February 24, 2025 • 35 mins
Musician and visionary Hoss joins us for an engaging conversation about Funktacy, his innovative fusion of a record label and magazine. Hyde's journey from DJing and playing instruments to founding Funktacy and Funky C Academy is fueled by his deep-rooted love for funk music and icons like James Brown. Despite the risks, Hyde's realistic yet daring approach to his music career showcases the power of perseverance and passion at any age.
We venture into the transformation from hobbyist to professional in the music industry, stressing the importance of self-education and understanding the business side of music. With a strong emphasis on the distinction between being an artist and running an entity, our dialogue covers the challenges of self-doubt and setbacks in a social media-driven world. Hyde sheds light on maintaining resilience and mental health while navigating public personas, highlighting the significance of self-belief and consistency.
Listeners will gain insight into Hyde's personal philosophies, where creating music for self-fulfillment trumps the need for external validation. From unexpected moments during live shows to sharing humorous quirks and unconventional habits, Hyde's story is a testament to finding joy and gratitude in the journey. Rounding out with career advice and exciting updates on collaborations with artists like Willie Mack and Redible, this episode is a vibrant call to embrace one's passions, strive for personal growth, and make meaningful connections across the globe.
Have a Good Day On Purpose...
YA' Welcome
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, shine like glitter, let the light in your
life get bigger and in the sky,high like a winner, big and
bright like a diamond.
I'm a shaker.
Hey, hey, hey, you're welcome.
Hey, hello, hello, hello.
(00:22):
Everybody, what's good?
And welcome to In the PassengerSeat with me Alethea Crimmins,
your neighborhood hype girl.
Y'all listen, the guests that Ihave in the passenger seat
today.
If you like music, like I likemusic, then you will appreciate
this guest.
(00:42):
Baby, I am a fan of mashups,I'm a fan of all things.
Dj and this guy right here,this guy right here look, let me
just stop talking about him andshow you the clip honey, roll
it, I'm a rock star, I'm a rockstar, I'm a rock star.
(01:04):
Listen, look, I was getting allhype baby.
(01:34):
Let me introduce you to the manbehind the music.
Baby, let's get into it withHyde.
What's going on?
What?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
up Listen.
Thank you so much.
That was like a sizzlingintroduction that really worked
out.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Thank you for that.
Thank you, thank you for beinghere, of course, of course,
we're going to get right into it.
Can you just tell everybody alittle bit about who you are and
what you do?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Perfect, yeah, of course.
So my name is Haas.
First and foremost, I'm amusician, music lover, just like
yourself.
I also run a record labelcalled Funktacy, as well as a
magazine under the same name,funktacy.
So we are a very unique entityboth a record label and a
magazine under the same roof.
As a matter of fact, we'relaunching Funky C Academy next
(02:25):
week Sorry, next month, in lateMarch.
So we are a multifaceted entityand I have my hands involved
with every aspect of music, fromproduction, pre-production to
post-production, working withartists, artist development and
editorial.
So yeah, it's a busy life, goodlife, but a happy life and
(02:48):
editorial.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
So, yeah, it's a busy life, good life, but a happy
life, man.
So the first thing when I readabout you was the name of your
label fun to see, which I love.
Where did that come from?
Because I was like, oh, that isunique no for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
so when I was looking for names, first thing, you
know like all the domain namesare taken, you got to come come
up with something really whack,right.
So I'm like I love funk music.
I had a thing for you knowJames Brown and you know Ray
Charles and all that blueslegends and rock and funk
legends.
So I like the name funk and I'mlike, ok, so this whole thing
could just be a fantasy.
(03:21):
I could never make it.
So I mixed funk and fantasytogether and we got funk to see.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I love it, I love it, I love it.
Now, I love that you saidbecause I'm big on like, like
lifting people up and findingthe positive in everything and
you said that you, you thoughtthat you could never make it.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Well, look, why?
No, you have to be realistic.
So, the most, I think one thingthat would avoid depression,
one thing that would avoid, youknow, feeling remorse or
anything, is knowing that you'retaking chances.
And when you take chances,there's success and there's
failure, right?
(04:05):
So not knowing that I wouldnever make it I mean, I didn't
count on that either, but thefact that, look, I mean I left
some room for failure.
If you're only thinkingpositively all the time, life is
not always happy-go-lucky.
Life has its moments too.
So you come out a winner whenyou learn to juggle the good and
the bad, the success and thefailure, the happy and the sad,
(04:28):
and that's what makes you awinner.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
So what made you say?
You know what?
I'm gonna just go for it.
I'm going to just do it Like I.
I know that this might not work, but fuck it, I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I mean, uh, I think since I was 13 14, I wanted, I
wanted to be in the musicindustry.
It's just because I have somuch love for music, you know,
playing different instruments,working with, playing with
different bands, be djing, andall that stuff.
I didn't know what I want to do, okay, and I come from an
immigrant family in Canada and Ididn't have any guidance and I
(05:07):
think one of the biggest thingsin order to succeed in
entertainment and music industryis to have a mentor or to have
a guide, and I lacked that.
But I always knew what I wantedto do and the fact that I love
doing so many things kind ofdelayed it.
I'm a late bloomer when itcomes to success and getting to
the point that I want to get,but again, I was blessed and I
(05:29):
had a chance to try a lot ofthings that a lot of people
didn't get to try within theindustry as well, as you know,
stuff that I wanted to get myhands on.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
I love that and I love the fact that you were like
that.
You know, hey, hey, I startedout late, but that didn't stop
nothing.
That did not stop anything is,yes, I started late, but look,
but look at what I did like I'mstill here.
I still was successful.
Regardless of how late youstart in life, you can still
(06:01):
make something out of yourself,and I think that that is
wonderful.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Better late than never, right Hell yes, so when
did you first discover that youhad a passion for being a DJ?
Like you could have doneanything else, but what made you
say I want to be a DJ, you know?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I enjoy technology.
So, growing up, you know, inthe 90s, house music was taking
over, hip hop was taking over.
In both these genres theyevolved around DJs, right, the
parties, the scene andeverything the culture.
So for me, you know playingdifferent instruments as well as
dabbling with technology.
You know, even today, if I hadthe choice, I would say I'll be
(06:49):
a flamenco player by day and aDJ by night.
So being a DJ was somethingthat I grew up with, I grew into
.
I never grew out of it.
It's still there, it's part ofthe mainstream culture, part of
the mainstream music scene, andI'm still involved with it.
So it's part of my career, it'spart of who I am and it's just
something that, like I said,naturally was in me and it grew
(07:12):
in me and it's still there.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
So what is your like?
Musical style, or like what,what genre?
Because you've, you've dabbledwith, like snoop dog and michael
jackson, and like differentstyles of music.
So what, what's, what's?
What's your style?
Speaker 2 (07:32):
describe it my style like haas, is known as a house
music producer, kind of classichouse, more like.
Kind of like you know oldschool vibe house, a 909 and the
bass line and that piano riff,you know pre-chord progressions
with piano.
That is my style.
But as a record label owner, asa record label ceo, I have my
(07:53):
hands with creation of countrymusic, rock music and hip-hop
and pop music.
So I would say I'mmulti-diverse.
I'm grateful for that.
So for that I would call myselfmulti-genre as a person, but as
a producer, more house music.
As a songwriter, more housemusic.
(08:13):
But then again, because of thelabel, I have my hands in pretty
much every genre that I couldget my hands on.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I love house.
I love how it makes you feel Ilove house Like I.
I love how it makes you feelLike I love it.
I'm like, yeah, it just it justmake you want to just jump
around and just have a good likeyou.
You can't be sad listening tohouse music Like there is no,
(08:41):
there is no possible way thatyou can feel bad about anything
listening to house music.
So I think that that is amazing.
But you're also a drummer andyou play several different
instruments, because I saw youat a show and you're also a
(09:01):
drummer, correct?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I am.
I would say I was Like I playguitars, I play percussion, I
play drums, bass, multipleinstruments.
I stay away from brass andviolin.
I don't pick like difficultinstruments.
But, to be honest with you,nowadays, you know, I work
mostly with a small keyboard andthe computer.
Because of production,unfortunately, that's what the
(09:23):
world has come to keyboard andthe computer.
Because of production,unfortunately that's what the
world has come to, and at thecaliber of production output
that you know, I'm working onreleasing a lot of music.
We're releasing at least one ortwo tracks every week under the
funk busy label, so, and we'reactually increasing that to a
few tracks uh, by summer 2025per week.
So so for that, unfortunately,I don't touch a lot of
(09:46):
instruments.
You know, just like most otherinstruments, we're working out
of the box, out of the computer.
So less organic instruments,more virtual instruments, I
would say.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Okay, so I guess because I used to play like the
clarinetinet in high school andcollege, so I wouldn't be able
to get on a track with myclarinet.
I'm sure you still got the mic.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
I'm sure you still got the mic.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So the one thing I love I love, love, love is
mashups, and you are a bigmashup person.
What is your like creativeprocess?
But I've I've never understoodhow people can hear one song and
say, hey, this will go goodwith this song.
Like, I can mash this up Like.
(10:39):
What is your creative processwhen?
When doing mashups?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
When doing doing so.
For example, I just released atrack called way too cool, and
the vocals on it was actuallyfrom the first hip-hop track
that we released in 2010 undermy label funk to see, and I just
took bits and pieces of thisand turn it into a disco house.
So, uh, and the artist's nameis Aristos.
(11:05):
He's my right-hand man andbrother.
He's been running the labelwith me, but that's the first
track that we wrote in 2010 overthe phone.
That was way before Zoom andSkype and everything.
So we wrote this track over thephone.
So, look, the creation I thinkmost artists can relate to is
seeing things with a differentcolor, seeing things outside the
box and perceiving things indifferent manners.
(11:28):
So a melody that I hear andperceive.
You could perceive itdifferently, right, so we could
mix it and remix it and remakeit differently.
So I think that's the artisticintuition of every artist to see
something differently andthat's what contributes to them
being a unique artist I lovethat.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
So when, when you do like go out and dj and you have
like a crowd, how do you do yougo out there with a set list or
do you just feel the vibe andlike I'm gonna just go go off of
y'all vibe?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
so look, I mean, good djs are known for reading the
crowd.
That's the word right you readthe crowd, it's psychology, it's
dance floor psychology, it'ssomething you develop over the
time.
You know, mixing is somethingthat can be done, uh
automatically on any uh cdj oruh record box or any other
(12:26):
software that you use for DJing.
So that's not a skill anymore.
Skill is understanding thecrowd.
Skill is reading the crowd.
Skill is knowing what song todrop, when right, and basically
just feeling the vibe of theenergy of the room.
That's what makes a good DJ agood DJ.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
So what's the biggest challenge that you've faced
being a DJ or just being in themusic industry?
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Look, being in the music industry is.
I think the challenge isenormous.
Number one is not understandingthe industry, not understanding
how to monetize your music, howto make money.
If you ask 99% of independentartists how do you make money,
they point to Spotify.
Spotify is not even 5% to 10%of your revenue that you get
(13:22):
back from your music.
You have to understandpublishing.
You have to understandregistration.
You have to understand thedifference between a master and
the publishing, understandingwhat are the rights and
royalties of a writer, of asongwriter, a lyricist, a
musician, a session musician, aproducer, an engineer.
You have to understand the andeducate yourself.
(13:45):
So the challenge for me waslearning all of this, applying
it not only to myself but to theother 70 artists that are under
the umbrella of Funk DC Records, and make sure that everyone
gets a piece of monetary fundsback and a revenue back for
their work so they can call it acareer.
All of the career.
(14:06):
Until you're not generatingincome and making a living, I
don't think it's a career.
And the hardest part, thechallenge, is to turn that hobby
into a career, and in order todo that is you have to
understand the industry.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
So was it easy for you to say, well, let me turn my
, my hobby into?
Because there's a lot of peoplethat love that, have hobbies,
but are scared to take that nextstep and say, let me turn my
hobby into my career.
But they're nervous becausewill I make money?
(14:44):
Will I be good at it, Will itsell?
So how did you overcome thatand what would you tell people
that would want to make theirhobbies into a career?
Speaker 2 (14:57):
So, number one education, self-education.
You know, you don't necessarilyneed to go to a university or
an academy.
Obviously it helps, and for me,I'm more self-educated rather
than, you know, academicallyeducated through an institution.
But all the information is outthere.
Especially today, we have moreinformation out there than ever
at our disposal.
(15:18):
So, self-educate yourself, havea plan, have a backup plan.
And have a backup backup plan,because I mean I might make some
people hopeless right now, butno, no, really, that's how you
become an artist.
You have to think of yourself.
If you want to make a careerout of this, you should not
think of yourself as an artist,you should think of yourself as
(15:39):
an entity, okay.
So the way you succeed is youput your emotions aside, okay,
okay, and that's something thatI tell every member, every staff
member, every intern, everybodythat joins funk to see the day.
You join funk to see you're notgoing to think like an
individual, you're going tothink like an entity.
As an entity, you need to meetcertain deadlines, you need to
(16:02):
have milestones, okay.
So, for example, one problem Isee with a lot of youth and
artists today is they don't haveconsistency with their output.
Okay, you need to release atleast one song every four to six
weeks.
If we go back 20 years ago,every major band, every major
artist was releasing an album ayear which had 10 to 12 songs.
(16:24):
Right, that's about a song permonth.
So, number one you want to havea career.
You got to have consistency.
Number two you've got to thinklike a brand, like a company.
So don't think, hey, I'm notgoing to do any claps.
No, do claps, do feature onsomeone else track, get your
name out there, make networkwith other individuals, artists
(16:48):
and brands.
So don't be emotional.
Don't say, hey, I don't likecountry, I'm not going to listen
to country.
Maybe use a country sample inyour song, you know.
So that's, I think, having aplan, a backup plan, as well as
self-educating yourself, as wellas putting emotions aside and
having discipline and output.
(17:08):
I think that is 80% of the wayI love it Making a career.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
A lot of people don't know how to put their emotions
on the back burner, especiallyin this day and age.
Everything hurts everybody'sfeelings Like, if you don't
listen to my song, my feelingsare hurt.
If you don't want to work withme, my feelings are hurt.
Sometimes we have to put ouremotions back here so that we
(17:43):
can get it done and know thatsometimes people are going to
hurt our feelings, things aregoing to hurt our feelings, but
we can't let that stop us frompushing forward and knowing that
we can do it, regardless ofwhether or not we're hurt.
We can do hard things, so wehave to just keep on going.
(18:05):
So I love that you said that wehave to put our emotions back
here, because that's how we'regoing to get ahead absolutely.
And I always say look, if youdon't believe in you, nobody
else will believe that part,that part, because I can't
expect you to want to back me ifI'm doubting myself.
(18:30):
And it shows like self-doubtshows and people are like, well,
you don't even you, you don'teven look like you.
You want to be here, so why?
Why?
Why would I back you?
So you, you have to believethat you can do it in order for
other people to believe that youcan do it.
(18:51):
Like I've seen people get onstages and they may have had
like 50, 60 people, but they puton the best show of their life
because they believe that, look,this may not be the biggest
crowd, but I have to performlike it is, because one day it
(19:15):
will be.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
For sure.
Another thing that I like tojust point out which is like the
elephant in the room and for meis being in the forefront of
the industry that I see thatit's not spoken of much is look,
there's a lot of depressiongoing around, especially with
folks involved in theentertainment industry.
Look, with the whole socialmedia and everyone, everything
like that.
(19:36):
Every day is an artist, everyday is a influencer.
You have to wake up, be asunshine, you know, and show
your face.
No matter what you got on yourface, you got to show it.
Smile, yes, and it's perfect.
You gotta wear your bling andyour expensive jeans, and
sometimes you can't afford it.
So, look, it takes a lot oftoll.
But one thing is I think a lotof people hide it.
(19:58):
I think they should seek help.
They should talk to people.
There's a community out therefor folks that need help or they
just need to vent out.
Sometimes just venting out willavoid that road to depression,
and it's something that I thinkprofessionals in the industry
need to kind of come togetherand talk more about this.
(20:20):
Okay, so there's a lot oftalking about.
Positivity is how to avoidnegativity, right?
So if we could kind of helpheal individuals not to get on
the path of negativity andself-destruction.
I think we'll spread themessage of positivity and good
vibes and everyone will have ahappier world.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
How do you avoid all the negativity that comes your
way and how do you stay positivein this industry, knowing that
it can take such a severe tollon you?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
so first thing for me , look, uh, I think I was born a
happy-go-lucky person.
I don't complain much.
But that is, look, I've set itas a rule, as obedience kind of
terms and conditions for myself.
That, look, I've put myselfhere.
I have a purpose in life and mypurpose in life is to make
(21:23):
music, not necessarily goodmusic, just music for my soul
and other souls around me, andthat is my purpose in life.
I think once you find yourpurpose in life, then you won't
complain.
Another thing is, look, I don'ttake things for granted.
I know I'm in a blessed country.
I'm in Canada, I'm in Montreal,beautiful country, north
(21:43):
America.
You know I don't have to lookfor my morning breakfast or my
dinner.
Food is there.
So I'm happy.
And I think, especially incertain countries like G7
countries and, you know,advanced countries, you can be
whatever you want to be at anyage.
So sometimes life, you know,depending on location or
(22:06):
geographical territories thatyou're in, puts barriers in your
way.
But and that's you know,hopefully we can solve that in
the in the near future.
But as a person, for me I knowI'm in a good place, I know I'm
happy, I have a purpose andthat's what gets me going.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I love that and I love that you said and I needed
people to listen and understandthat.
What I heard you say is that Imake music.
It may not be good music to you, but I make music for me and
for my soul and what I think isgood to me.
(22:49):
It may not be good to you, butI make music for me.
And if people would just knowand understand that you do not
do things for other people, youdo it for yourself, and
everybody is not going to thinkthat it's good, but if you think
it is, if it feeds your soul,if it makes you happy, that is
(23:10):
all that matters, that is allthat matters Absolutely, and if
you're not happy, you cannotproject happiness onto others.
That part I love it and I lovethat you said that you find
things to be grateful for, thatyou find things to be grateful
(23:32):
for, like you find things to behappy about, because the world
may be crumbling down but I havefood on my table.
Like I woke up this morning, Ihave clothes on my back, because
everybody else might not havedone that, but I did For sure.
So, sometimes, if we just stopand just look at the things that
(23:54):
we do have around us instead offocusing on the negativity,
then we'd be happier people.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I think 50 Cent said it best.
I'm not quoting him word byword, but he said a father with
six kids in Mexico.
You know he doesn't have timeto be depressed.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Because listen, but.
But.
But it's true, like some,sometimes it's like oh, I don't,
I don't have time to to bedepressed because I have.
I have too much going on in mylife to focus on what I don't
have going on in my life.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Like I have too much.
We all have a purpose in life.
That's something that we do toa conclusion, whether it's just
be a good mother, good sister,simple as that, or a good friend
, that's a purpose in life.
And if you manage to find thatpurpose in life without getting
too philosophical, and you makepeace with yourself, the world
is a beautiful place.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
I love it, love it, I love it, I love it.
So, outside of dj, what are youmost passionate about?
Speaker 2 (25:01):
uh, honestly, my whole life pretty much been
dedicated to music.
Other than that, you know, Ilove the basics of life
traveling, good food and allthat stuff.
Dining, whining, all that stuffis good, but really for me it's
just been music and writing andthe magazine.
I'm just so over my headinvolved in this world that I
(25:22):
don't have time for much else.
And I don't think aboutretirement, I don't think about
failure, it's just we're at aplace right now.
It's about just keeping thatassembly line rolling and having
output and we're making a namefor ourselves.
You know, we're one of thebiggest independent record
labels in North America becausewe're multi-genre and we go from
(25:43):
country all the way to housemusic.
So, honestly, I'm blessed, I'mhappy, no complaints,
everything's good, dandy as itcan be and I'm content with life
.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I love the way that you think, like, I love the way
that you think, and I wish thatmore people would think like you
Like, I love it, I love it, Ilove it, I love it, I love it, I
love it.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
I love it, thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
So we're going to get into the fun questions, all
right, so just hold on till yousee.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's going to get bumpy, huh.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
So, as an artist and you go out and do like shows,
tell us what is your mostembarrassing moment doing a show
.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Most embarrassing moment.
So, look, I do select shows now.
Most embarrassing moments,honestly, it's just, most of the
embarrassing moments arebecause of other people that
drank a little too much, youknow, and I got too many stories
to share for that.
You know from the years that Iwas playing at different clubs
(26:59):
and things like that.
But honestly, I don't look atit any of an embarrassing, it's
just in the moments, right, andit's just lives in.
That moment, stays in thatmoment and life goes on.
But uh, one funny story I had Iwas a front of the house
engineer for this huge, hugemiddle eastern artist and we did
a show in sweden last year andsomehow his uh mic pack was
(27:24):
falling off his pants and I hadto go on stage really squeezing
into his pants.
It was just like a whole mess.
So, yeah, but uh, for DJ lifeit's a lot of drunken stories
and things like that.
But concerts there's likemalfunctions, they can turn into
a disaster, you know.
So that's that's, uh, where Ileave it.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Geez, what is your guilty pleasure?
Speaker 2 (27:56):
My guilty pleasure.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Eating too much bread .
Yeah, that's my guilty pleasure.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Bread is so addictive , it's so addictive, oh my
goodness, I love bread, allsorts of bread, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
But oh gosh, your weirdest habit, my weirdest
habit.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Your weirdest habit, my weirdest habit, weirdest
habit.
I have a habit of like, when Ileave the room or enter the room
, bang on something you knowjust like announce I'm coming in
or just going out, so that'sone of my weirdest habits.
I guess that just comes fromplaying too many instruments.
So I have a habit of like, youknow whistling and just making
(28:31):
sound.
So making sound is my bad habit.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
So you just have to have to like announce that you
you have arrived.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
I guess my baddest habit if I could reverse
psychology that I would say Idon't enjoy silence, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Really, you know what , now that I think about it,
like I'm, I'm the type of personthat I cannot sleep in a silent
room.
Really, like I cannot, like Ihave to have some type of noise
or I will not be able to sleep.
Like, if it's Like one of thoseocean noises, or Like I have to
(29:06):
have a like fan on or some typeof sound, because if not, it
just creeps me out.
And so I'm just like look,looking around, like why is why
is it so quiet in here?
Like I, I can't, I can't, Ican't, I can't, I can't well,
you know what we?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
We all have different good and bad habits.
So it's all good.
As long as you don't harmanyone, we're good.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
If you can give advice to aspiring DJs or
anybody in music that wants topursue this career, what advice
would you give them?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Look, I'll give you the typical advice that anybody
else would, and then I'll go alittle bit beyond that.
So just master your art.
Master your art, believe inyourself, keep your sanity in
check, okay, have consistency,have a plan Like I said, even a
backup plan and make sure thatevery day you're devoted to what
(30:10):
you want to do and at one point, even if you realize you got to
back out, back out, you know,do not let it affect your health
, because there's a coupleproblems with this industry.
Not only it takes a tollmentally, not only it takes a
toll physically, it takes a tollfinancially as well.
(30:30):
So do not destroy your life or,you know, those around you.
If you cannot pull through atone point, you have to pull the
plug.
If you can, and that's okay, atleast you tried.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
I like that you.
You said, hey, you know if youdid the best that you can
possibly do.
You said, hey, you know if youdid the best that you can
possibly do.
If you know that you did yourbest, it's okay to say you know
(31:04):
what I tried and it wasn't forme, but at least when I die I
would have no regrets because Idid what I wanted to do.
It may not have worked out, butat least I can say I did it.
At least I can say I tried, andI love the way that you think.
So what do you have coming upin the future that we should
(31:25):
know about?
Speaker 2 (31:26):
So this year is actually a busy year for myself
and the label, so I got a lot oftracks coming out.
I'm doing a track called dancewith an artist.
His name is uh, the legendarywillie mack out of atlanta.
So we got this really gospelhouse track coming out.
I'm working with a jamaicanartist in um.
(31:47):
She's in amsterdam but she'sfrom Jamaica, her name is
Redible.
We've been working on sometracks, so that track is coming
out in two months.
We're also working on a coupletracks with Classy Project.
So I work with a lot of peopleon various projects and it's a
busy year.
I think it's going to be great.
I'm looking forward to thesummer, some events and a lot of
(32:09):
hype.
And we got a fantastic team.
So our team is global.
They go anywhere, from Dubaiall the way to California and
Australia.
So we have over 30 members atour company and it's honestly
this is our biggest year.
This is something that I'vebeen looking forward to and I
say that generally from thebottom of my heart, just not for
(32:31):
financial gains, but just forachievements that I've been
basically planting the seed andnourishing that for the past 15
years.
So this is the biggest year.
I'm really happy and I lookforward to helping other
youngsters and enthusiasts outthere to basically carry on the
torch after us.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
I love it.
I love it.
And, before we let you go,thank you so much for being in
the passenger seat with me Foranybody that needs to know more
about you or where to find you.
Can you tell us where to findall things?
Speaker 2 (33:11):
so my website is hoss music.
Hoss musiccom simple and easy,and everything funk to see is
f-u-n-k-t-a-s-ycom.
Funk to seecom, our recordlabel, our magazine, our shop,
our academy.
Everything's right on onewebsite or you have access to it
from one website and we're outthere on instagram funk to see
(33:34):
official on all other platformsjust funk to see so you can find
us.
We're everywhere.
Uh, and beyond that, alethea, Iwant to say thank you, you're
genuine, you're awesome, loveyou for what you're doing, keep
doing it, and I really enjoygenuine people, people like that
, expressing something, notfaking it, just from the bottom
(33:55):
of the heart.
You know it's a shitty worldout there and it's good to have
good people to share the love,share the vibe, share the
knowledge and, uh, basicallymake a make a decent world.
Not a great world, we can't,but a decent world.
Not a great world, we can't buta decent world.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Thank you so much and for all of you out there, thank
you for watching in thepassenger seat with me.
Alethea and I need you to goout there and be the best that
you can be.
It does not matter how old youare, look.
Matter how old you are.
(34:34):
Look.
Start now.
Start today, because you neverknow where that is going to take
you and know that it's okay ifyou mess up.
Just pick yourself up and do itagain, all right.
So as y'all continue to go outthere and be great in their face
, be great in your own, keepbeing fabulous like I know you
can be and, as always, y'allhave a good day on purpose.
You're welcome.
(34:54):
Thank you, you're welcome.
Yeah, shine like glitter, let the light in your
life get bigger and in the sky,high like a winner, big and
bright like a diamond.
I'm a shaker.
Hey, hey, hey, you're welcome.
Hey, hello, hello, hello.
(00:22):
Everybody, what's good?
And welcome to In the PassengerSeat with me Alethea Crimmins,
your neighborhood hype girl.
Y'all listen, the guests that Ihave in the passenger seat
today.
If you like music, like I likemusic, then you will appreciate
this guest.
(00:42):
Baby, I am a fan of mashups,I'm a fan of all things.
Dj and this guy right here,this guy right here look, let me
just stop talking about him andshow you the clip honey, roll
it, I'm a rock star, I'm a rockstar, I'm a rock star.
(01:04):
Listen, look, I was getting allhype baby.
(01:34):
Let me introduce you to the manbehind the music.
Baby, let's get into it withHyde.
What's going on?
What?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
up Listen.
Thank you so much.
That was like a sizzlingintroduction that really worked
out.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Thank you for that.
Thank you, thank you for beinghere, of course, of course,
we're going to get right into it.
Can you just tell everybody alittle bit about who you are and
what you do?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Perfect, yeah, of course.
So my name is Haas.
First and foremost, I'm amusician, music lover, just like
yourself.
I also run a record labelcalled Funktacy, as well as a
magazine under the same name,funktacy.
So we are a very unique entityboth a record label and a
magazine under the same roof.
As a matter of fact, we'relaunching Funky C Academy next
(02:25):
week Sorry, next month, in lateMarch.
So we are a multifaceted entityand I have my hands involved
with every aspect of music, fromproduction, pre-production to
post-production, working withartists, artist development and
editorial.
So yeah, it's a busy life, goodlife, but a happy life and
(02:48):
editorial.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
So, yeah, it's a busy life, good life, but a happy
life, man.
So the first thing when I readabout you was the name of your
label fun to see, which I love.
Where did that come from?
Because I was like, oh, that isunique no for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
so when I was looking for names, first thing, you
know like all the domain namesare taken, you got to come come
up with something really whack,right.
So I'm like I love funk music.
I had a thing for you knowJames Brown and you know Ray
Charles and all that blueslegends and rock and funk
legends.
So I like the name funk and I'mlike, ok, so this whole thing
could just be a fantasy.
(03:21):
I could never make it.
So I mixed funk and fantasytogether and we got funk to see.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
I love it, I love it, I love it.
Now, I love that you saidbecause I'm big on like, like
lifting people up and findingthe positive in everything and
you said that you, you thoughtthat you could never make it.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Well, look, why?
No, you have to be realistic.
So, the most, I think one thingthat would avoid depression,
one thing that would avoid, youknow, feeling remorse or
anything, is knowing that you'retaking chances.
And when you take chances,there's success and there's
failure, right?
(04:05):
So not knowing that I wouldnever make it I mean, I didn't
count on that either, but thefact that, look, I mean I left
some room for failure.
If you're only thinkingpositively all the time, life is
not always happy-go-lucky.
Life has its moments too.
So you come out a winner whenyou learn to juggle the good and
the bad, the success and thefailure, the happy and the sad,
(04:28):
and that's what makes you awinner.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
So what made you say?
You know what?
I'm gonna just go for it.
I'm going to just do it Like I.
I know that this might not work, but fuck it, I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I mean, uh, I think since I was 13 14, I wanted, I
wanted to be in the musicindustry.
It's just because I have somuch love for music, you know,
playing different instruments,working with, playing with
different bands, be djing, andall that stuff.
I didn't know what I want to do, okay, and I come from an
immigrant family in Canada and Ididn't have any guidance and I
(05:07):
think one of the biggest thingsin order to succeed in
entertainment and music industryis to have a mentor or to have
a guide, and I lacked that.
But I always knew what I wantedto do and the fact that I love
doing so many things kind ofdelayed it.
I'm a late bloomer when itcomes to success and getting to
the point that I want to get,but again, I was blessed and I
(05:29):
had a chance to try a lot ofthings that a lot of people
didn't get to try within theindustry as well, as you know,
stuff that I wanted to get myhands on.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
I love that and I love the fact that you were like
that.
You know, hey, hey, I startedout late, but that didn't stop
nothing.
That did not stop anything is,yes, I started late, but look,
but look at what I did like I'mstill here.
I still was successful.
Regardless of how late youstart in life, you can still
(06:01):
make something out of yourself,and I think that that is
wonderful.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Better late than never, right Hell yes, so when
did you first discover that youhad a passion for being a DJ?
Like you could have doneanything else, but what made you
say I want to be a DJ, you know?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I enjoy technology.
So, growing up, you know, inthe 90s, house music was taking
over, hip hop was taking over.
In both these genres theyevolved around DJs, right, the
parties, the scene andeverything the culture.
So for me, you know playingdifferent instruments as well as
dabbling with technology.
You know, even today, if I hadthe choice, I would say I'll be
(06:49):
a flamenco player by day and aDJ by night.
So being a DJ was somethingthat I grew up with, I grew into
.
I never grew out of it.
It's still there, it's part ofthe mainstream culture, part of
the mainstream music scene, andI'm still involved with it.
So it's part of my career, it'spart of who I am and it's just
something that, like I said,naturally was in me and it grew
(07:12):
in me and it's still there.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
So what is your like?
Musical style, or like what,what genre?
Because you've, you've dabbledwith, like snoop dog and michael
jackson, and like differentstyles of music.
So what, what's, what's?
What's your style?
Speaker 2 (07:32):
describe it my style like haas, is known as a house
music producer, kind of classichouse, more like.
Kind of like you know oldschool vibe house, a 909 and the
bass line and that piano riff,you know pre-chord progressions
with piano.
That is my style.
But as a record label owner, asa record label ceo, I have my
(07:53):
hands with creation of countrymusic, rock music and hip-hop
and pop music.
So I would say I'mmulti-diverse.
I'm grateful for that.
So for that I would call myselfmulti-genre as a person, but as
a producer, more house music.
As a songwriter, more housemusic.
(08:13):
But then again, because of thelabel, I have my hands in pretty
much every genre that I couldget my hands on.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
I love house.
I love how it makes you feel Ilove house Like I.
I love how it makes you feelLike I love it.
I'm like, yeah, it just it justmake you want to just jump
around and just have a good likeyou.
You can't be sad listening tohouse music Like there is no,
(08:41):
there is no possible way thatyou can feel bad about anything
listening to house music.
So I think that that is amazing.
But you're also a drummer andyou play several different
instruments, because I saw youat a show and you're also a
(09:01):
drummer, correct?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
I am.
I would say I was Like I playguitars, I play percussion, I
play drums, bass, multipleinstruments.
I stay away from brass andviolin.
I don't pick like difficultinstruments.
But, to be honest with you,nowadays, you know, I work
mostly with a small keyboard andthe computer.
Because of production,unfortunately, that's what the
(09:23):
world has come to keyboard andthe computer.
Because of production,unfortunately that's what the
world has come to, and at thecaliber of production output
that you know, I'm working onreleasing a lot of music.
We're releasing at least one ortwo tracks every week under the
funk busy label, so, and we'reactually increasing that to a
few tracks uh, by summer 2025per week.
So so for that, unfortunately,I don't touch a lot of
(09:46):
instruments.
You know, just like most otherinstruments, we're working out
of the box, out of the computer.
So less organic instruments,more virtual instruments, I
would say.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Okay, so I guess because I used to play like the
clarinetinet in high school andcollege, so I wouldn't be able
to get on a track with myclarinet.
I'm sure you still got the mic.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
I'm sure you still got the mic.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So the one thing I love I love, love, love is
mashups, and you are a bigmashup person.
What is your like creativeprocess?
But I've I've never understoodhow people can hear one song and
say, hey, this will go goodwith this song.
Like, I can mash this up Like.
(10:39):
What is your creative processwhen?
When doing mashups?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
When doing doing so.
For example, I just released atrack called way too cool, and
the vocals on it was actuallyfrom the first hip-hop track
that we released in 2010 undermy label funk to see, and I just
took bits and pieces of thisand turn it into a disco house.
So, uh, and the artist's nameis Aristos.
(11:05):
He's my right-hand man andbrother.
He's been running the labelwith me, but that's the first
track that we wrote in 2010 overthe phone.
That was way before Zoom andSkype and everything.
So we wrote this track over thephone.
So, look, the creation I thinkmost artists can relate to is
seeing things with a differentcolor, seeing things outside the
box and perceiving things indifferent manners.
(11:28):
So a melody that I hear andperceive.
You could perceive itdifferently, right, so we could
mix it and remix it and remakeit differently.
So I think that's the artisticintuition of every artist to see
something differently andthat's what contributes to them
being a unique artist I lovethat.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
So when, when you do like go out and dj and you have
like a crowd, how do you do yougo out there with a set list or
do you just feel the vibe andlike I'm gonna just go go off of
y'all vibe?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
so look, I mean, good djs are known for reading the
crowd.
That's the word right you readthe crowd, it's psychology, it's
dance floor psychology, it'ssomething you develop over the
time.
You know, mixing is somethingthat can be done, uh
automatically on any uh cdj oruh record box or any other
(12:26):
software that you use for DJing.
So that's not a skill anymore.
Skill is understanding thecrowd.
Skill is reading the crowd.
Skill is knowing what song todrop, when right, and basically
just feeling the vibe of theenergy of the room.
That's what makes a good DJ agood DJ.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
So what's the biggest challenge that you've faced
being a DJ or just being in themusic industry?
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Look, being in the music industry is.
I think the challenge isenormous.
Number one is not understandingthe industry, not understanding
how to monetize your music, howto make money.
If you ask 99% of independentartists how do you make money,
they point to Spotify.
Spotify is not even 5% to 10%of your revenue that you get
(13:22):
back from your music.
You have to understandpublishing.
You have to understandregistration.
You have to understand thedifference between a master and
the publishing, understandingwhat are the rights and
royalties of a writer, of asongwriter, a lyricist, a
musician, a session musician, aproducer, an engineer.
You have to understand the andeducate yourself.
(13:45):
So the challenge for me waslearning all of this, applying
it not only to myself but to theother 70 artists that are under
the umbrella of Funk DC Records, and make sure that everyone
gets a piece of monetary fundsback and a revenue back for
their work so they can call it acareer.
All of the career.
(14:06):
Until you're not generatingincome and making a living, I
don't think it's a career.
And the hardest part, thechallenge, is to turn that hobby
into a career, and in order todo that is you have to
understand the industry.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
So was it easy for you to say, well, let me turn my
, my hobby into?
Because there's a lot of peoplethat love that, have hobbies,
but are scared to take that nextstep and say, let me turn my
hobby into my career.
But they're nervous becausewill I make money?
(14:44):
Will I be good at it, Will itsell?
So how did you overcome thatand what would you tell people
that would want to make theirhobbies into a career?
Speaker 2 (14:57):
So, number one education, self-education.
You know, you don't necessarilyneed to go to a university or
an academy.
Obviously it helps, and for me,I'm more self-educated rather
than, you know, academicallyeducated through an institution.
But all the information is outthere.
Especially today, we have moreinformation out there than ever
at our disposal.
(15:18):
So, self-educate yourself, havea plan, have a backup plan.
And have a backup backup plan,because I mean I might make some
people hopeless right now, butno, no, really, that's how you
become an artist.
You have to think of yourself.
If you want to make a careerout of this, you should not
think of yourself as an artist,you should think of yourself as
(15:39):
an entity, okay.
So the way you succeed is youput your emotions aside, okay,
okay, and that's something thatI tell every member, every staff
member, every intern, everybodythat joins funk to see the day.
You join funk to see you're notgoing to think like an
individual, you're going tothink like an entity.
As an entity, you need to meetcertain deadlines, you need to
(16:02):
have milestones, okay.
So, for example, one problem Isee with a lot of youth and
artists today is they don't haveconsistency with their output.
Okay, you need to release atleast one song every four to six
weeks.
If we go back 20 years ago,every major band, every major
artist was releasing an album ayear which had 10 to 12 songs.
(16:24):
Right, that's about a song permonth.
So, number one you want to havea career.
You got to have consistency.
Number two you've got to thinklike a brand, like a company.
So don't think, hey, I'm notgoing to do any claps.
No, do claps, do feature onsomeone else track, get your
name out there, make networkwith other individuals, artists
(16:48):
and brands.
So don't be emotional.
Don't say, hey, I don't likecountry, I'm not going to listen
to country.
Maybe use a country sample inyour song, you know.
So that's, I think, having aplan, a backup plan, as well as
self-educating yourself, as wellas putting emotions aside and
having discipline and output.
(17:08):
I think that is 80% of the wayI love it Making a career.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
A lot of people don't know how to put their emotions
on the back burner, especiallyin this day and age.
Everything hurts everybody'sfeelings Like, if you don't
listen to my song, my feelingsare hurt.
If you don't want to work withme, my feelings are hurt.
Sometimes we have to put ouremotions back here so that we
(17:43):
can get it done and know thatsometimes people are going to
hurt our feelings, things aregoing to hurt our feelings, but
we can't let that stop us frompushing forward and knowing that
we can do it, regardless ofwhether or not we're hurt.
We can do hard things, so wehave to just keep on going.
(18:05):
So I love that you said that wehave to put our emotions back
here, because that's how we'regoing to get ahead absolutely.
And I always say look, if youdon't believe in you, nobody
else will believe that part,that part, because I can't
expect you to want to back me ifI'm doubting myself.
(18:30):
And it shows like self-doubtshows and people are like, well,
you don't even you, you don'teven look like you.
You want to be here, so why?
Why?
Why would I back you?
So you, you have to believethat you can do it in order for
other people to believe that youcan do it.
(18:51):
Like I've seen people get onstages and they may have had
like 50, 60 people, but they puton the best show of their life
because they believe that, look,this may not be the biggest
crowd, but I have to performlike it is, because one day it
(19:15):
will be.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
For sure.
Another thing that I like tojust point out which is like the
elephant in the room and for meis being in the forefront of
the industry that I see thatit's not spoken of much is look,
there's a lot of depressiongoing around, especially with
folks involved in theentertainment industry.
Look, with the whole socialmedia and everyone, everything
like that.
(19:36):
Every day is an artist, everyday is a influencer.
You have to wake up, be asunshine, you know, and show
your face.
No matter what you got on yourface, you got to show it.
Smile, yes, and it's perfect.
You gotta wear your bling andyour expensive jeans, and
sometimes you can't afford it.
So, look, it takes a lot oftoll.
But one thing is I think a lotof people hide it.
(19:58):
I think they should seek help.
They should talk to people.
There's a community out therefor folks that need help or they
just need to vent out.
Sometimes just venting out willavoid that road to depression,
and it's something that I thinkprofessionals in the industry
need to kind of come togetherand talk more about this.
(20:20):
Okay, so there's a lot oftalking about.
Positivity is how to avoidnegativity, right?
So if we could kind of helpheal individuals not to get on
the path of negativity andself-destruction.
I think we'll spread themessage of positivity and good
vibes and everyone will have ahappier world.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
How do you avoid all the negativity that comes your
way and how do you stay positivein this industry, knowing that
it can take such a severe tollon you?
Speaker 2 (21:00):
so first thing for me , look, uh, I think I was born a
happy-go-lucky person.
I don't complain much.
But that is, look, I've set itas a rule, as obedience kind of
terms and conditions for myself.
That, look, I've put myselfhere.
I have a purpose in life and mypurpose in life is to make
(21:23):
music, not necessarily goodmusic, just music for my soul
and other souls around me, andthat is my purpose in life.
I think once you find yourpurpose in life, then you won't
complain.
Another thing is, look, I don'ttake things for granted.
I know I'm in a blessed country.
I'm in Canada, I'm in Montreal,beautiful country, north
(21:43):
America.
You know I don't have to lookfor my morning breakfast or my
dinner.
Food is there.
So I'm happy.
And I think, especially incertain countries like G7
countries and, you know,advanced countries, you can be
whatever you want to be at anyage.
So sometimes life, you know,depending on location or
(22:06):
geographical territories thatyou're in, puts barriers in your
way.
But and that's you know,hopefully we can solve that in
the in the near future.
But as a person, for me I knowI'm in a good place, I know I'm
happy, I have a purpose andthat's what gets me going.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I love that and I love that you said and I needed
people to listen and understandthat.
What I heard you say is that Imake music.
It may not be good music to you, but I make music for me and
for my soul and what I think isgood to me.
(22:49):
It may not be good to you, butI make music for me.
And if people would just knowand understand that you do not
do things for other people, youdo it for yourself, and
everybody is not going to thinkthat it's good, but if you think
it is, if it feeds your soul,if it makes you happy, that is
(23:10):
all that matters, that is allthat matters Absolutely, and if
you're not happy, you cannotproject happiness onto others.
That part I love it and I lovethat you said that you find
things to be grateful for, thatyou find things to be grateful
(23:32):
for, like you find things to behappy about, because the world
may be crumbling down but I havefood on my table.
Like I woke up this morning, Ihave clothes on my back, because
everybody else might not havedone that, but I did For sure.
So, sometimes, if we just stopand just look at the things that
(23:54):
we do have around us instead offocusing on the negativity,
then we'd be happier people.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I think 50 Cent said it best.
I'm not quoting him word byword, but he said a father with
six kids in Mexico.
You know he doesn't have timeto be depressed.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Because listen, but.
But.
But it's true, like some,sometimes it's like oh, I don't,
I don't have time to to bedepressed because I have.
I have too much going on in mylife to focus on what I don't
have going on in my life.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Like I have too much.
We all have a purpose in life.
That's something that we do toa conclusion, whether it's just
be a good mother, good sister,simple as that, or a good friend
, that's a purpose in life.
And if you manage to find thatpurpose in life without getting
too philosophical, and you makepeace with yourself, the world
is a beautiful place.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
I love it, love it, I love it, I love it.
So, outside of dj, what are youmost passionate about?
Speaker 2 (25:01):
uh, honestly, my whole life pretty much been
dedicated to music.
Other than that, you know, Ilove the basics of life
traveling, good food and allthat stuff.
Dining, whining, all that stuffis good, but really for me it's
just been music and writing andthe magazine.
I'm just so over my headinvolved in this world that I
(25:22):
don't have time for much else.
And I don't think aboutretirement, I don't think about
failure, it's just we're at aplace right now.
It's about just keeping thatassembly line rolling and having
output and we're making a namefor ourselves.
You know, we're one of thebiggest independent record
labels in North America becausewe're multi-genre and we go from
(25:43):
country all the way to housemusic.
So, honestly, I'm blessed, I'mhappy, no complaints,
everything's good, dandy as itcan be and I'm content with life
.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
I love the way that you think, like, I love the way
that you think, and I wish thatmore people would think like you
Like, I love it, I love it, Ilove it, I love it, I love it, I
love it.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
I love it, thank you.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
So we're going to get into the fun questions, all
right, so just hold on till yousee.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
It's going to get bumpy, huh.
Speaker 1 (26:25):
So, as an artist and you go out and do like shows,
tell us what is your mostembarrassing moment doing a show
.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Most embarrassing moment.
So, look, I do select shows now.
Most embarrassing moments,honestly, it's just, most of the
embarrassing moments arebecause of other people that
drank a little too much, youknow, and I got too many stories
to share for that.
You know from the years that Iwas playing at different clubs
(26:59):
and things like that.
But honestly, I don't look atit any of an embarrassing, it's
just in the moments, right, andit's just lives in.
That moment, stays in thatmoment and life goes on.
But uh, one funny story I had Iwas a front of the house
engineer for this huge, hugemiddle eastern artist and we did
a show in sweden last year andsomehow his uh mic pack was
(27:24):
falling off his pants and I hadto go on stage really squeezing
into his pants.
It was just like a whole mess.
So, yeah, but uh, for DJ lifeit's a lot of drunken stories
and things like that.
But concerts there's likemalfunctions, they can turn into
a disaster, you know.
So that's that's, uh, where Ileave it.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Geez, what is your guilty pleasure?
Speaker 2 (27:56):
My guilty pleasure.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Eating too much bread .
Yeah, that's my guilty pleasure.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Bread is so addictive , it's so addictive, oh my
goodness, I love bread, allsorts of bread, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
But oh gosh, your weirdest habit, my weirdest
habit.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Your weirdest habit, my weirdest habit, weirdest
habit.
I have a habit of like, when Ileave the room or enter the room
, bang on something you knowjust like announce I'm coming in
or just going out, so that'sone of my weirdest habits.
I guess that just comes fromplaying too many instruments.
So I have a habit of like, youknow whistling and just making
(28:31):
sound.
So making sound is my bad habit.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
So you just have to have to like announce that you
you have arrived.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
I guess my baddest habit if I could reverse
psychology that I would say Idon't enjoy silence, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Really, you know what , now that I think about it,
like I'm, I'm the type of personthat I cannot sleep in a silent
room.
Really, like I cannot, like Ihave to have some type of noise
or I will not be able to sleep.
Like, if it's Like one of thoseocean noises, or Like I have to
(29:06):
have a like fan on or some typeof sound, because if not, it
just creeps me out.
And so I'm just like look,looking around, like why is why
is it so quiet in here?
Like I, I can't, I can't, Ican't, I can't, I can't well,
you know what we?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
We all have different good and bad habits.
So it's all good.
As long as you don't harmanyone, we're good.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
If you can give advice to aspiring DJs or
anybody in music that wants topursue this career, what advice
would you give them?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Look, I'll give you the typical advice that anybody
else would, and then I'll go alittle bit beyond that.
So just master your art.
Master your art, believe inyourself, keep your sanity in
check, okay, have consistency,have a plan Like I said, even a
backup plan and make sure thatevery day you're devoted to what
(30:10):
you want to do and at one point, even if you realize you got to
back out, back out, you know,do not let it affect your health
, because there's a coupleproblems with this industry.
Not only it takes a tollmentally, not only it takes a
toll physically, it takes a tollfinancially as well.
(30:30):
So do not destroy your life or,you know, those around you.
If you cannot pull through atone point, you have to pull the
plug.
If you can, and that's okay, atleast you tried.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
I like that you.
You said, hey, you know if youdid the best that you can
possibly do.
You said, hey, you know if youdid the best that you can
possibly do.
If you know that you did yourbest, it's okay to say you know
(31:04):
what I tried and it wasn't forme, but at least when I die I
would have no regrets because Idid what I wanted to do.
It may not have worked out, butat least I can say I did it.
At least I can say I tried, andI love the way that you think.
So what do you have coming upin the future that we should
(31:25):
know about?
Speaker 2 (31:26):
So this year is actually a busy year for myself
and the label, so I got a lot oftracks coming out.
I'm doing a track called dancewith an artist.
His name is uh, the legendarywillie mack out of atlanta.
So we got this really gospelhouse track coming out.
I'm working with a jamaicanartist in um.
(31:47):
She's in amsterdam but she'sfrom Jamaica, her name is
Redible.
We've been working on sometracks, so that track is coming
out in two months.
We're also working on a coupletracks with Classy Project.
So I work with a lot of peopleon various projects and it's a
busy year.
I think it's going to be great.
I'm looking forward to thesummer, some events and a lot of
(32:09):
hype.
And we got a fantastic team.
So our team is global.
They go anywhere, from Dubaiall the way to California and
Australia.
So we have over 30 members atour company and it's honestly
this is our biggest year.
This is something that I'vebeen looking forward to and I
say that generally from thebottom of my heart, just not for
(32:31):
financial gains, but just forachievements that I've been
basically planting the seed andnourishing that for the past 15
years.
So this is the biggest year.
I'm really happy and I lookforward to helping other
youngsters and enthusiasts outthere to basically carry on the
torch after us.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
I love it.
I love it.
And, before we let you go,thank you so much for being in
the passenger seat with me Foranybody that needs to know more
about you or where to find you.
Can you tell us where to findall things?
Speaker 2 (33:11):
so my website is hoss music.
Hoss musiccom simple and easy,and everything funk to see is
f-u-n-k-t-a-s-ycom.
Funk to seecom, our recordlabel, our magazine, our shop,
our academy.
Everything's right on onewebsite or you have access to it
from one website and we're outthere on instagram funk to see
(33:34):
official on all other platformsjust funk to see so you can find
us.
We're everywhere.
Uh, and beyond that, alethea, Iwant to say thank you, you're
genuine, you're awesome, loveyou for what you're doing, keep
doing it, and I really enjoygenuine people, people like that
, expressing something, notfaking it, just from the bottom
(33:55):
of the heart.
You know it's a shitty worldout there and it's good to have
good people to share the love,share the vibe, share the
knowledge and, uh, basicallymake a make a decent world.
Not a great world, we can't,but a decent world.
Not a great world, we can't buta decent world.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Thank you so much and for all of you out there, thank
you for watching in thepassenger seat with me.
Alethea and I need you to goout there and be the best that
you can be.
It does not matter how old youare, look.
Matter how old you are.
(34:34):
Look.
Start now.
Start today, because you neverknow where that is going to take
you and know that it's okay ifyou mess up.
Just pick yourself up and do itagain, all right.
So as y'all continue to go outthere and be great in their face
, be great in your own, keepbeing fabulous like I know you
can be and, as always, y'allhave a good day on purpose.
You're welcome.
(34:54):
Thank you, you're welcome.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.