The HipHop Artist from Houston
A note for ShortHog45: Uncle, I have seen you go through some things and come out of it like a champ. I’ve seen you work tirelessly on your music, building your label, and wanting to be the best you can be. You don’t allow anyone to tell you what you can’t be and if they do you make sure to apply pressure behind yourself and I love that! The confidence you have in yourself and your music is inspiring. You always say you’re gonna make it to be 180 years old and I always laugh when you say it, but you believe in speaking things into existence and that is a real power that a lot of us don't believe that we have. Words are powerful and you do your best to speak the best about yourself and others. You have come a long way and you have been an inspiration to so many. One thing I love the most about you is your heart and character. As much as you are hard on the inside and out, you have a soft spot for the people you love and that love you. I love that about you. I’ve watched you go through some difficult situations and as much as it was hard for you, you continued to try to keep yourself level headed and push through that shit. You’re strong & you’re worthy of happiness in this life and I hope you know that. I love you uncle Short! Now let’s get into this interview!
So tell us, where are you from and where did you grow up?
I'm from Waukegan, Illinois and I grew up in Houston, Texas on the Northside Trinity Garden.
Think back to when you were a youngin’, what was your first real experience with music?
One day I was at my sisters house and ran across a tablet. The tablet had a lot of writing in it so I thought it was like a love letter or something. So I started reading it and it and realized it wasn't a love letter cause of way it was written there were no punctuation marks. No commas, periods, or nothing like that. So I'm like man what is this? Just so happens it was my brothers tablet and he said man, that's my rap music so he start saying it to me and it was just different from what I had been reading. And from there that was pretty much it. That’s what inspired me right there from the jump.
What is your favorite childhood memory that involves music?
Growing up, my older family members would be throwing parties, banging that old blues, jazz and R&B.Those were my favorite memories.
Growing up, what or who inspired you the most to create? Not only music, but just create period. What influenced creativity when you were younger?
I think it's pretty much similar to everybody else. I mean the people you were around, the community, the environment. You didn't have too many choices to chose from… sports, music or the army and that’s it. And I wasn’t finna fight for no country I already own the land to.
How old were you when you decided to pick up a pen and write? What inspired you to start making music?
From age 11 to probably 15, somewhere in there during that time I got serious and really started writing, you know. I didn't record until I was 19 so that was just 4 years of writing music and the inspiration was knowing that I could do it.
Now that you’ve had real life experiences and have grown up, what influences your creativity?
What influences my creativity now is that I have had real life experiences. Those real life experiences; the good, the bad, the sad, the happy. I try to paint the best picture I can from those and create music.
How would you describe your style and what do you think influences the way you present yourself on a track?
I would describe myself as straightforward with punchlines. Now I am a meaningful writer, but with a vibe at the same time. My style was influenced by the way that I sound on the mic, you know. When you hear that recording and you hear yourself it's like okay… saying this and saying that and rapping like this or that sounds better to me, for me and for my style. So you do your best with that and when you know you sound fucked up, leave that to the engineer.
Everyone has a moment in their life in which there's a big shift in mindset, creativity, motivation, etc. What was the turning point in your life in which you knew you wanted to be more?
The turning point in my life when I knew I wanted to be more is when I knew it would be times that I wouldn’t have no one to run to but myself. So be all I can be to tackle whatever problems that I may have to face 'cause there will be times there is no one to help you but you.
What does originality mean to you and what would you say sets you apart from other artists that are coming up right now?
Originality to me means you’re not biting no one's style, flow, or melody. The way they sound, how they rap, how they come off or begin their music. You gotta have your own way and style and nobody else has it that way, it's selling and making money, and people like it and love it; that's originality. That’s what I have and that's also what sets me apart.
I know you’ve had some live performances and have done well! I’ve been in the crowd a few times myself! Think back to your first live performance and what that meant for you as an artist. Tell us a little about that.
My first performance meant a lot to me as an artist. I just knew that I had a craft that I could present to the people and they would love it, you know. I was never shy like that so it was a big thing for me to get on stage and do my thing. But now that I'm a solo artist, now that I do things by myself, I feel like I have more of a job or duty to display myself the proper way and make sure I'm understood.
What does your creative process look like? What atmosphere do you set for yourself when you’re getting ready to write a song? What do you do when you hit creative blocks?
My creativity process atmosphere is having a drink, laughter, food, happiness and a lot of tracks playing, a lot of different beats playing, you know. While I listen to this track, I'll let that track play while letting another track play too. Something from one of the tracks will catch my attention and that sparks the writing. It's like the tracks speak to me. They speak words and I'm able to hear what it's saying and I'll write them down it's crazy.
But, when I hit a creative block I like to exercise, I cook, I go chill around my peers and other people that I know to get my mind to clear itself the natural way.
Tell us about your record label House of Game Muzik and how that came about. I’m gonna tell you it's inspiring to see someone starting out with their own name and not up under someone else, no matter how big time they are. It’s the type of inspiration that young people need. Also, what are your plans for House of Game Muzik within the next few years?
Well yes, I have my own record label House of Game Muzik LLC. That was inspired from my brother having HOG Entertainment and I just took the HOG and made it House of Game Muzik. We were all writers and performers and doing music so I felt like aye we all men that got a good mindset, got game, so let's make this House of Game music thing jump off and it pretty much went from there.
What is the one song you’ve written that had a deep impact on your soul and your mind as a whole? A song that when you were done writing it, you almost felt relieved because you unpacked something deeper than just words over a hype beat. What inspired this song?
Oh that's a hard one. The song that had an impact on my mind and soul would have to be one of the songs on my upcoming album. If not one maybe two or three of them off of the album. Just be on the lookout for it because it's a lot. There is one song though on the album and during this time I was at a certain point in my life and that song came to me. It just gave me a bunch of relief because everything that I was saying on that track was facts.
I’ve listened to your Spotify playlist a few times and I gotta say if I had to pick some favorites, they would be My one and Only, She’s On, I’m On, and my My Angel Sing. I’m On is definitely one of them songs I’d blast pulling out the lot with my windows down, LOL. Out of those 4, which one is your favorite and which one did you have the best time recording?
Yeah my first album is up on Spotify and all major platforms. My favorite one I would say is "She's On". I had the best time recording that one because I was put to a challenge that I couldn't write to that track end up killing it.
I’ve heard one of your newest songs, Keep Begging. I like it. That beat has a jazz type feel which I love. When I hear it I envision a woman who attempts to present herself as something smooth and jazzy, hence the beat, but as somebody with the game, you know that she ain’t bout what she say she is. What inspired this song? Was it one single woman or a compilation of women you’ve had encounters with?
Yeah my newest song that I'm releasing is Keep On Begging. The song was inspired by running into women that was always give me give me give me give me give me give me give me give me give me give me.
What is something you have to say to the younger generation of rappers who are just out here right now with a dream and hoping to some day turn it into reality?
I would say if you got that dream keep pushing bro. Don't ever let nobody tell you that you can't, that you suck, none of that. Show them and prove them wrong when they tell you something negative about something you think is positive.
I know you were an 80s/90s baby so music growing up for you was a lot different than what it is now. What are your thoughts on the direction that rap and hip hop are headed?
Yeah you know I was born in the 80 raised in the '90s so I'm really a 90s baby 'cause those were my teenage years. My thoughts on the music from that time in the 90s to now is that there's a difference with the flow, the delivery and the message. But it's all still Hip Hop and it's still being rapped by brothers, sisters, Latinos, etc. So it's still all hip-hop but in the South we call it Southern rap.
Do you have any major projects that you are currently working on? Any shows coming up soon that we should be looking forward to?
Right now I'm currently working on my second and third album and I'm putting my videos into work and looking to schedule shows and pretty much just staying busy. You ain't been seeing me post much on the internet and things like that 'cause I really been busy perfecting my craft. Stay tuned in though later this year or the beginning of next year because you be hearing new music, seeing new videos, reading new blogs, and watching new interviews from ShortHog45 and House of Game Muzik.
When you're not creating music what do you do to keep yourself level-headed and focused?
I exercise, I meditate, I cook good food, you know.. grow my plants and deal with a bunch of my pottery and stuff. I may go out here and there; restaurants, Sports Bar, have a couple of drinks with my buddies and then I'm back to the house exercising, meditating, planting and taking care of myself trying to stay the fuck out of trouble.
What are you most thankful for in your life right now?
What I'm most thankful for in life right now living is being able to wake up every morning and breathe, use my arms, legs, eyes, ears, you know... use my toes to walk here and there... the fact that I can see and smell, get upset get happy, be sad, frown, smile. I'm very happy and blessed to have those things.
What is the end all goal for your life personally and professionally? What will be the catalyst in your life that will make you say, damn, I have finally made it?
The end goal for my life personally and professionally for me to say I've made it is when I've made my record label just like all of the other independent major record labels. I have sold diamond and gold plaques, I have signed artists that have done the same. When I can say that I have written movies, done television shows, toured the world, wrote songs for other artists, performed with other artists, worked with other major artist, that's when I would feel as if I've made it. Being able to say I've taken care of my family and my friends. Making sure to love myself, love my creator the heavenly father, and most of all honor my mother and father for creating me and bringing me in this world and giving me the will and power to know that I have to fight for myself and giving me the direction to know this is the way to go. To be able to see my kids grow old and have grandchildren and they grow and I can see that, be here for that and see us all living long in this world. Yeah, that'll be a blessing.
Do you have any shout outs you want to give to any special people in your life?
Yeah I like to give shots out to halfpint a killer, Beethoven, Johnny boy, kool beans, Mac, nap dog, Shane, my mother, my father htown, Deams Street, the block, the country and everybody I didn't mention, I love y'all.
I'm from Waukegan, Illinois and I grew up in Houston, Texas on the Northside Trinity Garden.
Think back to when you were a youngin’, what was your first real experience with music?
One day I was at my sisters house and ran across a tablet. The tablet had a lot of writing in it so I thought it was like a love letter or something. So I started reading it and it and realized it wasn't a love letter cause of way it was written there were no punctuation marks. No commas, periods, or nothing like that. So I'm like man what is this? Just so happens it was my brothers tablet and he said man, that's my rap music so he start saying it to me and it was just different from what I had been reading. And from there that was pretty much it. That’s what inspired me right there from the jump.
What is your favorite childhood memory that involves music?
Growing up, my older family members would be throwing parties, banging that old blues, jazz and R&B.Those were my favorite memories.
Growing up, what or who inspired you the most to create? Not only music, but just create period. What influenced creativity when you were younger?
I think it's pretty much similar to everybody else. I mean the people you were around, the community, the environment. You didn't have too many choices to chose from… sports, music or the army and that’s it. And I wasn’t finna fight for no country I already own the land to.
How old were you when you decided to pick up a pen and write? What inspired you to start making music?
From age 11 to probably 15, somewhere in there during that time I got serious and really started writing, you know. I didn't record until I was 19 so that was just 4 years of writing music and the inspiration was knowing that I could do it.
Now that you’ve had real life experiences and have grown up, what influences your creativity?
What influences my creativity now is that I have had real life experiences. Those real life experiences; the good, the bad, the sad, the happy. I try to paint the best picture I can from those and create music.
How would you describe your style and what do you think influences the way you present yourself on a track?
I would describe myself as straightforward with punchlines. Now I am a meaningful writer, but with a vibe at the same time. My style was influenced by the way that I sound on the mic, you know. When you hear that recording and you hear yourself it's like okay… saying this and saying that and rapping like this or that sounds better to me, for me and for my style. So you do your best with that and when you know you sound fucked up, leave that to the engineer.
Everyone has a moment in their life in which there's a big shift in mindset, creativity, motivation, etc. What was the turning point in your life in which you knew you wanted to be more?
The turning point in my life when I knew I wanted to be more is when I knew it would be times that I wouldn’t have no one to run to but myself. So be all I can be to tackle whatever problems that I may have to face 'cause there will be times there is no one to help you but you.
What does originality mean to you and what would you say sets you apart from other artists that are coming up right now?
Originality to me means you’re not biting no one's style, flow, or melody. The way they sound, how they rap, how they come off or begin their music. You gotta have your own way and style and nobody else has it that way, it's selling and making money, and people like it and love it; that's originality. That’s what I have and that's also what sets me apart.
I know you’ve had some live performances and have done well! I’ve been in the crowd a few times myself! Think back to your first live performance and what that meant for you as an artist. Tell us a little about that.
My first performance meant a lot to me as an artist. I just knew that I had a craft that I could present to the people and they would love it, you know. I was never shy like that so it was a big thing for me to get on stage and do my thing. But now that I'm a solo artist, now that I do things by myself, I feel like I have more of a job or duty to display myself the proper way and make sure I'm understood.
What does your creative process look like? What atmosphere do you set for yourself when you’re getting ready to write a song? What do you do when you hit creative blocks?
My creativity process atmosphere is having a drink, laughter, food, happiness and a lot of tracks playing, a lot of different beats playing, you know. While I listen to this track, I'll let that track play while letting another track play too. Something from one of the tracks will catch my attention and that sparks the writing. It's like the tracks speak to me. They speak words and I'm able to hear what it's saying and I'll write them down it's crazy.
But, when I hit a creative block I like to exercise, I cook, I go chill around my peers and other people that I know to get my mind to clear itself the natural way.
Tell us about your record label House of Game Muzik and how that came about. I’m gonna tell you it's inspiring to see someone starting out with their own name and not up under someone else, no matter how big time they are. It’s the type of inspiration that young people need. Also, what are your plans for House of Game Muzik within the next few years?
Well yes, I have my own record label House of Game Muzik LLC. That was inspired from my brother having HOG Entertainment and I just took the HOG and made it House of Game Muzik. We were all writers and performers and doing music so I felt like aye we all men that got a good mindset, got game, so let's make this House of Game music thing jump off and it pretty much went from there.
What is the one song you’ve written that had a deep impact on your soul and your mind as a whole? A song that when you were done writing it, you almost felt relieved because you unpacked something deeper than just words over a hype beat. What inspired this song?
Oh that's a hard one. The song that had an impact on my mind and soul would have to be one of the songs on my upcoming album. If not one maybe two or three of them off of the album. Just be on the lookout for it because it's a lot. There is one song though on the album and during this time I was at a certain point in my life and that song came to me. It just gave me a bunch of relief because everything that I was saying on that track was facts.
I’ve listened to your Spotify playlist a few times and I gotta say if I had to pick some favorites, they would be My one and Only, She’s On, I’m On, and my My Angel Sing. I’m On is definitely one of them songs I’d blast pulling out the lot with my windows down, LOL. Out of those 4, which one is your favorite and which one did you have the best time recording?
Yeah my first album is up on Spotify and all major platforms. My favorite one I would say is "She's On". I had the best time recording that one because I was put to a challenge that I couldn't write to that track end up killing it.
I’ve heard one of your newest songs, Keep Begging. I like it. That beat has a jazz type feel which I love. When I hear it I envision a woman who attempts to present herself as something smooth and jazzy, hence the beat, but as somebody with the game, you know that she ain’t bout what she say she is. What inspired this song? Was it one single woman or a compilation of women you’ve had encounters with?
Yeah my newest song that I'm releasing is Keep On Begging. The song was inspired by running into women that was always give me give me give me give me give me give me give me give me give me give me.
What is something you have to say to the younger generation of rappers who are just out here right now with a dream and hoping to some day turn it into reality?
I would say if you got that dream keep pushing bro. Don't ever let nobody tell you that you can't, that you suck, none of that. Show them and prove them wrong when they tell you something negative about something you think is positive.
I know you were an 80s/90s baby so music growing up for you was a lot different than what it is now. What are your thoughts on the direction that rap and hip hop are headed?
Yeah you know I was born in the 80 raised in the '90s so I'm really a 90s baby 'cause those were my teenage years. My thoughts on the music from that time in the 90s to now is that there's a difference with the flow, the delivery and the message. But it's all still Hip Hop and it's still being rapped by brothers, sisters, Latinos, etc. So it's still all hip-hop but in the South we call it Southern rap.
Do you have any major projects that you are currently working on? Any shows coming up soon that we should be looking forward to?
Right now I'm currently working on my second and third album and I'm putting my videos into work and looking to schedule shows and pretty much just staying busy. You ain't been seeing me post much on the internet and things like that 'cause I really been busy perfecting my craft. Stay tuned in though later this year or the beginning of next year because you be hearing new music, seeing new videos, reading new blogs, and watching new interviews from ShortHog45 and House of Game Muzik.
When you're not creating music what do you do to keep yourself level-headed and focused?
I exercise, I meditate, I cook good food, you know.. grow my plants and deal with a bunch of my pottery and stuff. I may go out here and there; restaurants, Sports Bar, have a couple of drinks with my buddies and then I'm back to the house exercising, meditating, planting and taking care of myself trying to stay the fuck out of trouble.
What are you most thankful for in your life right now?
What I'm most thankful for in life right now living is being able to wake up every morning and breathe, use my arms, legs, eyes, ears, you know... use my toes to walk here and there... the fact that I can see and smell, get upset get happy, be sad, frown, smile. I'm very happy and blessed to have those things.
What is the end all goal for your life personally and professionally? What will be the catalyst in your life that will make you say, damn, I have finally made it?
The end goal for my life personally and professionally for me to say I've made it is when I've made my record label just like all of the other independent major record labels. I have sold diamond and gold plaques, I have signed artists that have done the same. When I can say that I have written movies, done television shows, toured the world, wrote songs for other artists, performed with other artists, worked with other major artist, that's when I would feel as if I've made it. Being able to say I've taken care of my family and my friends. Making sure to love myself, love my creator the heavenly father, and most of all honor my mother and father for creating me and bringing me in this world and giving me the will and power to know that I have to fight for myself and giving me the direction to know this is the way to go. To be able to see my kids grow old and have grandchildren and they grow and I can see that, be here for that and see us all living long in this world. Yeah, that'll be a blessing.
Do you have any shout outs you want to give to any special people in your life?
Yeah I like to give shots out to halfpint a killer, Beethoven, Johnny boy, kool beans, Mac, nap dog, Shane, my mother, my father htown, Deams Street, the block, the country and everybody I didn't mention, I love y'all.