Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick White
Hi Patrick, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2009, in the small town of Gautier Mississippi, a couple of my friends decided to make a parody song of Bow Wow and Soulja Boy’s “Marco Polo.” I joined them. We went on to do a few more parody songs. I realized I actually enjoyed rapping and was decent at it. I also enjoyed the process of making music in general. My best friend Shawn Sutton and I went on to pursue music seriously within a year or two, forming the group DSB (Dem Southern Bastards). In 2015 DSB was transformed into THC (Tree High Camp). The mission statement of Tree High Camp is as followed:
Mission Statement
THC, the Fourth Turning, and the New Era
“We’re at the fourth turning, and this is when our generation takes over. There’s a good side and a bad side. A light and a dark. And we have been called to fight the darkness and glorify the light, that’s been our calling since birth. It’s the reason for everything. Our history tells us everything about our future, and that’s why they don’t want us to know our history. Because once you know where you came from, why you’re here, and where you’re going, you’re no longer lost. And once you’re not lost, you realize you have somewhere to be. And that’s what they don’t want… But that’s too bad. Because we’re behind schedule.
Tree High Camp is a collaborative effort to create music that changes lives.
Tree High Camp is the wave that follows the bomb of the 4th turning. Like what happened in the Hippie Era. Because of psychedelics and the positivity movement, as well as all the chaos and destruction in the world, everyone is now and will be riding a high of freedom, peace, and love for years to come. And Tree High Camp is providing the soundtrack to this high.
We’re not just providing Christian or positive music. We’re providing music that encompasses all spirituality. All ideas, and faiths, and wisdom. We provide science. We provide psychology. We provide inspiration.
The legacy of Tree High Camp will be thought of as educated, optimistic, hopeful, brilliant, and energetic. We will drive society towards a new era of thought and lead the world to its next destination.”
Over the years, Shawn and I have thoroughly learned the processes of making music, creating clothing, graphic designing, marketing, promo, and running a business in general. We have been preparing for expected success since we began creating. And success is preparation meeting opportunity.
On a personal level, I left Mississippi in 2019, as I was called spiritually by God to do so. I left my family and my home, and went to Saint Louis, but I did not leave my passion or my business with my partner. In fact, what I came to realize is that the move was for me and for us. Shawn understood this and supported my decision. Upon arrival in St. Louis I soon met my now wife, and I was elevated to a new career, working with the city of St. Louis. With the support of my wife, family, friends, and coworkers, our dream of Tree High Camp is becoming a reality. Shawn is in Louisiana now, but Tree High Camp is still a Mississippi-based company. We are spreading roots across America.
The intention of THC is not simply to be a music business, but a multi-layered corporation, under which every talented and skilled person we know can find a place and success. We plan to have any and every kind of business possible operating under our brand, by friends and family, to grow lives and careers, under a roof of faith and positivity and love. I am a Christian rapper, but Shawn makes motivational grind music for hustlers and entrepreneurs. We have different styles, but we share our higher perspective of life, and that’s what the Tree High Camp brand is about.
We have one artist signed under Tree High, by the name of J-Giiifted. His music revolves around exploring the spiritual plane, having awareness, and being open-minded. He is on brand with the camp in regards to higher level thinking and perspective. What we are doing now is just the beginning of a lifelong plan to elevate our families from poverty and low-minded thinking.
Alright, 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?
Definitely not. I struggled with my self since I was born. As an adult, this impacted all of my relationships, romantic or otherwise. I didn’t know who I was or why I was the way I was. This struggle with self was paralleled by my struggle with understanding God. I was raised in church, but began to question the Bible as a young adult. I studied all religions and beliefs for years, all the while still making music. My music shows my spiritual journey just by the words I use, the topics I discuss, and my attitude during it all.
What I’ve learned is that without knowledge of self, you cannot know God. And if you don’t know God, you can’t accomplish anything. So no matter what gifts I was either born with or cultivated in my life, as long as I was lost with no identity, I would never succeed. So our business always had potential, and we always had some level of faith, which is why we never quit. But we did not truly know ourselves or God. So as He taught my brother (Shawn) and I who we were, He also taught us how to be who He wanted us to be, who He created us to be. The whole point of life is to become something. We start off as nothing, born lost into sin, and then God shows us who He is by what He does through us. To have what God has for you, you have to become the person who deserves those things. And that’s what my journey has been about.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Christian rapper and I am skilled with everything involved surrounding that, including graphic design and video-editing, etc. I make all of my music myself, from the beats to recording to vocal engineering. I create my own album cover art. I make my own music videos and social media content. I get help with any of these things if I feel like I need it, but I truly don’t need it, you know? Being self-sufficient is something I’m proud of because it has taken years of work and God’s guidance. I have a Bachelor’s in Psychology and I do believe that what I’ve learned in regards to the human mind and behavior has led me to where I am today spiritually and mentally, and also aided me in my career as well. It has given me a purpose in my music, to reach the lost and understand how to relate to them, because I’ve been there. I was lost, then I was found, and I documented everything along the way. My understanding of humanity has shown me how to think on a personal level, to allow my brain to be transformed by God, as I first had to accept that I was broken, damaged, and needed to change. My keen understanding of what it is to be human and to be of God is what I believe sets me apart from most.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think the most shocking but also obvious thing about my brand is that I do smoke marijuana. Being a Christian and admitting this often serves as an immediate contradiction. However I believe that God put every plant here on earth for us, for a purpose. And I know the Bible says Jesus had eyes of fire. And Moses spoke to a burning bush. I think the biggest mistake man makes is that he forgets that God is in control of all things and that he created all things, for a purpose. And the purpose isn’t always just to test you.
The name Stoned Loner is a double entendre in itself. I originally thought of the name as a play on Kid Cudi calling himself the lonely stoner. I could relate. But I also paralleled that with the Bible verse about the woman at the well (John 8:7-11) where the townspeople crowding around told Jesus to stone her for committing adultery. And Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone..”
As time has gone on, I identify myself as the Stoned Loner with more pride than ever, because I know my purpose now. God wants us to know that we should be unashamed of our sin, because for one, He created us this way, and two Adam is the one that fell, causing us to be born this way. But even furthermore, we should be grateful for our failures and our lack, because it is by God’s design, so that He can be glorified. If we didn’t need Him to be upstanding and righteous, then we would never have a relationship with Him and He would never get the glory. I am not perfect. I never will be, because I’m in this human body.
The only man who could be perfect and was, ended up being killed for being who He was, because that is the nature of man. But he also wanted to die, so that we no longer would have to be perfect to walk with God. Instead we can now walk with Him on the inside of us, in the form of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Jesus left here for us. This is significant because the spirit of Jesus is God, with the experience of man. That’s why the Holy Spirit understands us and comforts us, because He knows, even if we were perfect, it would only increase the hate of the world against us. The Holy Spirit gives us grace and mercy and love and patience. So even if smoking was a sin, God forgives me, just as He forgives us all. We all fall short, in some way. But I walk along unashamed, because shame makes you hide from God, like Adam and Eve in the garden. Instead I will let my light shine and show my good works, despite those who attempt to stone me. Amen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Treehighcamp.com
- Instagram: Pat_wuz_here
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/axAERkGsXDExT8kL/?mibextid=kFxxJD
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/pat_wuz_here
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/treehighcamp
- Soundcloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/stonedloner
- Other: https://linktr.ee/treehighcamp
