Angelo Antonio Ellerbee is a force of nature! He has earned every career title that most people have sought once to achieve. Ellerbee is a best-selling author, history maker, media guru, filmmaker, executive producer, manager, fashion designer, and a whole institution.
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Ellerbee is modest about his overwhelming success because what he values most is: He is a child of God! “That is what they don’t tell you,” he said. And he credits Eva, his late mother with giving him everything else he needed to succeed.
My mother for me was everything God planted inside of her. And she delivered it to me, and not just me, but also her other six children. My mother was romantically in love with her last-born son, which is I. My mom used to come into my room at like 6:00 in the morning before going to work and ask: Did I tell you I loved you? I would say mom it is 6:00 in the morning. No, girl, you did not tell me that, but I love you too.”
Ellerbee says it was that kind force and energy from his mother letting him know she accepted him; she loved him, and she wanted me to be the sprout as she planted the seed and watered me every day with love and devotion.
And sprout he did! Ellerbee started his career in the fashion industry, for which he also credits his mother and his sister, Rose who was an Ebony Fashion Fair Model. “I loved clothes,” he said.
He recounts, when he was a teenager, he obtained a credit card from a store known today as Macy’s. “Every day after school, I would ride the bus and get something new. I never thought I would have problems with that credit card. Yeah, I learned later what this would do to my credit as I got older,” he said.
Because clothes were always important to him, they helped him launch his first business. He designed women’s evening wear, which were in major department stores. The income from his business helped contribute to household bills.
“We all had to contribute to the household,” he added.
Ellerbee shared a funny story about how his mom would unplug all the phones in the house and take them to work with her to prevent having an excessive telephone bill with seven children in the house.
His transition into the music business progressed when James Mtume’s wife asked him to design the cover for Mtume’s hit “You Me and He.”
It was Mtume who encouraged Ellerbee to work with other music artists, which led to the launch of Double XXposure Public Relations.
Ellerbee has worked with everybody who is anybody from Michael Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, Shabba Ranks, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and more with artist development, a key component of the music industry.
He was known as the Henry Higgins of Hip Hop for the strict wardrobe requirements of his staff.
Because of Ellerbee’s significant contributions to the entertainment and music industries, he was a “History Maker,” who is archived in the Library of Congress.
His latest book, “Before I Let You Go,” is not about him, he says, but is an appeal to those who are HIV positive, homeless, shut out, or incarcerated, because we are all sinners.
“This book is telling you God loves you and will give you a chance,” he said.
Proceeds from the book sales will go to Project WOW, an LBGTQ organization in Newark, N.J., which helps homeless youth. Plus, he has established the Angelo Ellerbee Scholarship Fund, which supports basic needs of these youth.
“It’s all about giving back because you are not taking anything with you,” he added.
“Before I Let You Go” is available on Amazon. Please follow Ellerbee on Instagram, Facebook, and X @DoubleXXposure.