THE HOODIES
ELLENVILLE, NEW YORK THE HOODIES
ARGUABLY ONE OF THE BEST AT BACK TO BACK RAP GROUPS IN RECENT YEARS, THE HOODIES REPRESENT THE HIP-HOP CULTURE FOR THE NEW NEW YORK. THE BROTHERS, E-CLASS, AGE 21 AND YOUNG POPPA, AGE 13, ARE VIRAL RAP STARS. THEY HAVE BEEN FEATURED ON THE ELLEN SHOW, THE DJ KAY SLAY SHOW, FUNK FLEX SHOW, SHOWOFF RADIO WITH STATIK SELEKTAH... AND THATS JUST FOR STARTERS. THE HOODIES HAVE ALSO CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF HIP-HOP MOGULS, SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS AND CURTIS "50 CENT" JACKSON. VALIDATED RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH THE HOODIES TO DISCUSS EARLY INFLUENCES, SACRAFICES, COMPARISIONS AND MORE.
VALIDATED: WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR RAP GROUPS NAME "THE HOODIES"?
THE HOODIES: WE ARE FROM ELLENVILLE, NY. OUR RAP NAME "THE HOODIES" COMES FROM OUR FATHER WHO GAVE US THE NAME DERIVED FROM THE WAY AMERICA PRECIVES YOUNG BLACK YOUTH IN HOODS.
VALIDATED: GROWING UP, WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WAS PLAYED IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND HOW HAS IT INFLUENCED THE MUSIC YOU CREATE?
THE HOODIES: CLASSIC 90'S HIP HOP, R&B, DISCO AND SOFT ROCK. OUR FAMILY IS VERY DIVERSE WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC. WE LISTEN TO ALMOST EVERYTHING BUT WE ARE MOSTLY INFLUENCED BY HIP HOP. IT INFLUENCED US BECAUSE IT RELATES TO SOME OF OUR SITUATIONS GROWING UP. MUSIC THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE.
VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROWING UP AND HOW IT INFLUENCE YOU?
THE HOODIES: THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE GREW UP IN IS A SMALL TOWN IN UPSTATE NY. "THE VILLE" ELLENVILLE. THERE'S NOT MUCH IN OUR TOWN UNFORTUNATELY SO YOUR OPTIONS ARE LIMITED. WE ARE USING OUR VOICES TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO BRING BACK SOME POSITIVE CHANGES TO OUR TOWN.
VALIDATED: WHO ARE THE HIP-HOP ARTISTS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR FLOW AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING DID YOU BORROW FROM THEM?
E-CLASS: TUPAC, 50 CENT, JADAKISS, JAY-Z, NAS, TSU SURF, NIPSEY HUSSLE, J.COLE, ETC. THEY ALL JUST RELATED TO ME AND SPOKE TO ME THE MOST OUT OF ANY RAP ARTIST. I BORROWED A COUPLE THINGS FROM THEM BUT I REALLY TRY TOO BE MYSELF WHEN I RAP.
YOUNG POPPA: 50 CENT, NAS, ICE CUBE (NWA), SNOOP DOGG, JADAKISS, TUPAC, BIGGIE, LIL WAYNE AND E-CLASS. I BORROWED BIGGIES NICKNAME (POPPA) BECAUSE OF ALL THE COMPARISONS I WAS GETTING TO BEING THE NEXT BIGGIE. LOL I TAKE THAT ON WITH PRIDE! OTHER THAN THAT I TRY TO STAY MYSELF TOO BUT I DEFINITLEY HAVE VERSES THAT COULD GIVE YOU THAT JADAKISS OR BIGGIE FEEL.
VALIDATED: WHAT SACRIFICES HAVE YOU MADE TO INVEST IN YOUR ARTISTRY?
THE HOODIES: WHEN YOU'RE INVESTED IN A DREAM YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO SACRAFICE ALOT OF THINGS. RELATIONSHIPS, POSSESIONS, FRIENDS, FAMILY, TIME, AND MONEY. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE LOST ALONG THIS JOURNEY. BUT WE KNOW WHAT THE MAIN GOAL IS, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT IF THOSE THINGS WERE LOST GOD KNEW WE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEM! YOU CANT STOP THE UNIVERSE.
VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP, THE CULTURE?
E-CLASS: MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP IS BEING IN THE CRIB AS A BABY RUNNING AROUND LISTENING TO NORE "SUPER THUG". I WAS 2 YEARS OLD AND THAT WAS MY FAVORITE SONG. LOL
YOUNG POPPA: MY EARLIEST MEMORY IS LISTENING TO LIL WAYNE, DRAKE, AND YOUNG JEEZY "I'M GOING IN". I USED TO GET CRAZY WHEN I HEARD THAT SONG AND I WAS LIKE 3 YEARS OLD. LOL
VALIDATED: WHATS THE FIRST HIP-HOP ALBUM YOU PURCHASED?
E- CLASS: 50 CENT "GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN" AND G-UNIT "BEG FOR MERCY".
YOUNG POPPA: LIL WAYNE "CARTER 3".
VALIDATED: WHAT IS THE MAIN INSPIRATION BEHIND THE RHYMES YOU WRITE?
E-CLASS: THE STRUGGLE, MY DAUGHTER, MY FAMILY, AND MY SURROUNDINGS. I USE ALL MY PAIN, LOVE AND HUNGER AND PUT IT INTO MY ARTFORM.
YOUNG POPPA: MY BIG BROTHER IS MY INSPIRATION! I SAW HIM OVERCOME SO MUCH AND IT MADE ME WANT TO JUMP IN THIS GAME. HE USES IT AS THERAPY AND NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY. THATS MY INSPIRATION.
VALIDATED: YOUNG POPPA, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE COMPARED TO ONE OF THE BEST TO EVER TOUCH A MIC, THE NOTORIOUS BIG?
YOUNG POPPA: IT'S A HONOR! I'M ONLY 13 AND TO BE COMPARED TO ONE OF THE GOATS IS CRAZY! IT MAKES ME WANT TO LIVE UP TO THE HYPE.
VALIDATED: YOUNG POPPA, I READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU STARTED RAPPING AT 4 YEARS OLD. BASICALLY TRYING TO DO WHAT YOUR BIG BROTHER WAS DOING. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SEE EVERYONES REACTION TO YOUR RHYMING ABILITY?
YOUNG POPPA: IT FEELS GOOD. ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE SAY CLASS IS MY GHOST WRITER. LOL I USED TO GET TIGHT BUT NOW IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN KEEP UP WITH MY BIG BROTHER.
VALIDATED: E-CLASS, CAN YOU RECALL THE FIRST TIME YOUNG POPPA SPIT A VERSE THAT MADE YOU SAY THIS KID GOT BARS!
E-CLASS: I HAD A CYPHER AT MY CRIB WITH A FEW OF THE HOMIES AND HE CAME ON THE PORCH AND STARTED WILDIN! HE HAD TO BE LIKE 5 YEARS OLD AND HE SHUT THE WHOLE CYPHER DOWN!
VALIDATED: WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST MEMORABLE MOVEMENT FOR "THE HOODIES" SO FAR?
THE HOODIES: IT'S A TIE BETWEEN ELLEN AND FUNK FLEX. THOSE TWO MOMENTS REALLY CHANGED OUR LIVES IN A CRAZY WAY. WE COULDN'T BE MORE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPURTUNITY TO BE ON THEIR PLATFORMS.
VALIDATED: WHATS YOUR REACTION TO THE BUZZ SURROUNDING THE "BELLY" SINGLE PRODUCED BY STAN DA MAN?
THE HOODIES: BELLY WENT NUTS WHEN IT DROPPED! WE WAS SPINNING ON SHADE 45 FOR WEEKS, GETTING PLAYED IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND CONTINENTS. IT WAS AN AMAZING FEELING! SHOUT OUT TO THE OG STAN DA MAN, WE DEFINITLEY MADE A CLASSIC AND MANY MORE TO COME!
VALIDATED: WHEN CAN FANS EXPECT YOUR "FAMILY BUSINESS" PROJECT?
THE HOODIE: (TIME IS ILLMATIC) NAS VOICE!
VALIDATED: WHICH PRODUCERS AND ARTIST ARE YOU WORKING WITH ON THIS PROJECT?
THE HOODIES: THE PRODUCTION WAS DONE WITH DIZZY BANKO, HONARABLE C-NOTE, AUTOMATIK BEATS, EMAN MUSIK, LITEBIZ, STATIK SELEKTAH, MONEYMARK, STAN DA MAN, TRIGGA T, KOVORKIAN, 805 AND RON BROWZ. ARTIST FEATURED ON THE PROJECT IS SIGNATURE MONROE, RON BROWZ, K-SHINE & DNA AND EMAN MUSIK.
VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT OTHER VENTURES YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
THE HOODIES: WE CURRENTLY HAVE A COLLABORATION WITH "8&9 CLOTHING" THAT IS AVAILABLE NOW AT WWW.8&9CLOTHING.COM. WE ARE IN PRODUCTION WITH A SOCK DEAL WITH "STRIDELINE" SO "THE HOODIES" SOCKS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON. WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PROJECT OUT IN PHILLY WITH JAHLIL BEATS THATS GOING TO HAVE SOME HEAVY PRODUCTION. SHOUT OUTS TO KAY AND WONDER.
VALIDATED: WHERE CAN THE READER SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR MUSIC ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA?
THE HOODIES: SOUNDCLOUD- THE HOODIES
YOUTUBE – THE HOODIES
INSTAGRAM – THEHOODIES_ & YOUNGPOPPA_845
FACEBOOK – THE HOODIES
SNAPCHAT – ECLASS_845
TWITTER – THEHOODIES_ & YOUNGPOPPA_845
ALSO GO COP/LISTEN TO "MONEY MOVES" AND "HOODIE SEASON" BY "THE HOODIES" ON ALL DIGITAL STORES AND STREAMING SERVICES!