Phillip David‘s journey would have broken most people. He lost his mother at 17 years old on Thanksgiving Day, and not even a full month later, his father died on Christmas Day. The tragedy motivated him and pushed him closer to God, who revealed a way for this young man with no parents to make money and take care of himself. The Hood Picasso was born.
What led you to making your first piece?
So pretty much the Lord had gave me this idea to design. So I’m like I might as well do this to the clothing line, because I’m getting tired of working. And plus, my boss didn’t like me drawing. Like, God has just always pointed me my whole life to clothes, clothes, clothes. I’m at work and my boss is telling me, don’t draw at work. I’m like, I’m literally not doing anything. I’m a security guard. Don’t draw he told me one day again, and my boss was super weird like, one day he told me he sold his soul. So, he came in and told me no drawing again. I’m like, all right, okay, whatever. Quit my job. Basically, I put everything towards clothes.
How did you fund your career?
You know what’s crazy, bro? Look, listen. I was never worried about money. Ever. You wanna know why? I was raised in the word of God. So, the word of God taking root in me and I didn’t even know. I have faith like none other. I had already quit my job, so I wasn’t getting paid anymore. Everything that I was making, I’m selling. The clothes were providing for more clothes. It was all funded. It was all funded. Okay, so look, when I quit my job, I had like some cash, but everything was funded by the gift. I kid you not. The moment I posted clothes on Instagram, I’m making money. The Lord gave me the ability to post one thing and make 250. I can get 200, 250 off of one thing. So now I’m in my head like, okay, I’m multiplying like two, three, four. So that’s why I came up with four as a brick ($1,000).
What was your biggest challenge?
Looking back at it, at first I was money hungry. I love Jesus. Keep it a buck with you. At first I was money hungry. I’m moving fast. The gift was making me hella money. I’m forgetting that God’s watching all my movements, everything I’m doing. I was money hungry, bro. That’s something about being money hungry. So do to me being money hungry I was slacking, not shipping clothes out. But the Lord was still graceful with me, bro. A lot of people ain’t get their orders at first. I’m getting hella orders. I’m like, damn, I want to do all these orders. So I would take care of two or three orders, and chill and not work on the other orders. I was money hungry, and the Lord says the root off all evil is money.
What’s your favorite parable from Jesus?
I ain’t gone lie, this like looking at a collection of Hot Wheels cars. Like, damn, which one my favorite? Okay, I’m doing the one that like the Holy Spirit is telling me on speak on. Okay, it’s found in Matthew, sorry I can’t remember the exact verses, I’m not good with numbers. But my favorite is the one about the master and the unforgiving servant.
