When you think of Styles P what are some of the first things that come to mind? One of the realest to ever do it? One of the best emcees fans of Hip Hop have had the privilege of witnessing? One of the most loyal dudes in the game that always stayed true to his team and never strayed from letting his opinions be heard whether or not anybody was going to have a problem with them? The majority of fans who have followed Ghost through his career will most likely answer yes to all of these questions.
Growing up following Styles from his early days in this game there were certain things you just knew about him without ever having to have proven. Sure, any emcee can rap about street life and the hard upbringing they had coming up, but in order for those lyrics to really stick, to really resonate with the fans, requires a certain amount of authenticity. Back in the day you just knew S.P. was not only one of the best lyricists out, but when it came to confrontation that man was nothing to play with. Not saying he is now in the least bit but if you’ve continued to follow his career you will have noticed a great amount of growth and maturity not only as an emcee, but as a man. This is something that needs to be commended.
In a time where rappers are making countless records about how much lean they sip and how many Xan’s they pop when they’re in the club, Styles is taking it in a completely different direction. He’s promoting healthy living and pushing positivity.
He owns a juice bar chain (Juices For Life) and since he has expressed the benefits of juicing there has been a rapid growth in the number of people, in and out of the industry, following suit. There was a time where if you heard Styles talking about juicing you would think it was a slang word for a brand of liquor. A time where if you heard him talking about living a plant based lifestyle, you would think he was strictly bragging about how much weed he smoked. Today he represents a much bigger picture to the Hip Hop community. A movement even, where health is wealth, and in a day and age where you barely have to begin scrolling down your timeline to find negativity, his outlook on life is a breath of fresh air.
Aside from the positive outlook, Styles looks healthier and younger today than he did 10 plus years ago. He also maintains a calm attitude and refuses to be baited into a place of negative energy on social media. If you were to hear someone tell you this was going to be the future for S.P. The Ghost years back, you would have thought the person telling you was crazy. He has never done anything in search of a pat on the back but there comes a time when you have to recognize the maturation of somebody not only as an artist but as a man, a man with a powerful voice in the Hip Hop community, that time is now.
It’s time to let Styles know we recognize his efforts and the positive impact he continues to make on his peers as well as his fans. Hopefully a time will come where more artists will see the benefits of healthy living and make the changes needed to better their own lives. There’s been too many fallen soldiers in this culture that we all love taken away too early, it’s never too late to turn it around. For now, salute to S.P. for inspiring positivity and change in a game full of temptations. Your strides aren’t being overlooked.
