HIP HOP DESTINATION: HOUSTON TEXAS... LEAVE THE GRILLZ AT HOME

Here's the deal... Spyn Cycal is going to give you little mini interviews with cats Spyn Cycal thinks are worthy of your time... Stay tuned..

1.H.I.S.D WAS ESTABLISHED WHEN?

Summer of 05’. We wanted something that was synonymous with Hueston and what we represent, so one day, after months of being nameless, we met over at Scottie Spitten’s AKA Lenoge house to deliberate on what we would call ourselves. And after countless corny names, Scottie jumped up and was like H.I.S.D, yeah, “Houston Independent Spitten District.” We were all like naw, but after a few minutes and a few laughs, we were like hey, that is kind of dope. Plus people from Hueston will get a kick out of it because we flip what Houston ISD is known for and give it a new life and definition. We feel that there is a lot of symbolism that can be derived from that name, so we’re running with it. The ‘S’ is interchangeable. It can also mean Style, Soul, Slang, Sound, School, etc. You choose what it means to you.

2.LIST OF MEMBERS

You got MC’s: Savvi, Equality, Ldavoice, Scottie Spitten aka Lenoge, and our Production Team GoldenSoulClassics which consist of King Midas,E.Classic, and Soul One (Who is also our DJ), and last but not least you have our visual artist, Flash Gorden Parks, and the designated hit/skit man, Furious Styles.

3.PHILOSOPHY BEHIND H.I.S.D

H.I.S.D. represents diversity in that fact that we bring many styles to the table, and people come from many walks of life, just like it is in the public school system. But we all have the similar, yet distinct journeys to reach our goals. We want to keep hip hop moving by putting out music that’s heart felt and authentic. Giving people something they can listen to no matter where they at or who they are with. They can put it on in the hood and cats be like “They be jamming”, or put it on over seas and people say “them dudes is nice” or with mom’s and she be like “I like that”. So when it’s all said and done, people can say HISD made good music. For us, at the end of the day, making good music and having fun doing it, is what we hope will give us that good balance.

4.DESCRIBE THE CREATIVE PROCESS WITH EIGHT MEMBERS

Contrary to belief, it’s not that difficult. We try not to make it more difficult than it has to be. The producers are so creative when they put beats together they pretty much know if it’s something for HISD or it’s something for some solo stuff. When the mc’s hear it we come up with a concept and write to it. If you’re not feeling it you don’t write to it. Everybody doesn’t have to be on every song, but when you have guys that have similar taste in music the process of making songs tends to be a little bit easier.

5.DESCRIBE THE HIP HOP SCENE IN TEXAS

I see the Texas hip hop scene as a sleeping giant waiting to be awakened. Very diverse and rich with high caliber hip hop. Industry eyes were on HUEston for a good minute and that's likely a sign of good things to come for the Texas scene generally speaking. Dallas/Fort Worth, Waco , Austin , etc. have been doing great things hip hop wise for a while. In my opinion, Texas lacks the infrastructure for arts and entertainment compared to other big markets in general, but at the same time, that can be seen as an opportunity for any driven individuals to create that infrastructure.

6.LIST OF CURRENT PROJECTS/TOUR DATES

Well of course you have the H.I.S.D.’s album, “The District” which is on tap to drop the end of October 30th. Blak Embassy is coming with “History n the Taking”. “Hueston Chronicles, 2nd Edition”, Savvi’s follow up is on the way. “Peace Uv Mine Experience vol. 1” compilation joint. Ldavoice is working on “The Re-Education of Ldavoice”. “Storm of the Century” Lenoge’s debut is coming. “The Rhyming” Spitten King’s release who consists of Scottie Spitten and King Midas. Euphonious is in the kitchen cooking up his 3rd release, “How to Make a Blue Day Orange”. The pipeline is thick and getting thicker, ya dig…As far as shows go, on October 13th at the Proletariat in Houston, we have a show with Tonya Morgan, the Album release party at Club Fame in Houston on October 28th and on November 9th in Salt Lake City on the roof of the Wells Fargo building we have a show with De La Soul and YZ. Can’t wait for that one.

7.EDUCATION APPEARS TO BE THE FOUNDATION FOR H.I.S.D. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION TO THE GROUP

It’s important in the since that people can look at us and kind of back off the stereotype that rap is ignorant and all rappers are gangstas and all the other negative thoughts people have about the game. The culture ain’t that black and white. Unfortunately there’s people out there that want you to believe that. It also helps in the since that we can touch on a lot of different topics not just a few. We’re not saying we’re better than anyone else because we got college educations. Honestly it’s not that hard, you just gotta want to do it. The hardest part about college is the money it costs to get in!!!!

8.WHEN YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO HIP HOP, YOU'RE LISTENING TO?

Scottie: I’m probably listening to Jamiroquai, or Sterolab or something

King Midas: Usually some 70’s music or something to chop up!

Savvi: Any progressive, soulful music, primarily 70’s, 80’s and international. Currently bumpin’ Peace Uv Mine artists Michele Thibeaux and Krystal Hardwick…

SoulOne: Right now Lee Morgan, Funkadelic, The Jacksons ...I like the Chrisette Michelle record.

Equality: Jazz (Lee Morgan, Art Blakey) some Gil Scott Heron, Eric Roberson and Amy Winehouse.

Ldavoice: some good Soul music, maybe some Rock, Jazz, Euro, House, etc.

Eclassic: Everything before the 80s.....mostly Soul Music.

9.WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IN HIP HOP?

Choice!!! Give the listeners a choice. When you listen to the radio or turn on the tv, you hear and see the same songs and videos over and over again. We’re not dissin what they play on the radio and show on tv, but play something else too. Hip Hop isn’t one particular style or type of rap. We should be able to turn on the radio and say “I know they gonna play something I like”, but we can’t do that right now. Listeners are smarter than they get credit for. You hear people say “that’s what they wanna here”. We believe that’s what they wanna hear because they’re not given an alternative”. Give the listeners a choice. We all got a voice to be heard.

10.LAST WORDS

Thanks to Spyn Cycal for supporting good music good hip-hop and definitely supporting H.I.S.D. Also All the people who paved the way for us to be able to express ourselves through hip hop, plus the people in Houston who might not be as known as others from the city, but who didn’t leave and stayed here though the tough times and held it down for the art even when others abandoned it, dissed it, told them to go somewhere else like the east coast, or who didn’t simply give up and switched over to other forms of expression such as, (K-Otix’s, Kay, Devin the Dude, LLF, Scarface, D-Rose, The Niyat, Flow Factory, DJ Cosmos, The Are, The Realness and countless others) Thank You and we will represent for you and yours.