It took just one tour bus getting lost to inspire long-time barber and rapper Malichi Male to leave Toronto behind.
Back in 2016, Male, 47, was set to perform in London, Ont., but found himself 30 minutes south of the city, in St. Thomas.
That unexpected detour changed Male’s life forever.
“I was dumbfounded because I seen stuff I never seen before,” recalls Male, who has seven kids.
In St. Thomas, children were playing outside alone and friendly folks greeted him on the street-something he noted doesn’t happen as much back in Toronto.
Male started a clothing line called Saint T to celebrate St. Thomas. It includes a Jumbo line, an homage to the elephant that died in the city in 1885 after he was struck by a train. (Submitted by Malichi Male)
Male’s family left Uganda when he was young and spent several years living in New York before moving on to Toronto.
“I lived in some really rough housing projects: Rexdale, Parkdale, and Jane and Finch,” he remembered about his time in Toronto.
Just weeks after that stopover in St. Thomas-and with a thriving barber and clothing shop he’d opened at age 19-Male decided to move his family there.
A couple of years later, he opened another barber shop in St. Thomas and launched the clothing brand Saint T Apparel-which pays tribute to the city-also opening two more locations in Rodney and Ingersoll.
“When I first got here, many people-especially teenagers-felt ashamed of being from St. Thomas,” he said.
“Sometimes when you live somewhere for too long, you don’t appreciate it until someone new comes along and tells you that ‘The grass isn’t always greener.'” p >
“You’re living on very green grass right now,'” he explained. p >
That sentiment inspired his song titled “St. Thomas Proud.” p >
