# Talent Tuesday – Hoodie Allen

- Link: https://exclusiveaccess.net/entertainment-buzz-talent-tuesday/
- Published: 2011-06-28T07:48:04-04:00
- Author: EAN

[audio:10 Joy & Misery.mp3]

In an Era where rap has taken over Its good to catch a fresh breathe of Hip Hop.
Insert Hoodie Allen & his mixtape [_Pep Rally_](http://timeforthepeprally.com/).
Dude quit his 6 figure job @ Google to follow his heart & ride the beat. East Coast-
born Hoodie Allen (a.k.a Steven Markowitz) is a unique rapper/songwriter with mixtape-
type flair. Living life by his aphorism “make every word,” he recently graduated
from the University of Pennsylvania and took a hiatus from his dream job at Google
to make music. His recently released album [_Pep Rally_](http://timeforthepeprally.com/)
is a blend of many hip-hop sounds, so different it has its own genre referred to
as “hoodie-hop.” One of the most unique aspects of Hoodie Allen is his willingness
to communicate with his fans. He will actually communicate personally with his fans
via Facebook and has developed quite the following doing so. _ _

Hoodie Allen cannot be denied. It’s not that he cleverly chops & samples notable
indie songs on his tracks — Chiddy Bang & The Hood Internet have been doing that
for years. It’s not any kind of novelty of being a white rapper (which he is).
It’s not his ability to craft a catchy hook — pop music is full of catchy hooks
where you bob your head for a second just before you begin shaking your head in 
shame.

Now, as with any good emcee, it’s the rhymes… His witty verse and rapid-fire
delivery is playfully fitting of his age (21) yet intelligently beyond it. His wordplay
is plain wicked. Whether he is name checking Bernie Madoff or Karl Malone, rhyming
“play me” with “Sam Raimi” or devoting an entire track to his obsession 
of January Jones, no one packs more pop culture references into a single verse than
Hoodie Allen.

_The Lumberjack: Obviously what you do with Facebook is very unique, but is it really
always you talking to fans?_

**Hoodie Allen:** Always, 100 percent — I mean, the way music is nowadays isnâ
€™t a very personal level. I wanted that [unique personal level] so that I could
empower my fans and get their ideas. I actually did a concert in Rochester that 
started with 20 excited Facebook fans!

_LJ_: _And how do you stay so ego free?_

**HA:** I like to say the three F’s keep me grounded: Friends, Family, & Fans.
My crew also helps; they’re great. Right now it’s my producer, my tour manager
and DJ RTF. That’s the trio right there!

_LJ: Is this is your first time on the West Coast?_

**HA:** This is my first time doing shows on the West Coast, and my very first time
in Arizona at all, and my first time headlining — so stoked and so crazy.

_LJ_: _Your sound is so unique; what would you want fans to call it?_

**HA:** It’s hard to say — I like to think words can justify it. The root is
pop-witty pop, mixed with hip-hop. I like to call it Hoodie-Hop. It’s definitely
my own unique blend of sound.

_LJ_: _And who have your biggest influences been?_

**HA:** It’s so diverse. Outkast, for sure. I listen to a lot of The Dill, and
I love Amy Winehouse. I am a lot of what I listen to.

_LJ_: _You just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania last year; what was
it like making music and going to school?_

**HA:** I knew I was always going to be on a path to graduating. The timing of my
new album was great (right after I graduated) and probably not a coincidence. I 
studied finance and marketing, and actually got my dream job at Google working in
sales and advertising, but decided to take a leave to make music. The hardest part
of making music and going to school was definitely knowing I wasn’t going to go
out that night; I was going to study and make a demo until 3 a.m.

_LJ_: _What’s next for you, Hoodie?_

**HA: Cop out answer — what’s coming next is always what’s best.**

LJ – Italic

HA- Bold

[Twitter](http://twitter.com/hoodieallen)

[FB](http://www.facebook.com/hoodieallen)

[Website](http://timeforthepeprally.com/)