Meet Hoodie Allen! This New York based rapper and songwriter is currently blowing up and if you haven’t heard him yet it’s just a matter of time before you do. Providing catchy beats and witty lyrics, Hoodie is a force to be reckoned with. His exciting genre-bending style is new and refreshing and the young rapper shows tremendous potential.
Recently we had a chance to sit down with Hoodie and talk to him about his music, his career, his latest mixtape and more! Check out the interview below.
We Got This Covered: How did you get your start in the music industry?
Hoodie Allen: I don’t know if I’m in any music industry [laughs]. I love making music, it’s my complete passion and it’s awesome that people have taken well to it.
WGTC: What led you to music though? Did you always want to work in some way with it?
HA: Absolutely, I’ve been writing since I was very little…before I could really comprehend why I was doing so.
WGTC: Out of all your songs do you have a personal favorite?
HA: Very hard to pick, it definitely changes based on my mood [laughs].
WGTC: Fair enough, what about inspirations? Who would you say inspired you musically? Any artists in particular?
HA: Outkast, De La Soul, David Bowie, Queen and A Tribe Called Quest.
WGTC: And were these guys the ones who inspired you to start writing in the first place?
HA: No, I can’t really tell you why I liked the idea of rhyming and telling these stories at a real young age. Definitely something innate but as I really started listening to music and hip hop in particular then those artists were huge influencers and teachers for me.
WGTC: And what about your samples? How do you choose them?
HA: I pick music that I love and that I want to pay homage to and think is cool. I try to make something different out of it.
WGTC: You’ve been known for being so accessible to your fans, which is a great thing by the way. Why have you decided to go this route, because as we know, so many artists are the complete opposite.
HA: I want to have a special relationship with my fans, I want them to really grow with me and see what it takes and for them to be there for a lifetime.
WGTC: And as you get bigger and more popular, do you hope to keep as accessible to your fans?
HA: Absolutely, it doesn’t get easier but it’s the least I can do to show them how much their support means to me.
WGTC: Well we definitley appreciate you being so accessible….Let’s talk about Pep Rally for a bit, where’d the name come from?
HA: I thought it captured the energy of the record. Something new and exciting.
WGTC: Were you surprised at the very positive response it has been received with or did you know you had a hit on your hands?
HA: I was truly am proud of Pep Rally and thought it was a project that totally had the potential to blow up. I had really lofty goals for it and those goals were exceeded.
WGTC: Now I have to ask about the track January Jones, is that named after the actress?
HA: Yes it is.
WGTC: Are you a Mad Men fan?
HA: I am though I gotta admit I’m totally slacking on it.
WGTC: What season are you up to?
HA: I’ve seen episodes from every season and yet I still totally fuck up by not being able to sit down and watch it through. #lifeontheroad
WGTC: Hopefully you’ll get caught up soon. Can we talk about RJF for a minute, how did you start working with him?
HA: We went to college together. Met there.
WGTC: Why do you think you guys work so well together?
HA: We just bring out the best in each other I think and have very similar tastes musically.
WGTC: Did you have to cut any songs off Pep Rally and if so, is there any chance we’ll ever hear them?
HA: Yeah we cut quite a few but kind of before they got to a place where we would show anyone.
WGTC: Alright, well I’ll let you go but before I do, can you tell fans what’s next for Hoodie allen? Album or mixtape? And when can we expect to hear more from you?
HA: I think you’ll have another free mixtape and a proper album in 2011 from me. Just stay tuned, I want to constantly be putting out so much different content and build the Hoodie Mob!
WGTC: Perfect, sounds great, we can’t wait! Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, we really appreciate it, and good luck with everything.