On Thursday evening, EmEz spoke with Hip Hop Artist H-D and instantly addressed the fact that he sounds like the legendary rapper, Jay-Z. We quickly realized that H-D truly does sound like him! When asked how he feels about this, H-D responded so humbly by stating that he saw it as a huge compliment and had no negative light on it. He felt that being compared to one of the greatest of all time was a phenomenal thing but throughout his career, he has been able to separate himself not only through the production of his music but through his story as well.
H-D went on to say how he draws inspiration from the late, great, Kobe Bryant, with how he handled people comparing him to the living legend, Michael Jordan. Although him and Kobe were both inspired by the greats they were compared to, it's important to remember that they “are cut from a different cloth.” What a dope analogy to make! He also felt that because of this flattering comparison to Jay-Z, his music has to be just as good if not better than him since he strives to have a long, prosperous music career similar to the man who is partly responsible for inspiring his music.
H-D went on to shed some light on his own story. He shared how he had a rough upbringing due to losing some family members, including his own brother, at an early age, and being exposed to gun violence & violence as a whole. Although he currently resides in Long Island, H-D is a Brooklyn native, however he feels fortunate to have left the community he grew up in because the people in his environment were encouraging him to take a different route; a route that we can assume had nothing to do with him following his dreams to be successful in the music industry. Despite his rough background, H-D chose to follow his dreams.
EmEz mentioned that he read that H-D derives from a “thick music background,” which he confidently confirmed. He shared that his household was musically driven, so much so that day and night, Soul and R&B music penetrated the walls of his home.
At some point, H-D lost his love for music and joined the Marines. Although he was pursuing his music career at the early age of sixteen by performing and winning at showcases, H-D had a mature knowledge and way of doing music. Unfortunately, he still was being turned away from the record deals he was trying so hard to secure. After all that rejection, he began to believe the best thing for him to do was to enlist in the military since that would give him something more stable to fall back on. Despite his brief separation from music, H-D found his way back to it, as most people do for the things or people they love. He said while in the military, he found his love for music again due to his colleagues reminding him how good he still was at it once he shared it with them.
What does the future hold for H-D and his music? He plans on being an icon for the people. Although he would love to obtain all the big awards like a Grammy and such, H-D strives to be an advocate for the culture and social issues. He doesn't do music for all the accolades but more so for his genuine love and passion for it. “I want to give people a story, and to tell a story for the people that aren't able to share their story or they are reluctant to tell their story. So that’s what I’m here for.” H-D is definitely more than focused on following his life’s purpose for sure.
H-D believes that Jay-Z has heard of him, but he believes like Kobe had to do for Michael, he has to prove himself, be consistent and stay focused for someone like Jay-Z to actually acknowledge him. EmEz then asked him to give us a quick 16 bars, and after he blessed us with that amazingness, he confidently, yet humbly said, “it’s simple,” while we are left in awe of his talents.
Catch the full interview below on EmEz’s Youtube Channel “The Sitdown with EmEz.”
(Photos Courtesy of Instagram)