Hood the Shogun is a rapper and producer straight from the Bronx. With his ambitions set to make his own wave in the music industry today, he places emphasis on the motion of togetherness with his friends and the collective that he has chosen to rise with.
Music has always had an impact on his life and with his extensive knowledge about various avenues, his father remained the main inspiration for the drive that he has today.
Taking a step into the cognizant verses he steers us through, Hood the Shogun has us submerged in the essence of every last word he rhymes in “Dragon Tales (Moment of Peace).” The prevailing keys in the wistful instrumentation combine elements of lightheartedness as Hood the Shogun delves into his authentic universe bar for bar. His tonal distinction dips into the passion that fuels his artistry as his voice sheds the lyrical dexterity prominent in the wit he holds.
Accentuating his message in a way that has his audience fixated on what he has to say, Hood the Shogun is a visionary. You’ll notice the importance that lyrics hold to Hood the Shogun once you fully listen to “Dragon Tales (Moment of Peace).” He doesn’t use an incursion of cadences to get his message across, but you will notice that he sticks to his intricately written script and immerses us in a gratifying flow that fluently transports us through the motions he is a witness to.
The allure that drips from the speakers has him hooked on a nostalgic approach as we pick up on glimmers of old-school Hip-hop paving his paths. Although entirely in a lane of his own, the refreshing wisdom that is brought to life in his organic spirit, has us reminiscing on the roots of Hip-hop that we know and love.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Hood the Shogun, and congratulations on the release of, “Dragon Tales (Moment of Peace).” You allow yourself to get real with your fan base, and we appreciate you for that! Could you please take us into the meaning behind this song?
I wrote this song as a way of approaching/thinking about my problems in a more optimistic way. Since this single is part of my project “HOPE THIS WALK CLEARS MY HEAD”, I had it follow the theme of dealing with my own thoughts, similar to the other tracks. This track stands as a piece of nostalgia for me, and as a reminder for me to not let the tough tribulations of life worry me.
Could you please share a glimpse of what the creative process looked like when structuring this track?
To clear my mind of things I thought too much about, I would take several walks, and on those walks, I would write lyrics. I usually looked at my problems from a more grim light, but there was a time where I felt more positive about the thoughts that would normally bring me down. I took that same energy and put it into the lyrics for this song.
Hailing from the Bronx, what is your take on the music scene that you experience locally? Have you found it to shape the sound you currently have?
The music scene around me has definitely shaped my sound a lot. Being from the Bronx, and the city in general, I’ve always been around a diverse range of music/musicians. from jazz, to rock, and most importantly, hip-hop. At an early age, my pops put me in music lessons for piano and drums when he saw that I had an interest in music. He also taught me how to use programs like FL Studio too, so when I listened to music for fun as a youngin, I would always listen from a creator's perspective. This made me more particular about the sounds that I liked, later on driving me to get serious about creating music of my own.
What is your favorite lyric wrapped in “Dragon Tales (Moment of Peace)?" What is the significance behind why it’s your favorite?
“You see the world might crumble, but I won’t fumble down, or tumble out into the pits with the devilish hounds, Cerberus bark and that’s a helluva sound, ain’t no beware of the dogs if no fence around” I messed with this line a lot because, to me, it was a nice way of saying, when things get bad, I won’t fall. Even when my world seems to crumble, or it seems like I’m going through Hell, I won’t let that change my view on things for the worst.
What's next for you?
I have a few pieces of music coming up soon with artists I work close to like Pharoah Key, Mr. Massacres, and my music collective at college. No dates on anything yet, but they will be soon, and they will be fire!
