stic.man (born Clayton Gavin, 1975, Shadeville, Florida, U.S.) is a rapper, activist and author known for his work as one half of the political hip-hop duo dead prez along with M-1. He is known largely for their hard-hitting style and politically active lyrics, focusing on racism, critical pedagogy, activism against governmental hypocrisy, and corporate control over the media, especially hip-hop record labels. dead prez made their stance clear on their first album, declaring on the lead song, I'm a African that the group is somewhere between N.W.A. and Public Enemy.. stic.man was born and raised in Shadeville, Florida, a rural unincorporated community in the panhandle. His elementary school was predominantly white and rural, leading him to rap in the song They Schools I went to school with some redneck crackers. He used to relax on the campus of FAMU though he was never enrolled for classes. There he and M-1 met and connected due to their mutual love of music and knowledge. The two comrades' growing sense of Black pride and political theory served as a common bond as they joined various community groups, eventually forming dead prez as a rap group and moving to New York. After a chance meeting with Brand Nubian's Lord Jamar at a Brooklyn block party, the duo signed a recording deal with Loud Records, which released Let's Get Free in 2000. But even before the release of the record, dead prez amassed a strong and loyal underground following through their explosive live shows, ...