From the time Stephen Hoston III was a kid, he just wanted to bring family together. During family fun days, he would lead the charge picking games for the family—and be the most competitive player.
One game, Rock Band, involved different families competing against each other, and it made the whole family better. “At first I couldn’t hold a tune or play an instrument but when Stevie was through with us and the competition, I knew how to hold a tune and play the drums,” his mother, Charriba Featherston, said laughing.
He grew into a wonderful person “who wasn’t into the streets, he didn’t do any drugs, he was a big kid, a good guy,” she said. “And all we want is our Stevie back.”
Obviously, it’s been hard since he was killed on March 15, 2022 near where he grew up in Frankford. But the crime was only made worse because he was walking with his girlfriend, a nice and a nephew when he was shot. He was 30, and one of Charriba’s two children and her only son.
Despite Charriba’s separation from Steve’s father when he was 6, he grew up with both parents very active in his life. That didn’t stop him from acting up, but in his mind it was for a good cause. “He would skip school to get us to have a conversation in hopes we would work it out and get back together again because he just wanted his family back together again,” Charriba said. “He didn’t know sometimes people could remain friends and co-parent together not being under one house.”
When he realized his plan wouldn’t work, that’s when Stephen turned to the community and found comfort in assisting his neighbor, Miss Leaks, with things she needed done around her home. No matter if it was raking the leaves, cutting grass or cleaning out her basement, he’d lend a hand, sometimes not even telling his mom the good deeds he was up to. “Even when I got on him about him not coming straight home he wouldn’t tell me what he was doing,” she said. “I would put him on punishment and all but he would keep his mouth shut, that’s the kind of person he was. He would not throw no one under the bus to save himself.”
“As a teenager Stevie got into rap and I was his momager,” recalled Charriba. His stage name was Kaficus. “He was very talented. Meek Mills manager saw him at a couple of Show Cases and met with us in hopes to sign him but neither one of us was feeling the deal he was offering him so we declined.”
Stevie left home at the age of 20 years old to go work in Texas for a relief disaster contractor where he assisted with rebuilding homes after the worst happened. Once he completed that job he remained in Texas working for Wells Fargo at a Call Center answering calls.
While in Texas he made many friends who became family. They truly loved and adored him for his good natured personality, and it was there he filmed a music video.
Once he returned back to Philadelphia he worked at a place in South Hampton where he manufactured ovens. In his down time, he committed himself to the community by assisting young men not living up to their full potential by helping them to find housing and employment.
He and his nephew, Nasir Featherson, had planned on moving into their own place together so that he could continue to teach him about becoming a man. “I’m angry that my Uncle Daddy was murdered. He has been with me all of my life,” Nasir said. “He taught me a lot, I was looking forward to the move and now he is gone.”
Resources are available for people and communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Click here for more information.
Leave a Reply