A famous poet once asserted that it’s never about where you’re from but where you’re at. Cameroonian-born emcee Hype is yet another example of this theme. Born overseas, raised in Canada, and groomed to adulthood in between the South and DMV, his music, much like his life, are a melting pot of experiences, sounds, and influences. His recent debut album, Talk to Me Nice, is one part an introduction and another part a declaration of who he is and what’s next. Much like his rhymes, his story is dense and complex, but enthralling and interesting.
“I was raised in Quebec, Canada, the French-speaking part. I spent much of my early childhood there, but I was born in Cameroon. It’s located on the West Coast, right below Nigeria. I spent a lot of my time there before moving to the states, says Hype.
Born in Cameroon, Hype and his family moved to Canada when he was six. The county’s French roots allowed an easier time for Hype, but didn’t make his transition easier. Couple that with a move to the United States when Hype was eleven and you have an identity crisis.
“I moved when I was twelve to Georgia in 2010. I moved to a small town called Milledgeville with my mom.”
One of the significant anchoring forces for Hype proved to be music. Hype’s parents often let him listen to their mix CDs, which were full of musical greats such as Marvin Gaye, Shaggy, and Michael Jackson. Soul music’s sound inspired him, but Michael Jackson proved to be the catalyst for Hype’s music career. As a teenager coming of age in the middle of the 2010s, Hype got a healthy blend of music, including the newer cast of emcees in rap’s blog era, which included artists like Drake, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar.
“The first hip hop song I memorized was Over by Drake. I remember in Canada everybody being like yo y’all heard about this guy named Drake?! Once I moved to the US and the South, though, I remember hearing Lil Wayne. Then in Georgia, I hear 2 Chainz and later Rick Ross.”
Watching MTV Jams as a teenager allowed Hype to increase his hip-hop education and, in turn, sparked his desire to rap. The blend of new-school and old-school rappers like Nas and Biggie only helped sharpen his craft, but it would be a few more years before he grabbed the microphone. After high school, Hype went to college at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, eventually pledging the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity while pursuing his studies.
Hype knew all too well the pressure children of immigrants face when pursuing dreams outside of the professional realm and, as a result, hid his desire to rap from his parents at first.
“A lot of African parents aren’t into hip hop. It’s not something we have introduced them to because of the stereotypes they’ve heard about it. It was something I did in my room. I didn’t discuss it much. But I started practicing my sound, production and my writing, says Hype.
Initially, Hype took a year off from making music, opting to focus on his studies. But in 2018 during a summer session, Hype used the school’s studio on campus. His first project, The Summer’s Over, was a collection of songs he made during his summer recording sessions.
“I put that out because of my friends. They told me I should really take this seriously, so I started thinking, let’s give it a shot. Let’s see what happened if I took this seriously. After that came the Golden Child.”
Serving as a proper introduction to Hype’s patented lyricism and production, “Golden Child” created fervor over his sound and convinced him he had a viable career in music. From there, he followed up his buzz with projects like The Nayborz Watching and Something’s Coming EP in 2019. One song from the EP, “Everything’s Great” pushed him over the edge, generating over 100,000 streams.
Growing a grassroots fanbase took consistency and time, but it wasn’t long before Hype’s name began being recognized in the rap game. In October 2020, while on stage performing an ode to the iconic song, Nas is Like, Hype got his biggest compliment yet when the song’s producer, DJ Premier, shouted him out. Besides Premier, Hype received yet another compliment when esteemed lyricist Elzhi agreed to do a song for Hype’s debut album, “Let It Breathe.”
“Elzhi followed me and I told myself that I would reach out one day when I have a song for him. I told myself. Every shot I have, I would shoot. I’m trying to work so I’m putting myself out there. I sent him a couple of tracks, paid him, and he helped promote it as well on his story, says Hype.
Armed with memorable guests, productions, and stories, Hype set out to tell his life’s story, releasing Talk to Me Nice in 2022 to critical acclaim. Created in the midst of label challenges, the album’s polished sound and hunger are reminiscent of many of the blog-era greats Hype admired like J.Cole and Drake. Although it has only been five years since his first release, it’s evident that Hype is living up to his moniker.
Wright World 