I recently got the chance to chat with up and comer G.HOOD, about his music, and his daily grind.We discuss current Baltimore Hip-Hop, his studio, and his approach to shedding limelight on our city.
His production has a pop appeal , but he manages to keep it street. - Ryan Lyons
His production has a pop appeal , but he manages to keep it street. - Ryan Lyons
I actually believe that hip hop chose me. Its funny because ten years ago, if someone told me that i would be doing this, I would've said "your crazy"! It started when i was going to Chinquapin ( middle school in North East Baltimore), and before school started, the hustlers would be outside free-styling, at lunch, and again after school. We played around with it but we thought we were sure enough rappers. I loved the attention. Fast money felt good but this was a universal language, that came risk free. Hip hop was a force to be reckoned with. I was already into the jewels, money, girls and the kicks but hip-hop was a culture that somehow kept the average young black kid divided but equal to his surroundings. I never really was big on friends or clicks but this gave me more purpose and sense of family than anything else. My plans for success are quite simple: produce more, perform more, and collaborate with other artists outside of my genre and class of music. Just go hard and never take no for an answer.
I know you have a studio. Talk about your education, and how long you have been engineering?
Yes, i do have a studio. The studio is called F&R studios and the company is Felony Reckedz Ent. I run analog and digital formats, offering mac-based recording with pro-tools and pc-based recording with cu-base. I started engineering when i was 16yrs old and I'm one of the four self-owned and self-ran studios in northeast Baltimore that offers booth-to-shelf services and everything in between. I have sold more than 500 tracks, and recorded more than 100 artists. My education was tricky. I started out at Morgan State, but i wasn't happy. In my first year, i remember sitting in class telling myself that i didn't want to look back 10 yrs from now and say I should have, when I could just follow my dream now. I left Morgan to attend SAE in Manhattan, New York. I commuted twice a week for two years straight while holding down a part-time job. With support from my mom, sister, and girl, I graduated in 08' with a diploma in music business and certification in audio engineering.
"A lot of Baltimore artists make songs and shout out streets names, "Bmore" this, and "Murderland" that. I don't do that.." - G.HOOD
Who are your inspirations? Who did you grow up listening to?
I have many inspirations. My relationship with my dad is the biggest. I know it sounds cliche but his absence in my life was my biggest motivator. There's others like life, my girl, Run-Dmc, Rakim and Krs-one that i feel paved the way for artist today. Rakim for the flow, Run-Dmc for the show, and Krs-one for the difference and genius in lyricism. I grew up listening to 50's soul and 80's hip hop; that's all my parents played. But I fell in love with rock music when i was about 14.
What makes your music different? Why should someone pick up a G.Hood CD?
My music is well-defined as hip-pop. I actually listen to more rock than anything, so involving it in my music was a must. I set myself apart from other artist in the city by not letting my city define my music. A lot of Baltimore artists make songs and shout out streets names, "bmore" this, and "murderland" that. I don't do that or make club music. I want it to be as universal as possible. Someone in cali cant relate to a park heights or a chicken box, you feel me? And i'm not scared to step outside of my genre. The only reason someone should pickup my cd is to hear something different. Nothing on my cd sounds like any of the music on the radio. If so, there would be no reason to by the cd right? Listeners get tired of that fruity aerobic music, you know those songs that instruct you to dance and move around. I'm 200 plus pounds Ryan, I try to keep it as simple as possible my dude!
Your single "glydin", as well as others have garnered some attention on the internet? what do you attribute that success too?
I credit all of that to the bad music people hear from day to day. Like i said, if your not Beyonce, people don't want to be told to dance. The music should have enough energy to make them want to move. The song "i'm glydin" felt like a hit. There are so many songs about Prada, Polo, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, but no-one talked about the skater trends, the shades, and the fact that you don't have to spend $500 just to look like a grand. I'm a big fan of shades. I think people forget that it doesn't matter what you have on, but the right pair of shades can set everything off. It's a song for those that are fly because they know it and not because of anyone's confirmation.
Check-out his single "Glydin" below:
G.HOOD - "I'm glydin" by abaltimorelovething
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