It was just a few years ago that Steph Jones was making headlines for dating Jordin Sparks, signing a half a million dollar deal with Ludacris’ DTP label and being featured in videos all while turning heads in the industry. But what many don’t know is that he fell on hard times after he was dropped from the label, and not even his mom or Jordin knew that he was living out of his car.
Read more after the jump
Quay

He was making headlines on all of the blogs, meanwhile, he felt as though he had to continuously keep up a facade.
Steph, who now goes by his real name Garrain, recently caught up with Vibe Vixen’s VBlog and dished about his inspiring journey from being homeless while pursuing a music career to transitioning into a more fulfilling career as a health coach.

On living out of his car:
I was living from check to check. sometimes my phone had to get cut off. Sometimes I had to decide between putting gas in my car or food in my mouth. Years passed and I would make money here and there but just enough to get by. Eventually the bills were piling up and I had no money coming in. The lease was up on my apartment so I started staying at different friends houses. Then I felt like I was wearing out my welcome. Then I was like, I got my car.

On Perception vs Reality:
I was so numb with emotions I would just figure it out. Some days I went without eating and some days I would just cry myself to sleep in my jeep. Nobody knew that cause I had so much pride that I was willing to play the game of what people thought I was on the blogs. The more I felt separated from who I really was the more I was dying mentally. It was so hard to bounce back because I was so laser focused on music and me being talented in so many areas of my life that I didn’t even fathom the idea of entertaining anything else.

On Hiding His Situation From His Girlfriend at the Time, Jordin Sparks
“We didn’t live in the same state. I mean my mom didn’t even know. If my mom didn’t know and she knows everything, I could hide it from anybody.”

Two and half years living out of his jeep:
I put on an extra 30 pounds. I was 165 my whole life and I got up to almost 200 pounds. I would be crying in my jeep asking God why is this happening to me when I have so much to offer the world.

Today, He’s taking good care of his body and he has a new gig as a health coach with Herbalife that he says saved his life.

Source