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Patrick Chavez a.k.a. Flight Patrick Chavez a.k.a. Flight is a South Central Los Angeles rap artist who writes lyrics and sings songs with a heart that is learning from joys and sorrows and a voice that soulfully pours hope upon fear and tough times. Born and raised in the inner city of LA, Flight lived the first 21 years of his life in the same house, but there was little refuge from violence and heartache. At home was his alcoholic father and a mother trying to cope. Outside, in South Central's rough streets, known for gang-banging, the sound of gunshots was (and is) all too common. Just walking around with his favorite style of shirt that happened to have colors similar to a local gang's colors nearly got the young Flight, who is of Mexican heritage, beat up. A gang member confronted him about the shirt, and only Flight's ability to talk himself out of tight situations saved him. Even school provided little escape. One of Flight's earliest memories is being in 2nd grade and hearing what he thought were fireworks, only to turn the corner and see someone lying dead, shot right in front of the school. Inside, school was little better, like an armed encampment, with armed security and weapons checks every day. Racial tension between Mexican and Black also fueled the mayhem. At least the basketball court offered some solace. Since attending school wasn't safe, Patrick gravitated to sports instead. He has never gotten into alcohol or drugs and partying – he has seen too much suffering from his dad's drinking. Since Flight was 14, his dad was an alcoholic – a former boxer whose drinking ended his career – and mom drank to drown out dad's drinking. Around 2004 his parents decided to try to change their lifestyle. They got involved in church, and for awhile it helped dad avoid partying. But after periods of 5 or 6 months of sobriety, dad would come right back to his old ways, helped along by mom's brother, who was also into drinking. It was in 2007 while Flight was at the church in Southgate, that he became friends with Michael Jelks, who was making music, doing Christian rap. Up until then, Flight hadn't known about rap and had little interest in it. He also had little interest in church – except for the fact that Southgate was a much safer place than South Central, even though it was just a few minutes away. And the church had a basketball court. So all Flight was thinking about was one day becoming an NBA star. As Flight's friendship with Michael grew, Flight became interested in music for the first time in his life. He was also finding a love interest – Michael's sister. They were just 16. Now attending International High School in Southgate, the school was strict, and in order to see his girl, he had to go to school extra early. In the meantime, Flight had begun writing songs but technically he didn't really know what he was doing. He found beats from the internet and wrote whatever story he came up with from his head and his experiences. His voice! His sound! It was blowing people away! His friends couldn't believe what they were hearing. His singing voice sounded as if he had been doing it for years. For Flight, it was second nature, and he realized that this is something he can really do…and do really well! In 2011, he produced his first EP mixtape, for the first time consistently spending time in a studio. It was called Golden Days and Purple Nights, or GDPN. It received good responses, and slowly Flight began establishing a loyal base. About 2 years after he first met his girlfriend, they got married in 2012 on his birthday. They were both 18. The responsibilities of married life kicked in. To bring in enough money, he got a job as a car salesman. It was a mentally draining, 13-hour-a-day job that left him no time to work on his music. In 2014, his first child, a daughter, was born, but the job kept him away from home, and he missed much of his daughter's early life. He felt he was hooked forever into the car business, which brought in the money. His dream of being in the music business was slipping away. Desperate, he quit his job in 2015 and started doing Uber for awhile. He got back into doing music, and he managed to release his second mixtape, 24, in August. He did it quickly, though, without marketing it properly. Although he thought it would do really well, it did not. He was almost ready to give up. There were problems in the marriage. Communication was bad. Father at a young age. Financial problems mounting… Flight's life began turning downward. He ran. Ran from himself. Flight was in flight, but not flying to a good place. Instead of hustling for his family, he had an affair, doing stupid things. It was now early 2016. The friends and fans who had looked up to him for his devotion to clean living, breadwinning, and not drinking were disappointed in him for leaving his wife and child. They turned his back on him. Three or four months passed, and finally Flight began asking himself what could he do to get his family back. He ended his affair and broke up with the girl. Suddenly he was feeling a love for his wife more intense than ever before. Now he figured that his wife would welcome him back. But she didn't. Her heart had been hardened. She couldn't deal with all that he had done. She had also recently lost her mom to a drug overdose. She had adapted to life without Flight in it. So many feelings overtook him. Flight was selfish: Why shouldn't she want me back?! You have to take me back, I want you back. I'm going to be better. What if I never get her back? With all that fear and paranoia, selfishness and love, boiling over, he wrote another song: It is called "Over Thinking." It poured out of him, effortlessly, and it was the deepest song he has ever written. The energy and passion for making music and rhyme returned. Two months later, another song, "Story Time," poured forth. He soon did a "Mic Drop Challenge," the Power 106 radio rap competition. He submitted a video of some bars, and they chose him. He started winning. He went to the local studio and recorded "Story Time." It was a great experience. It also caught the attention of Ralph Ponce, who is mentoring and promoting Flight in the music world. Today, the songs continue coming out from him steadily and passionately. No longer crazy over his situation, selfishness and fear have been replaced with love and respect – not just for himself but for all who are in his life. He has a job, his mindset is different, and his marriage is slowly working out. Recording the greatest music of his life, Flight's future is looking bright. He still resides in South Central LA, but he has definite plans to move. His Flight to musical and personal success continues.