Q&A With Oakland’s Very Own HeiR

– Give us a brief background on yourself HeiR. What part of Oakland you from? How long have you been making music?

I’m actually from Alameda which is like “South Oakland,” its an island connected to Oakland by a tunnel and bridges. I been living in west Oakland now for about 10 years. Alameda is where i went to middle school and high school, and recorded my first rhyme in a studio. I been recording music since 2003. So 16 years deep in the game… but officially I wrote my first rhyme at 11 yrs old. I’m 30 now, u can do the math on that one.

– You part of a collective or group, or a solo artist?

I’m a solo artist. But I have been part of ChingaChang Records run by CEO Dan Herman for 10 years now as an intern. Kool G Rap’s album ‘Half A Klip’ was coming out produced by DJ Premiere and Dan, or Dmak as i like to call him, gave me a chance to be part of the project. It took me yeaars but I finally was able to get G Rap’s first video “On the Rise Again” produced by DJ Premiere and featuring Haylie Duff, from that project ‘Half A Klip’ in motion. Should be released this year… But yea tha’ts my only affiliation outside of being a solo artist.

– Congrats on your new mixtape, “2pac’s Heir“. What made you pay homage to Pac?

I love Pac! I came from Maryland to Cali just like Pac did. When i was 10 my lil’ brother’s pops would beat me and harass my mom constantly. So the police had to come a few times to arrest him. My mom worked a government job, getting veterans their benefits who were retired and struggling…. All the cop activity from my step pops getting violent reached my moms job. So they sent a guy from the office she worked in to spy on her and get more info. She got scared when she saw him everywhere she went. And heard him and other people he was with in a car using radio’s. So one day i was in the middle of class and she took me out to the car and next thing i knew we were driving to Cali. She tried to run from him but he followed us. Its so crazy, I lived a life just like Pac before i even knew about him and his music. I was only 10 running from government spies with my mom. When i found out about Pac and his life it was like I found out i had a twin. I mean it was unbelievable how much of fate it was that we both came from Maryland to Cali and we both were running from spies. So I wanted to make something in his memory but in my own style.

– What is your favorite 2pac song or album?

My favorite 2Pac song is “OldSchool.” I feel like all the fake controversy circling around his so called beef with the east coast can be exposed with this track. In one song he showed love to a whole coast and acknowledged what they started. Pac was a real one. Plus that song is FIRE.

– With the scene filled with rappers, in your own words, what makes you stand out from the rest?

That’s almost a question you would have to ask the fans. But as you said, “in your own words” so I would have to say, my metaphors are different and my vocab is more expansive and descriptive. Like when i say, “stab when i write, graphite knife” im using “graphite knife” to describe how sharp my lyrics are. “Graphite” is rarely used in a rhyme and how i put the line together as a metaphor for sharp lyrics was descriptive. A pencil can now be seen as a “Graphite Knife.” Thank me later

– Our highlight question, what’s your definition of underground hip hop?

Underground hiphop is that blank cd or casette tape with graffiti style writing on it saying any of these names…. 2Short, 2Pac, Biggie Smalls, Westside Connection, Blackstar, Lauryn Hill, Canibus, Mac Dre, Mob Figaz, Sade, Nas, AZ, Eminem, Black Thought, Vinnie Paz, Royce Da 5’9″, IllBill, TI, Joey Badass, Outkast, Redman and Method Man, Wutang Clan, Black Hippy, Cassidy, Kool G Rap, Rakim, J Cole, and oh yeah HeiR

– Where can people find more of your music?

– Lastly, any shout outs?

Shouts out to my moms!! Made me war ready in a cold war.