St. Louis talent Huey is a phenomenal artist with the world of Hip-Hop on his shoulders. You may know him best for his chart-topping single “Pop, Lock and Drop It,” but Huey is looking to astound the world once more with his long awaited sophomore album, Redemption. I was lucky to be able to sit down with him to chat about his hiatus, aspirations and vent with him about the current state if Hip-Hop.
Parlé Magazine: What have you been up to since your first album, Notebook Paper?
Huey: Nothing really man, just grinding. I’ve been working on getting myself into a better situation than the last one, but I’ve still been making music this whole time.
Parlé: With the success of you dance single “Pop, Lock, and Drop It,” can the fans anticipate a new dance single from you?
Huey: Not an actual dance record , but my fans know that I’ll have em movin’ in the clubs to something.
Parlé: Can you give the readers and fans an idea of what the creative process is like for you?
Huey: It depends on what the beat is like, I just write what the beat tells me and as long as there’s a good vibe going then anything is possible. It’s me and my boys, in the studio trying to get a good feel going before we lay down some music.
Parlé: Becoming successful at such an early age can be a bit of an ego trip, how do you find the time to stay humble?
Huey: I have to say it has a lot to do with how I was brought up. I’m never been the type of guy who’s just arrogant. If the fans want to take a few pictures with me after shows then I do that. I’ve always been about respect and coming from nothing into something feels like it’s only right for me to stay humble, it’s like I don’t know no other way.
Parlé: Not trying to bring up old, dirt but how do you hope to separate yourself from say Nelly and Chingy who have already put St. Louis on the map? Mainly, what separates you from them?
Huey: Much respect to them. I just try to stay focused and do me. Shouts out to em, they my homeboys, but I’d have to say we’re all different, God made us with different hearts and minds. I’ma do me and they can do them.
Parlé: When you set out to do music, do you focus on lyrics or solidifying an image?
Huey: I feel like nowadays some rappers do focus on what they write in their rhymes, but others just get on the mic and say whatever. That’s not cool! I feel like as an artist you’ve gotta give these people what they want so I focus on my lyrics. People wanna hear skills so I write about what I’ve been through and what I’ve been looking forward to doing.
Parlé: As you said before, ‘some rappers just get on the mic and say whatever’, from your point of view what makes you stand apart and make people take notice?
Huey: I’m not a dancing type of person. I know I made “Pop, Lock and Drop It,” but that’s something for the women to dance to in the clubs. I can’t really see any dudes dancing to that. I still got a lot of growing to do, but as far as standing a part, there’s nothing basic about me.
Parlé: With much success there comes great envy, how do you shake the haters and jealous types off?
Huey: Smile and wave at ’em. I think that’s just life in general, somebody is gonna always have something negative towards you no matter what you do.
Parlé: What can fans expect to her from your sophomore album, Redemption?
Huey: All I can say is expect the unexpected.
Parlé: Can you tell us if there’ll be any features on your new album? If so, who can we hear from?
Huey: Right now, I’ve got Colby O’ Donis and a few of my artist on there, but I’m looking to focus more on me this time around. People will assume that the only reason a record does well is because you’ve got so and so on there with you. I’m letting the fans get to know Huey this time.
Parlé: The first single on your album, ‘Smile & Wave’ featuring Dorrough is getting a lot of buzz, can you tell us more about that?
Huey: That’s basically the mind state I was in at the time, with all the haters I was like all I can do is smile and wave at them. In order for me to deal with the hate in a better way than I’m used to doing.
Parlé: If you could pick up the phone today and make a call, who would you like to work with?
Huey: There’s a bunch of people out here so I try not discriminate. Definitely, Eminem, Drake, probably do something off a Kanye beat and I would love to a record with T.I. I’ve done a record with Wayne and that was cool. Right now, there are too many people out here for me to list, but as long as they dope, I’ll do a record with anyone.
Parlé: Any words of inspiration to the readers and fans?
Huey: Stay focused on your dream, nobody can tell you what you can or can’t do. Surround yourself with positive people and stay away from all that negative stuff. As far as them haters go do as I do, ‘Smile & Wave’.
As the future of Hip-Hop, Huey has managed to overcome beef and corporate politics. Be sure to cop Huey’s long awaited sophomore album, Redemption when it drops this fall. Fans and readers can get up to date news on Huey at www.hueyomg.com, www.myspace.com/hueyhitz, and www.twitter.com/Huey314.
Images by King Tungsten
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