The Heaviest Hookups Interview [Exclusive]
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010Here’s something a little different. I’ve spoken with The Heaviest Hookups, a U.K based marketing firm who promote unsigned and unheard music to fans across the globe. With a huge list of artists on the CV, the Heaviest Hookups speak to me for an exclusive interview.
HHK: Thanks for speaking to Hip-Hop Kings guys. Can we give readers an insight into the operations of The Heaviest Hookups, and how you work behind-the-scenes?
THHU: Thanks for having us! What we do is provide a great platform for artists to get promotion, and also exposure, that they perhaps otherwise wouldn’t get. A lot of artists only promote to a niche audience, and because we work behind the scenes with artists from all different places, making all different types of hip hop, we can promote to a huge variety of different fans! We put together our mixtapes to sound different to everything else, and we think we achieve that!
HHK: You work with both U.K and U.S artists. How do you find your projects differ between the two? And is any nation generally easier than the other to promote:
THHU: The projects do differ, definitely. The UK mixtapes often have a wider variety of styles, from Road Rap, to the Lyrical Hip Hop that British MCs often produce. The US mixtapes are usually mainly street orientated. We feature a lot of Gangsta Rap, and Street Hip Hop, with a spattering of real lyrical talent, but the American mixtapes often don’t have as wide a spectrum of different styles! And I wouldn’t say that one nation is easier to promote to, I just feel that I have to promote different mixtapes to different audiences. Some UK Fans wouldn’t get some of the US mixtapes i have done, and some US Fans might not appreciate certain UK mixtapes. You have to be selective to draw people in, and then show them a broader spectrum!
HHK: If you could promote a project from any artist who would it be and why?
THHU: Honestly, if I could work with Giggs on a project, that’d be fantastic! I rate the guys music, and his work ethic. He’s one of the only people who has stuck to his sound even after being signed. I mean, how many other rappers get signed, and still include songs like Matic on a mainstream album? I’d also really like to work with Enlish on a project. I think he makes a different type of hip hop to most other artists, and lyrically he’s dope! We’ve spoken before, and thrown ideas about, so hopefully we can make something happen in the future!
HHK: We’ve seen a lot of artists hire P.R companies and managers rather than signing to labels and agreeing to the 360 deal. What does the future hold for independent artists trying to be recognised on either a national or international level?
THHU: I think that there are a lot of benefits to signing with a major, but you have to be careful, as there will be sacrifices. If you get the right deal, with the right people, then signing with a major can be the best way. If you want to really stay true to yourself, and the fans who you’ve gained so far, it seems that for the most apart, with only a few exceptions, staying independent is the only way to truly achieve that! Which is a real pity!
HHK: Do you find the music industry to be as negative as a lot of rappers claim in their lyrics? And vise-versa, what positives do you see when running campaigns for artists?
THHU: I don’t think it’s negative. I think people are about their business, and have much more of a business mind. Artists I deal with know that they have to work with companies like The Heaviest Hook Ups to really reach a big number of fans. We’re still growing, we’re still getting the brand known, but there are other organisations like us that help rappers get to where they need to be. So I don’t think the music industry is negative, I think that artists are finally accepting the fact that more often than not, the music industry requires subtle changes to be made, although if artists are forced to change their sound beyond recognition, then i’m inclined to say it is negative. You just have to be careful. The positives I see are that so many artists are welcoming, always happy to send tracks, do exclusives and much more!
HHK: Which projects are you currently working? And what are your other plans for 2010?
THHU: We’re working on pushing our ‘The UK Ain’t A Joke’ series of mixtapes, we’re trying to push the solo mixtapes we’ve done with American artists such as Jav Tha Yungsta, XSF, Young Steve, Peanut, Dev Tha Chaser and Sixx Figgaz. We’ve got lots of things coming out in the rest of the year. A dope project with a rap group from California called Grand Angel, some projects with The Dragons, also from Cali. I work closely with the whole Gorilla Pits family from out in America as well. I’m working with AG from Arrangatang Gang on a mixtape, I’m working with Young Joose on something as well. We’re also starting up an Irish Hip Hop mixtape series, so that should be very big! When it comes to the UK projects i’m working on, I have some work with Newcastle rapper Suus coming out, a project with Grove, who is from Plymouth, a mixtape with Koinz, a project with Math out of Birmingham,
HHK: Is there anything further you’d like to add to the interview? And where are the best places readers can check for updates?
THHU: I’d like to give a few shout outs. Thanks to everybody who has been down since the start. Big ups to: Grand Noble, Archangel, El Tumi, XSF, K-Loc, Tone Bone, Remy Red, Tre Mak, Green 2th, Young Marv, Haji Springer, Pablo Fetti, Quest Mcody, So O.D., JSB, Dev Tha Chaser, Peanut, Merksmilez, Young Byrd, Rob Baysicc, Mack Wasey, Grizzly, Yarrow Slaps, Sixx Figgaz, Steve Da MLB, Young Steve, Ricta, Jav Tha Yungsta, Bigboy Strikes, Late, Tricksta, Everybody at Wolftown, Ramone Jones, Arrangatang Gang, Shigady, Purp Reynolds, Koinz, Math, Grove, Young Joose, Taktikz, Canibal Lecture, Fem Fel, Gorrilla Sawnoff, Switchblade, Youngs Teflon, S.A.S., Sincere, and every other artist i’m working on projects with or has sent me tracks!
The best place to go to check the mixtapes is: http://www.datpiff.com/profile/HeaviestHookUps/mixtapes/
Every mixtape is on there. It’s free to listen without an account, and it’s free and easy to set up an account at datpiff.com, then you can download the mixtapes!
Follow us on Twitter @HeavyHookUpsUK If you’re a UK Artist, or @HeaviestHookUps if you’re an International artist!
If you’re a rapper, email us your tracks to theheaviesthookups@gmail.com
Thanks Hip-Hop Kings for the interview!
HHK: Thanks again for speaking to Hip-Hop Kings.Com. Good luck for the rest of the year and keep in touch!
Interview by Ryan Maxwell
HHK: Thanks for speaking to Hip-Hop Kings guys. Can we give readers an insight into the operations of The Heaviest Hookups, and how you work behind-the-scenes?
THHU: Thanks for having us! What we do is provide a great platform for artists to get promotion, and also exposure, that they perhaps otherwise wouldn’t get. A lot of artists only promote to a niche audience, and because we work behind the scenes with artists from all different places, making all different types of hip hop, we can promote to a huge variety of different fans! We put together our mixtapes to sound different to everything else, and we think we achieve that!
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