He’s tired of the musicians who show guns and money in their music videos when they haven’t ever really lived that life. But mostly he’s tired of the music that glorifies that lifestyle, because it’s leading younger generations down similar dark paths and creating even more violence in places that have seen hardship for many years already.
BigMoneyHatcha calls out these “fake” artists with his most recent single, “HollyHood.” Born in the crime-infested streets of Flint, Michigan, and growing up in the tough streets of Killeen, Texas, BigMoneyHatcha knows the hardships of inner city life first-hand. He’s literally lived a life of crime and struggle, and seen people die – including an older brother who helped introduce him to music in the first place.
“My older brothers used to be rappers, and when I was around 11 or 12 they had a group,” BigMoneyHatcha said. “I remember the vibes I would get when I was around them. I loved it. I would skip school when I was in Jr. high just so I could go to their high school and hang out with my brothers. Every lunch hour they were freestyling, and the whole cafeteria would get pumped up. It made me pay attention to how they moved and how they recorded music. I seriously was all ears for anything they had to say. I loved music and I wanted to be like my older brothers. My second-oldest brother, John John, taught me how to roll a blunt and how to do a crossover in basketball and how to do pump fakes. And when he passed away – he got shot in the face – I got serious into music because I needed something to take my mind off of it. With him not being on the earth any more, it fucked me up. I focused my talents on sports and my depression and feelings on music. That’s when I really taught myself how to write music.”
As he evolved as a musician and became more involved in the local music scene, he was introduced to UGK, Swishahouse, FreeStyle Kings, Screwed Up Click, DSR and Clover Geez. He spent a few years being “baptized in the art of songwriting and freestyling.” Eventually in 2007 he moved to Sierra Vista, Arizona to “get away from it all.” He began experimenting with West Coast vibes and developed more fully as an artist. He gained increasing attention from fans and others within the industry, and eventually created his own indie label, 397MusicGroup. Today he and fellow label mate, Celly Kobaine, live in Phoenix and create music that they hope is authentic and inspiring to anyone who hears it – like his single “HollyHood.”
“I see a lot of how the industry is going and it’s just people being fake,” he said. “One of the main lines in this song is, ‘You ain’t HollyHood, you Hollywood for real.’ I see people saying they’re coming up from the hood but all they’re really doing is bringing the hood down. When you show guns and money on the street, how is that helping your brother or kid down the street? They grow up wanting to be like you, and your road only ends with you being dead or in jail. I’m trying to build something with my music and change the market. If I make it, I make it. And I’m betting everything on myself. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
To listen to BigMoneyHatcha’s music or to follow him on social media, please visit:
https://www.instagram.com/thereal397/?hl=en
https://m.facebook.com/397MusicGroup/
https://mobile.twitter.com/BigMoneyHatcha
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cIRzFAnK63A
https://m.soundcloud.com/the5napboyz
