Fred Whitlow II - No More Dirty

No More Dirty Inc.

By Terry L. Watson

Photos by Charles Beason

Frederick Whitlow II is affectionately known as “Mr. Fred, Minister Fred II, and Mr. Whitlow”. The Huntsville, AL resident loves people and is passionate about helping disenfranchised and underserved communities. He serves these areas by meeting their needs, including health, financial literacy, and economic stability. He also assists these individuals with discovering and embracing their purpose, worth, and potential.

He meets no strangers! If you know Fred, then you know that he’s exceptionally intentional about helping others learn their worth and purpose. He is a 2011 graduate of Oakwood University and the founder of No More Dirty Inc., Stric’ly Jesus Inc., and Stric’ly Jesus Records - [No More Dirty Entertainment].

A native of Newburgh, NY, Minister Fred is the son of an educator and minister. He launched Stric’ly Jesus to produce Christain Hip-Hop music to negate many negative images portrayed through hip-hop and rap music. As an artist himself, he understood how powerful the impact of music has on shaping lives. He began writing songs and recording with artists who had the same passion. This resulted in him writing multiple songs, producing six compilations and four albums of his own, with two radio hits, “It’s a Love Thang”, and “God Is Good”. He also produced two urban remixes of the traditional hymn,“Trust & Obey” and “Holy” (Youtube and Vimeo).

Under his Stric’ly Jesus label he also produced a radio show called “Saved 2 Da’ Bone”, and produced over 25 Christian Rap and Hip-hop albums for other artists. “It is through reaching individuals that churches may not come by, I became more aware of the real needs of the community which led me to create my nonprofit, No More Dirty, Inc,” he says. As the Founder and Executive Director, he identifies, develops, and provides real solutions, including urban interventions and community initiatives that transform lives, especially those in underserved and disenfranchised areas.

“Part of No More Dirty, Inc.’s purpose is to make lasting changes in the community. Our message encourages and promotes good citizenship, economic growth, unity, peace, social accountability,” Minister Fred says. He partnered with fraternities, sororities, and community leaders to facilitate a voting initiative to encourage public housing residents and others to register to vote. This initiative produced nearly 12,000 registered voters, with approximately 3500 individuals registering for the first time or since the 2008 election.

Minister Fred and No More Dirty, Inc. joined forces with several community organizations to bring awareness to the history of the confederate monument previously located on the Madison County Courthouse steps for 115 years. Along with the Rosa Parks Committee lead, Black Lives Matter- Huntsville, INC., and others, they successfully relocated the monument to the Confederate cemetery in Huntsville.

“God made it happen. That position was open for individuals with a bachelor’s degree, and I didn’t have any degree at the time.”

He has also organized the Good Music & Arts Festival, the first-ever in Huntsville. The event is a (Family-Friendly) free event that partners with nonprofits and vendors to share positive and inspirational music, including creative expressions in spoken word, mime, art, and food. At the event, employment opportunities and community resources are also available.

Minister Fred says he got the calling from God to serve many years ago while visiting his parents in New Orleans. He had gone there to help his parents move, but while sleeping one night, he heard the voice of God speak to him. “ He told me to stay in New Orleans and be a blessing. I was hesitant but recognized how good God had been to me in the past, so I surrendered to his request. I said, “Lord, if I do this, it’s gotta be better than what you’ve already done.” His reply, “This is bigger than all the world”. So, I relocated to Louisiana,” Minister Fred says. Next, he was asked to become the Youth Pastor of a large congregation. He then spoke to the young inmates at the Bridge City Correctional Center For Youth under the D.O.C. in Louisiana. The next day, they offered him full-time employment with benefits and retirement to become the Assistant to the Warden and Assistant Chaplain for religious Services, and he accepted. “God made it happen. That position was open for individuals with a bachelor’s degree, and I didn’t have any degree at the time,” he says. Being there helped him see first-hand what brokenness looked like and its devastating impact on families, including incarceration, homicide, suicide, and generational deterioration of an entire community. From 2005 to 2006, even while surviving Hurricane Katrina, Minister Fred realized his calling. In 2006, he relocated back to Huntsville, AL, and the rest is history.

Some of the other community initiatives that Minster Fred is involved with is CampSMART, a two to three-week interdisciplinary enrichment camp for youth ages (9-16). The camps focus on critical thinking through Creative Writing and Performance Art, Critical Thinking through Science, Technology, Education, Engineering and Math (S.T.E.E.M.), Rockets, Robotics and Research, and Critical Thinking through Film, Music, and Media Production.

There is also the The Greatness Project, whose focus is to understand how communities and culture impacts youth. No More Dirty, Inc. has developed a unique interdisciplinary character development initiative called Greatness. It is designed for youth and teens ages 11-19 who have been negatively impacted by brokenness, interruption in family life, violations, and unforeseeable happenings.

Another program they offer is The Session: Bible x Beats x Bars, which helps broken people heal and grow. It takes place every Saturday at 2:00 pm at Minister Fred’s 21st Century community-based urban center, The Spot Where Lives Transform. He also has the No More Dirty Radio Show & Podcast, which airs on both terrestrial stations, online and on streaming platforms such as G93 Radio at 5:00 pm, 103.1WEUP at 6:00 pm. The No More Dirty Podcast can be listened to anytime and worldwide on all streaming platforms like Anchor, Spotify, and AppleMusic. The No More Dirty TV Show airs on Friday evenings at 7:30 pm CST, on YouTube and Facebook.

Stric’ly Jesus began in the early 1990s while Minister Fred served diligently with citywide programs, such as the “DARE Program ‘’, “The Night Out Against Crime” and the at-risk male initiative, “COARMM”. He not only served in the role of Youth Pastor at the New Life SDA Church, he also launched a late night urban intervention initiative in his church gymnasium called, “B.B.P.” [“Basketball, Bible Study and Praise”]. “This was unique because it was done when there was a lack of resources needed for community development. We also addressed the pressures of school truancy, teen pregnancy, unemployment, fatherlessness, and the slow introduction of gang-affiliated recruitment activity,” he says.

He created a space for adolescents, teens, and young adults and bridged two unlikely associated worlds, the unchurched and the church. He opened the church gymnasium from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am and helped thousands of youth and young adults find their purpose.

First and foremost, Fred says his mother has always been his number one supporter. He also credits his English professor, Dr. Ramona Hyman, for being articulate and a great communicator while remaining culturally relevant. He says the late Dr. E. E. Cleveland taught him to speak the truth and profess Jesus, be relatable, without compromise. “He was my pastoral role model who I saw as my spiritual father,” he says. Finally, he shares how Kwame Ronnie Vanderhorst gave him a non-traditional image to look up to.

Minister Fred plans to have No More Dirty Campus in every underserved and disenfranchised community moving forward. He also plans to create No More Dirty Academies for youth and teens. Additionally, Minister Fred intends to expand his media platforms to national syndication. He expects this expansion will provide a safe environment for creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs who desire to be change agents to create while using morality and clean content as the standard for success.

To learn more about Minister Fred Whitlow II, and to partner and support his programs, please visit his website.