Despite receiving props from A-listers like Swizz Beatz,  appearing on mixtapes by the likes of DJ Vlad and P Cutta and opening for Immortal Technique and Boot Camp Click among others, H.D. has remained undetected on a large scale until recently. With his sports-themed singles "Steroids" and  "The Draft" slowly spreading across the internet, the Queens emcee is now readying to release his third mixtape, Almost Famous, next month. Here, Myspace Friends familiar with his music play interview to the emcee. 
 
Sixshot.com (Face on Broadway-Brooklyn, NY): What is it about hip-hop that made, and still makes, you want to be apart of it?
If I was to sit here and pinpoint the moment or song that made me get into hip-hop I'd be lying. When I first got into hip-hop, I was a b-boy. I was breaking with my older brother Gary's crew, the Wacko kids. But though I was breaking, I wasn't totally immersed in the culture. My older siblings always had a vast musical taste. So I was into everything, really. Ironically,I have to credit West Coast cats like Snoop, Dre and Ice Cube for really getting me into it heavily. At that point, I started going back to older albums. I went back and bought De La Soul, went back and checked out Rakim. I was a kid when those albums first came out. So once I got a bit older, I was able to understand more of the content. And when I listened to masterpieces like Illmatic, it just blew me away. And that's what keeps me into hip-hop. Though I don't hear as much good stuff, the potential is there. I know there's a chance that someone will drop that record that'll make me run for my pen and pad. And as an artist, that's what I aim for. I wanna put something out and have people open off it. There's nothing like someone coming up to me and telling me about a line I thought went over their heads. Like on "Steroids" (First Single off new mixtape) when I said "I use more Pun than Joe" and people started pointing it out...it made me feel like I'm not doing this in vain.  
 
Sixshot.com (Miss Lady Chi-Brooklyn, NY) Being that you have written about hip-hop and rap music for quite some time, what is one lesson that you have learned that you have applied to your career as a rapper?
Well, I most likely won't need as much media training as the average rapper. My mouth probably won't get me in as much trouble as the average rapper. A lot of rap cats are under the impression that the press is against them. Granted, there's some shady journalists out there. But in most cases, dudes are just there to do their jobs. A lot of time, when they claim being misquoted, they probably said it verbatim. They're just reckless. Artists need to realize something. If you say something during an interview...unless you tell the writer it's off the record, it's fair game. So I think my writing background will allow me to be a bit more calculated. If I say something, it'll probably be because I wanted to say it.
 
Sixshot.com (Rennasonz-Brooklyn/Maryland):  "What is your most personal song, and what motivated you to write it"?
 I often give personal tidbits in songs, a lot of introspection. There's always little personal references. But I think "Close Up" may be my most personal song. It's an introspective record and on it I talk about everything from being introverted to growing up in a racist upbringing. That's what I felt when I heard the beat. My man Kast Uno gave me the track and that's what came out.
 
 
Sixshot.com (Chris-Long Island, NY)You are a very smart and intellectual. Do u think that this is gonna be a set back, in your rapping career since most rappers dont even have a high school degree?
As much as the standard is for artists to dumb down...that it's cool to be ignorant, I refuse to think that being intelligent can be a set back. As far as education, I'm proud to be a college graduate, but I don't think the grade matches the brains when it comes to hip-hop. Some of  hip-hop's most brilliant cats never made it to college. Jay-Z is a smart dude. 50 cent is a smart business man. You can't listen to Nas' lyrics without acknowledging how cerebral his stuff is. What is interesting to me is that some of these cats play dumb. I often hear it about 50 or Jim Jones,but when it comes to business they have a reputation for being smart, saavy. Maybe it's part of their strategy. But me being smart won't set me back.  I did a few interviews to promote my mixtape and so far a lot of people have hit me up and say, "oh, you a smart cat." They liked the way I came off.  So it definitely won't set me back.
 
Sixshot.com (Bear Virginia): Apparently ,whenever a rap artist comes out, they try to launch movements which is more along the lines of a bad sales pitch of "buy my record,pimp the shirt and get me money." are you trying to start a genuine movement and if so, what is your message?"
I definitely think the term "movement" is used lightly. I think that in a lot of cases, people use the term just cause it sounds good. I'm just doing me. I'm not gonna claim that I'm bringing a movement or anything.I think that movements form themselves. You can't just say, "I have a movement" and think it's gonna come across as genuine. I think Neo Soul was movement. Because the labels turned that throwback sound into one. But when you asked the artists that were supposed to fit in that category, they hated the term. I think Bad Boy was a movement in 90s. I think Death Row was a movement. I think Ruff Ryders was a movement. Hyphy seems to be the latest movement. All these camps I've mentioned had a significant impact when they peaked on the scene. But I think it's hard to pin point what a movement is, you just know when you're witnessing one. As of now, H.D., my crew Funky Minds, Mayhem, Les Salopards, my whole fam. We're just trying to make good music. Only time will tell if it morphs into a certified movement.
 
Sixshot.com (Marsha- London, UK): Do you think fame is detrimental to a rapper's musical hunger and skills?
I think it depends on the artist's values. The artistic progressive cats are all about skills in the first place. It's their motto to keep creativity going. So I don't think it applies to them. Off course, everybody is bound to have a dry spell. These artists go through so much over the years and it's reflected in their music, whether it be negative or positive. But it can definitely be detrimental. Some artists, once they become famous, they become exposed to so much more, so the skills become a backseat. They're making loads of money doing movies, putting out clothing lines, so their focus isn't on music 100%. They're eating, so in that case they may lose the hunger. The situation doesn't apply to me at this point in time. And it's beyound success. On the come up sometimes things get rough and you get discouraged, but God willing I'll never lose my hunger.
 
Sixshot.com (Gavin Leigh, Hawaii):  If you could collaborate with any musical artist from any given point in time, who would it be with and why?
On the production end, I wish I could have worked with J Dilla. I think I could have fit very well over his production. You'll see it because I have a little tribute to him called "The Dilla Jam" on my mixtape. Hi-Tek is probably my favorite producer right now. And I'd love to work with him for the same reasons I wanted to work with Dilla. Just Blaze is nuts. But to be honest, I feel great about the producers I'm working with. One thing I always get is great feedback on the beats I rock over. Mayhem has been my main producer for years. My man Graduate has been lacing me with bangers lately. I just began working with a producer by the name of Danny Swain. His beats are nuts. We're planning to do a lot of work together and I'm excited about that. My man DJ Manifest has been lacing me with heat for years, providing me with cuts on the songs as well. So with all do respect to A-List producers, the cats I'm working with will give them a run for their money if they're given the chance. As far as mc's I'm not one to just want random people on my joints. If it makes sense, I'll look into it. I got a song called "Writer's Block." I would love to do a remix with Nas and Common. I'd love to work with Redman. That's all I can think of for now. 
 
Sixshot.com (Lovely Laura, San Diego): How do you feel when you get compared to established emcees?
Me having a raspy voice, I've gotten compared to anybody with a raspy voice. Jadakiss, John Forte, Pete Rock, Canibus, Mos Def, you name it. The funny thing is, none of these cats have been compared to one another. So I feel like it's a matter of me becoming established. Once that happens, people will instantly know it's H.D. When they hear my voice. I don't like comparisons, but I can't really escape it so I'll take them. At least I'm not getting compared to bums. 
 
Sixshot.com (Luscious 69, Philadelphia, PA):What is your favortie type of music?
I gotta go with hip-hop off course cause I'm so passionate about it and it's my life. But I listen to all sorts of music. Me being Haitian, I like kompa and zouk (Haitan music) off course. Eventually, I'd like to make a song with those influences. I like rock, but I don't listen to new rock that much. I love old grunge. Nirvana, Pearl Jam and all. I like Bad Religion, Green  Day. My boys put me on to those cats back in the day. I love R&B of course, especially classic R&B and 80s and 90s R&B. 80s pop music was it. Madonna, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson of course. Lionel Ritchie, Prince. There was just so much dope music in that decade. Thankfully, since I was just a kid then, my older siblings exposed me to it. But I have a pretty vast taste in music. Hip-hop has to be my favorite though. 
 
Sixshot.com (Big Dawg, Atlanta,GA  ): What's the biggest difference between your new mixtape and your new one?And why did you name it Almost Famous?
This mixtape has more original material. Other than "The Dilla Jam" and "Get Away," all the songs are original, 14 of them. The last joint, Now or Never, was really me just showing I can spit. I'm showing a lot more depth in this one as far as concepts. I touch on a lot on this mixtape and I'm proud to say that I've managed to put a twist on familiar themes.  As far as my mixtape being called Almost Famous, it's not literal. I'm basically saying that I feel it, I feel like I'm one step away from getting a situation that will lead me to my goal. I've been through a lot of situations before, broken promises. I had a meeting with Swizz Beatz and he set me up with a J Records A&R. That never materialized into anything. Lupe Fiasco's partner, Chilly, from 1st and 15th. He heard my stuff and apparently wanted to work back when I was in school, 2003 I think. Some prominent managers and promoters all showed interest into me, but nothing came of it. But things have never felt as right as they do now. I partly have to credit that to "The Big Homie" and Mark My Words. They've been instrumental to my current position. We got "Steroids" coming out this week. And "The Draft," a concept where I'm using basketball analogies to talk about the bagging shorties, is dropping on vinyl later this summer. And then the mixtape is following. I want the whole world to hear my music.
 
Sixshot.com: Any last words? Check me out at www.myspace.com/hdottt. Just make sure to check out for "Steroids," "The Draft" and then my mixtape, Almost Famous. Big up to all the people involved in my project. I appreciate it. And thanks to sixshot.com for the opportunity.