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Meet Sydante Ford of SD UCHIES in West Phoenix

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydante Ford.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I was always different… I was meant to be different.

Like most stories, I lived your average life. Busted my way through many trials and challenges and a lot of that speaks through my lyrics. Music. Music is always something I’ve loved and I remember as a kid being in my mom’s studio sessions, so every time I’m in the booth its nostalgic. I guess you can say “life” started after my mom got with my stepdad. I felt like I didn’t belong or have a sense of purpose. I was the lightest person in the house and mind you I was the only child for a good seven years before they had my little sister. So with my stepdad in the picture and my mom giving all her time to him, I got jealous.

Everything was falling into place until he convinced my mom to move to AZ. When we moved we had no family here and stayed in the house most of the time because we didn’t have a car. It was hard and as I got older, I started seeing all the pain and stress that he put on my mom. It got so bad to the point where it was my family being in and out of domestic violence shelters. We knew the only time to leave would be when he was gone. Whether that be in the middle of the night or a random time during the day when we had that open window. Picture a kid.. trying to protect his family, his mom, waiting for a moment to find shelter, to find safety. It wasn’t easy. That shit made me feel like a refugee or something like we were running from someone that we were supposed to love. Someone we are supposed to love… that’s crazy right?

When I got to high school, I started to be a little more active, started playing sports, kicking it in the streets a lil bit, girls and making money. I didn’t start taking music serious until one of my bestfriends/ my brother Amreil passed away. And that’s when I started using music as an outlet, let my words speak for itself. I lost Niani, who my daughter is name after a couple of months before Amreil and then Jaaziel ann in December 2017. Having these moments happen to me at such a young age it gave me a confidence boost to share my story about them, about my losses, and more importantly the trials & tribulations that shaped me into the man I am today.

Bring it back towards the closing of 2018, I started noticing a change in my stepdad. He acted very strange and would have feelings of joy and would suddenly go into a deep depression, within a span of 24 hours. This was due to his father passing, and my mother and I felt that he was just coping with the death. My mom originally left my pops for his drug addiction. It killed me finding the substance that he was shooting up and my mom also found rolled up dollars with residue from crushed pills. It hurts seeing someone I’ve known my whole life that low. I resented my mom for my whole life for trying to justify his actions. As I got older, I started noticing patterns, behaviors, and really getting to understand what he was doing. Drugs, cheating, lies, etc. and my mom loving so hard and seeing through these things. Why did she put up with this? How did she put up with this? I wasn’t having it.

I fought him and put him out of our life forever. That was my biggest challenge growing up and entering adulthood. That loss gave me the confidence to take 100 losses and turn it into 1000 wins.

I originally started off making music for fun and it quickly became an outlet and manifested into my everything. I can hear a beat and instantly come up with lyrics. Music brings out the best in me, the me that brings me purpose, that brings me the sense of belonging. And although it was fun as a kid, I felt like I didn’t make it a priority over other things going on in my life. Now I am here; I have my daughter, she is my priority. Music is my gateway to give her the life I never had. Also, a platform to use to show others…THEY are NOT alone. I’m set, I’m focused, I have that 2020 vision. This is my year.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. The older I get, the more I realize my upbringing was not “normal.” Nature vs Nurture, we KNOW what we are taught, that lifestyle of abusive stepfather, physically abusive to my mother, mentally and emotionally abusive which then poured over unto me. The psychological trauma of having to run and even the traumatic experience of living in a shelter designated for women or seldom men experiencing Domestic violence. Having to let go of the resentment for my mother was also difficult. However…I am proud of the man that I am becoming today. I work hard, full-time job, full-time parent. and a full-time rapper.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I do music. I am working towards building a brand, one that encompasses a humble yet, driven artist. A rapper who the youth can relate too…and the older generation can respect. I attempt to captivate the younger generation with showing them I can make it out of the struggle, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be rapping…but just by determination. I attempt to captivate the older generation by showing them my ability to PUT THOUGHT into my music using wordplay, witty punchlines, double entendre’s while maintaining the depth of my message.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory or memories I should say. Is spending time with my mom at her school or in the studio after she got out from her own sessions. I remember sitting there, listening to the playback and thinking how magical it was to hear her through those speakers. I didn’t understand at the time what was going on, however I loved hearing her sing and it would bring me peace. I loved leaving the studio late at night and hopping on the bus stop to go home. It was her sanctuary, she was dedicated and regardless of the time, circumstance or environment my mom rolled with the punches and rolled to do what she loved best. It inspired me to, and also showed me to go 110 percent all the time.

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Image Credit:
Both images with my Harley Davidson Throw over leather jacket are credited too @phlixphotography

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