Daily Inspiration: Meet Spit Hell Manuel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Spit Hell Manuel.

Hi Spit, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hip-hop? You can blame my dad. Not close to him but when I knew him, he would be the guy shaking windows with 808 bass pumps out of his 98 accords from 2pac and Biggie records.

Jazz? Man, my uncle pep planted that seed. He took me to see legends like Khani Kole and John Legend as a youth and I’ve been a saxophonist since. My best friend and I were backpackers in middle school into high school, boom-bap kids.

We were the ones getting in heated debates over rappers and bars and technique and all that. The first group was Children of the Cypher with my childhood friend. After a while, he didn’t want to rap anymore.

I still did but didn’t know where to start. I had no manager, no connections, nothing. I was recording random freestyles when Willy Northpole, AZ Legend himself, found one of my freestyles on Instagram. He told me he wanted me in the booth asap. Since then, he gave me the start that got me into Jabbar’s Hookah Lounge, a place out in Glendale where the majority of the talent in Phoenix were put to the test, so to speak.

I recorded an entire EP with him and that opened doorways with so many talented folks from promotions like Respect The Underground to reach out to book me for my first solo show that wasn’t just my crowd of the people-a real test. I remember I opened up for Mega Ran at Shaker’s in Scottsdale and I was scared out of my mind. Didn’t know how people would react to a guy that looks like he’ll mug them in the parking lot. I was 20, young, naive, and had a few shows under my belt but nothing like this.

I went on to become a barn burner for every show I ever touched, from opening up to Rick Ross to gracing the stage before DMX and Freddie Gibbs. Through it all, I’ve still been the same kid from 2nd and Parkin Avondale that stayed to himself, trying to beat the generational curses my environment and family laid before me. Hell, now I’m calling my mom to ask if she saw the billboard with me on it or if she heard my song on her favorite TV shows.

Nowhere near done either and I think that’s what makes me a true 1 of 1, even if you’ve seen other people who look like me, they can’t fit my size 13s. Que wow, carnal. Who would’ve thought a kid from the south side of the tracks could chase their goals as passionately as I have? I didn’t. Chalé.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh definitely, there are promoters, fan opinions, critics, podcasters, and radio personalities out there to antagonize you 24/7. I know for a fact there are media personalities and promoters who don’t like me because I challenge their egos. We all breathe the same air so until then, I’ll decorate time the way I choose to. Some have even gone out of their way to try to discredit my talent.

It’s okay though. I’ve been in 2 movements and 3 groups. First one, my bro left. In the second one, some DJ tried to get me and a bunch of other local rappers at the time to sign our rights away to him under the lie that he was a rep with Interscope. The third group, we’re just not active anymore. I still make music as a solo artist but that’s from me adapting and knowing only I can make the music I truly want when I want.

My independence came from confidence and my independence has bred the most flourishing moments in my musical growth. Sometimes there’s no good promoter, sometimes there’s nobody in the crowd. I still go out there, Grip the mic and spit like I’m practicing, still giving it 100% and that has kept me humble and going.

I’ve met people with egos bigger than their shoes, but they tend to fumble trying to walk my way if you catch my drift.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an artist, but I mean this in the most renaissance of manners.

I’m a registered thespian with the International Thespian Society, a jazz musician, a music coach, chef, audio engineer, beatmaker, vocal coach, and acting coach, not to mention an established rapper in our fair side of the country. I’ve been brought up from a gangster rap area, we’re swinging and banging in Avondale was similar to Houston in 2005.

Tall T’s, identity crises everywhere on top of violence. I knew my art had to reflect the opposite. I was surrounded by thugs, killers, rapists, gangbangers, and scammers on the block. I had to be different. I had to have substance. I just had to be… me.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Love the food, my guy. I’ve been to the entirety of the greater southwest states and if it isn’t El Paso, TX, then the best Mexican food is in Arizona.

The chicanisimo makes me feel warm, alive, and vivid when I visit my fellow artisans whether they paint or act or model, or rap. Definitely, a big outdoors guy too on top of a love for the Wild West history Arizona is known for.

I hate traffic in this city, on top of the fact that most folks can’t drive safely to save their lives (literally) but other than that, I’ve lived all across the state from Avondale to Maryvale to Tucson to Tolleson even and I can tell you, Phoenix is the spot.

Contact Info:

• Email: spithellmanuel@gmail.com
• Website: https://spithellmanuel.bandcamp.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spithellmanuel/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/xicvno/?__nodl&refsrc=deprecated&ref=external%3Awww.google.com&_rdr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCz4sgkhWOGCCsr9Qpa2bI4A
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/VEeriaZe1i31rrKZ6
• Other: Here’s a mixtape for you https://www.datpiff.com/Spit-Hell-Manuel–2nd-&-Park–mixtape.741656.html

Image Credits
Xposed Capture, Gabrielle Gomez Photography, and Desert Life Entertainment