HOCUS 45TH

BRONX | HOCUS 45TH

INTERVIEW: KIM "GOODLOOK" SEABROOK

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP HOP, THE CULTURE?

HOCUS 45TH: MY EARLIEST MEMORY WOULD HAVE TO BE THE MUSIC. MY FATHER WAS A BIG HIP HOP HEAD. HE INTRODUCED IT TO ME AT A YOUNG AGE AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT INSTANTLY. SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY THEY TOLD STORIES BUT MADE IT RHYME INTRIGUED ME.

VALIDATED: BEING A BRONX NATIVE HOW HAS THE BOROUGHS CULTURE INFLUENCED YOU AS AN ARTIST?

HOCUS 45TH: IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TO BE PUSHING FORWARD A CULTURE THAT WAS CREATED IN MY HOMETOWN. IT INFLUENCED ME IN SO MANY WAYS. I KNOW HIP HOP IS GLOBAL BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S MY DUTY IN A SENSE TO CARRY ON THE TRADITION. I LOVE HIP HOP AND COULDN'T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT IT.

VALIDATED: YOU WERE INVOLVED IN A GANG, SEX, MONEY, MURDER. WHAT MADE YOU TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND TO PURSUE YOUR MUSIC CAREER?

HOCUS 45TH: IN 2008 I WAS INDICTED ALONG WITH 25 OTHERS ON CONSPIRACY AND OTHER RELATED CHARGES. I WAITED 4 YEARS ON RIKERS ISLAND TO GO TO TRIAL. I WAS FACING LIFE IN PRISON. YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SITTING THERE FOR THAT LONG YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO REFLECT ON YOUR LIFE AND THE MISTAKES YOU MADE. I DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE THAT LIFE ANYMORE. I MADE A PROMISE TO MYSELF THAT IF I MADE IT OUT I WOULD CHANGE MY LIFE AROUND AND ALSO TRY TO HELP OTHERS TO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES I MADE. AFTER 4 YEARS I WENT TO TRIAL AND WAS ACQUITTED AND NOW I'M HOME AND I'M HOLDING ON TO THAT PROMISE.

VALIDATED: YOU WAITED FOUR YEARS IN RIKERS ISLAND FOR A TRIAL AS MANY BLACK MEN DO FOR LESSER CHARGES. WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM?

HOCUS 45TH: OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CRIMINAL. THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCUSE FOR KEEPING SOMEONE IN JAIL HELD WITHOUT BAIL FOR 4 YEARS TO HAVE HIS DAY IN COURT. I WAS HELD ALL THEM YEARS JUST TO BE FOUND NOT GUILTY AND THROWN BACK IN THE STREETS TO FIGURE MY LIFE OUT. WHEN I WENT IN I LOST EVERYTHING. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM CAUSE OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CRIMINAL.

VALIDATED: WHILE BEING INCARCERATED YOU LEARNED A NEW WAY OF LIFE. VEGAN! EXPLAIN THAT TRANSITION AND WHAT IT HAS DONE FOR YOU AND OTHERS LIKE YOUR DAUGHTER.

HOCUS 45TH: YES! WHEN I WENT IN I WEIGHED 220 POUNDS. I WAS OBESE. I READ A BOOK CALLED "THE RAVE DIET AND LIFESTYLE" BY MIKE ANDERSON WHICH CHANGED MY LIFE. IT WAS A SIMPLE TRANSITION FOR ME. ANIMAL FOODS AND FOOD PRODUCTS ARE LINKED TO CANCER, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND OTHER AILMENTS. WE DO NOT NEED ANIMALS TO SURVIVE AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO ME TO PUT THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOODS ON THE PLANET IN MY BODY ALL THE TIME. AND THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOODS ON THE PLANET ARE PLANT FOODS. EATING MEAT IS A LEARNED HABIT. I'VE BEEN RAISING MY DAUGHTER AS A VEGAN SINCE BIRTH AND SHE WON'T EAT ANYTHING THAT EVEN LOOKS LIKE MEAT. SHE IS 3 YEARS OLD AND ALREADY HAS A YOUTUBE CHANNEL (ASTRACHAVI) WHERE SHE GIVES HEALTH INFORMATION AND MAKES VEGAN MEALS.

VALIDATED: IT LOOKS AS IF YOU HAVE TURNED YOUR PAIN INTO PASSION. HOW DO YOU INFLUENCE OUR YOUTH TODAY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED?

HOCUS 45TH: I INFLUENCE THEM WITH LEADERSHIP BECAUSE I LEAD WITH ACTON. PEOPLE FOLLOW ME RELIGIOUSLY AND I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT I AM HONORABLE. I DON'T COMPROMISE MY INTEGRITY AND MORALS FOR NOTHING AND I STAND UP FOR WHAT I BELIEVE IN. LIKE ITS REALLY NOT COOL TO BE VEGAN WHERE I'M FROM. LOL BUT I'M FEARLESS AND I DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE THINK. IF I SEE SOMETHING WRONG NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO SAY SOMETHING I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING. I THINK THEY SEE THAT AND THEY RESPECT THAT.

VALIDATED: YOU OPENED UP FOR DMX AND HAD YOUR SONGS PLAYED ON THE RADIO. OUT OF ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER?

HOCUS 45TH: THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER I WILL HAVE TO SAY WAS WHEN DMX TOLD ME THAT I AM GOING TO BE A LEGEND. HE'S A LEGEND HIMSELF AND THAT COMING FROM HIM IS REALLY INSPIRING. I LOVE X MAN. THE REALEST RAPPER AND ONE OF THE REALEST GOOD HEARTED HUMAN BEINGS YOU WILL EVER MEET ON THIS PLANET. I HAVE SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL. I CAN'T LET THE DOG DOWN.

VALIDATED: HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TIME THAT YOU WANTED TO GIVE UP? IF SO, WHAT WAS IT THAT KEPT YOU GOING?

HOCUS 45TH: MAN I CAN'T EVEN COUNT HOW MANY TIMES I WANTED TO GIVE UP. IF YOU'VE BEEN STRIVING FOR SOMETHING AND NEVER FELT THIS WAY THEN YOU'VE NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED NOTHING. THERE'S SO MANY FAILURES BEFORE SUCCESS. SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN GAVE UP. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT IS THAT KEEPS ME GOING. MY LIFE EXPERIENCES HAVE MADE ME RESILIENT. I HAVE SUPERHUMAN WILLPOWER AND I WON'T STOP UNTIL I STOP BREATHING. I BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE I KNOW MY PURPOSE AND MY PURPOSE IS MUCH GREATER THAN ME. YOUR PASSION IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR PURPOSE. SO IN PURSUING YOUR PASSION YOU WILL FIND AND COMPLETE YOUR PURPOSE. MUSIC IS MY PASSION. I CAN'T QUIT BECAUSE I HAVE A PURPOSE TO FULFILL.

VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU SEPERATE YOURSELF FROM ANY OTHER BRONX ARTISTS WHO ARE OUT NOW?

HOCUS 45TH: BECAUSE I AM A VEGAN WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO RAP ABOUT IT EITHER. I HAVE A SONG CALLED "WHY VEGAN" WHICH I DID A VIDEO FOR. AND NOT ONLY DID I GO TO JAIL, BUT I BEAT A TRIAL FACING LIFE IN PRISON CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY, LABELED THE LEADER OF A NOTORIOUS BLOOD GANG. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHERE I'M FROM. ALL MY BIG HOMIES ARE IN THE FEDS. I DIDN'T COME HOME TO DO THE SAME THINGS I DID BEFORE I WAS ACQUITTED. I'M USING MY MUSIC AND STREET CRED TO TRY TO MAKE A CHANGE. I'M LEADING BY EXAMPLE. GIVING THE HOPELESS HOPE. I'M A KID THAT CAME FROM NOTHING AND MADE SOMETHING OUT OF HIMSELF DESPITE ALL THE ADVERSITIES I FACED. I NEVER GAVE UP. WHEN THEY LOOK AT ME THEY TELL THEMSELVES IF HE DID IT I CAN DO IT TOO!

VALIDATED: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TODAY'S MUSIC AND THE INDUSTRY?

HOCUS 45TH: I LOVE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY NOWADAYS. SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE INTERNET HAS GIVEN ARTIST A PLATFORM TO GET THEIR MUSIC IN PLACES THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER REACHED. AS FAR AS THE MUSIC GO A LOT OF IT SOUNDS THE SAME.

VALIDATED: WHAT IS BANG BANG BOOGIE ENTERTAINMENT AND WHAT DOES IT CONSIST OF?

HOCUS 45TH: BANG BANG BOOGIE WAS CREATED BY ME AND MY BOY P.O. (RIP) IN 2008 BEFORE I GOT INDICTED. IT WAS ME, MYSONNE, LORD TARIQ, CUBAN LINK AND MY BROTHER S-1. WE WAS MAKING NOISE AND WAS EVEN COSIGNED BY 50 CENT BUT AFTER I WENT TO JAIL EVERYTHING KINDA FELL APART. IN THE NAME OF P.O. I DECIDED TO REVIVE THE COMPANY. IT'S SOMETHING WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT DOING TOGETHER BUT HE PASSED AWAY. BUT I NOW WORK WITH 2 NEW ARTIST HUSH MONEY AND RONYE. I'M HELPING THEM LAUNCH THEIR CAREERS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO REBUILDING THE BRAND WITH NEW TALENT.

VALIDATED: EXPLAIN YOUR GROWTH IN YOUR MUSIC AND ALSO JUST AS A PERSON SINCE 2008 WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED THE MOVEMENT BBB AND NOW.

HOCUS 45TH: I GREW A LOT MENTALLY. BEFORE I USE TO LIVE A LIFE WHERE I COULD HAVE DIED ANY DAY. BUT I MADE A DECISION THAT I WANTED TO LIVE AND JUST THAT LITTLE SMALL MIND FRAME SWITCH HAS CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.

VALIDATED: ANY INSPIRING WORDS FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING TO GET OUT OF THE STREETS BUT FIND IT DIFFICULT?

HOCUS 45TH: IF YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO GET UP OUT THE STREETS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION, "DO I WANT TO LIVE OR DIE?" THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. AND AFTER THAT YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE YOU ENSURE YOUR SURVIVAL. BECAUSE THERE'S A FEW THINGS I CAN ENSURE YOU ABOUT THE STREETS, YOU WILL BE SNITCHED ON, YOU WILL EITHER GO TO JAIL OR GET MURDERED, YOU WILL LOSE HOMIES TO THE GRAVE AND YOU WILL LOSE HOMIES DUE TO BETRAYAL, YOUR GIRL WILL BE SLEEPING WITH THE NEXT MAN ONCE YOU GO TO JAIL, I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH THEY ACT LIKE THEY DO DON'T NOBODY REALLY CARE. STAY OUT THESE STREETS, AIN’T NOTHING THERE FOR YOU! PURSUE YOUR PASSION SO YOU CAN FIND YOUR PURPOSE. REALIZE YOUR GIFTS AND CULTIVATE THEM. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE WHATEVER REALITY YOU WANT. YOUR MIND IS POWERFUL!

VALIDATED: WHAT IS YOUR WEBSITE AND/OR SOCIAL MEDIA?

HOCUS 45TH: FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @HOCUS45TH, TWITTER @HOCUS45TH_ AND FACEBOOK HOCUS45TH.