But all the things he’d acquired had now been stolen in the break-in. 

He had lived a life focused on getting more money and women, but at that moment when he was waiting for the police to finish their investigations, things started to change. 

He told Cross Rhythms, “I looked up to heaven and told the Lord, 'I quit. I'm done with living for the world. I just surrender.'”

He continues to describe the awakening experience by saying, “The Lord has seen that vulnerability in my heart, that reception of knowing I've been living a life that has been a complete me - just doing me. The Lord came in and my life never was the same from that morning.” 

Philly began rapping for God.

After inviting Jesus into his life, Philly turned his back on the rap group Lavish Boy Gain, who were close to getting a record deal. And after a lengthy period of discovering more of the Bible, Philly began rapping for God.

His releases, ‘Tuned Out’ (in 2012) and ‘D.O.P.E: Disciple On Planet Earth’ (in 2016), gained him a growing reputation in rap circles, both with Christian and non-Christian rap fans.

Last year he also released the hip-hop single, ‘Sauce 2 Tuff’, with the well-known rapper Steven Malcolm. 

Speaking about his xRhythms radio hit, he told Cross Rhythms, “My life from the time I've been saved to when I'm speaking with you has been a 'woah!' experience.”