I'll say this: Google is the best 9-5 anyone could ever get. Awesome environment, I loved my time there, but I grew up with my dream to pursue music full time.

Hoodie Allen

Categorized in : Dream Environment Google

I feel like I have a very unique perspective especially for someone in the hip-hop genre. I'm not afraid to explore it, and how my upbringing then shapes my music and being a New York kid and all of that stuff...that's really the most unique thing I can offer to the music in general.

unique new-york kids

People don't realize that there's no label and everything is self-financed and we make do and do our own thing. I was just happy to do my first video, I thought it was a fun experience.

self fun people

I've basically been able to do everything, I basically run my own career and the decisions I make - whether it's how I'm gonna roll out music, how I'm gonna play on tours, different strategies for releasing and marketing things - and that comes from being college educated and someone who's interested in that side of the business rather than only the music. If anything I think that's where the biggest direct influence comes from.

college running thinking

The cool thing about college tours is you make friends with a lot of other artists because the schools come in and they're looking to make a diverse grouping together and then it works out for everyone.

artist college school

Hoodie was just a nickname I had growing up and I just wanted to have a name that would stick in peoples' minds and be a little bit funny and representative of who I am.

growing-up who-i-am names

I think my music is born out of the music that I personally like to listen to. I love amazing singer-songwriters and diverse artists but it's important to know your strengths.

important artist thinking

It's unfair of me to tell anyone what to think. I make myself for myself to get out my own desire to create and make sense of things in life. Hopefully, it does the same for others.

things-in-life desire thinking

Bloggers are people too you rappers! by Hoodie Allen

Bloggers are people too you rappers!

bloggers rapper people

I'm a Jewish kid who grew up loving hip hop in NY. by Hoodie Allen

I'm a Jewish kid who grew up loving hip hop in NY.

hips hip-hop kids

My biggest regret is probably that it took me so long to find out... by Hoodie Allen

My biggest regret is probably that it took me so long to find out what I want to do.

regret want long

I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through my friends and fell in love with it.

writing song years

I am really obsessed with finding melodies that just hypnotize yo... by Hoodie Allen

I am really obsessed with finding melodies that just hypnotize you and sink you into a song.

obsessed melody song

I think experimentation with other stuff is great. My real focus has been more-so trying to create a sound that I can build upon and get really comfortable with. I think almost everything is experimentation 'til you find what it is that your sound is.

focus real thinking

I do all of marketing and promotion - it's the most exhaustive and rewarding part of the process and I wouldn't trade it for anything. The artist should be the person representing their brand because theyre the best person to do so.

promotion marketing artist

I'm only concerned with making music that I love and that my fans will respond to. I am happy to see other really good young artists able to flourish and pursue their careers.

able careers artist

The blogosphere gives me my life, I am fortunate to have developed relationships with great websites who allow me to reach a whole ton of new people everyday.

everyday giving people

I am a musician, a songwriter, music fan. I live in New York City... by Hoodie Allen

I am a musician, a songwriter, music fan. I live in New York City and I love my job.

cities new-york jobs

There're always some notorious people in the crew who are doing crazy things, but I try to keep it a little more low-key. My crazy thing is always just the show and putting all my energy into it.

crazy keys people

I think the craziest thing I've seen is probably a fan sleeping overnight for two nights before a show, which was probably a bit excessive - they still probably could have been first either way! But I guess it turned into a really exciting, sort of, camping-out trip for them so it was cool.

sleep night thinking

I've kind of shut myself off to a lot of new music because I don'... by Hoodie Allen

I've kind of shut myself off to a lot of new music because I don't want to be influenced by it.

music-is kind want