Charles Wickham, who you may know as rapper Phat Adrenaline, was born and raised in Portland. When he talks about his music, he smiles wistfully, recalling memories of rapping with his friends. At 6 years old, he drew inspiration from his older brother, who would bring his fellow high school band members up to their attic to practice their sets. Charles would sneak up to the attic after them, watching and joining in.
He learned how to beatbox by “making random noises and picking up the beat of other people,” he said.
Charles advocates to “find your own style, make your own noises,” which is something he has done throughout his life in more ways than one.
Charles is 36 years old and the youngest of five children. He started a rap group in high school called “Shut the F*ck Up,” which featured him and three friends practicing at his house after school. They would use an old karaoke machine to record and play back raps and beats on top of each other and have their own rap battles.
As a young man, Charles was in and out of the legal system and struggled with addiction. He has been sober for the past seven years and is an active member of the Imani Center, a community resource that provides mental health and addiction treatment for the Black and African American community. Charles is in the alumni group, which means he goes to cultural and entertainment events with fellow alumni, as well as encouraging people currently in treatment. He goes to the Imani Center graduations, and talks to current participants to show them people successfully complete the program and that it is possible to get sober.
When Charles talks about his nieces and nephews, he practically glows. He cracks himself up, sharing funny stories about when they were potty training and reminiscing about when they were young.
Charles is also a member of the Knott Street Boxing Club.
“Nobody else can control how you act," Charles said. "Don’t let anybody else control how you act.”
Since he was 17, Charles has been trying to get his associate's degree, and he hopes to do it soon. He wants to get an associate's degrees in applied science/accounting and dreams of being a business owner in the future. He also hopes to get back into music.
Charles doesn’t know what the rest of his life holds, but he has “major hope for the future, I just gotta get through this here and now, gotta get through the present,” he said.
You can find Charles “Phat Adrenaline” Wickham at New Seasons Arbor Lodge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. You can also support Charles through @StreetRoots Venmo by entering his name and badge number (554) in the notes.
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