GooD HooD

Artist Information

Biography

Deuce & Sab'rey have been making music together since their childhood in Evanston, IL, aka the North Pole of Chicago. Influenced by Chicago artists like Twista, Crucial Conflict, Do or Die, and Psychodrama, as well as hip-hop superstars like Biggie, Tupac, Eminem, Outkast, DMX, and Nas, their early lyrics were raw and gritty, focusing on the chaos of street life and hustling. They performed together all over the Chicago area as part of their group, The Billa Click.

Going separate ways to pursue college degrees, Deuce went to Washington, DC where he co-founded Heavy Syndication, an indie record label. Sab'rey soon moved to DC as well to further his music career. Deuce & Sab'rey decided to work together, this time as a duo, GooD HooD, and in 2008 released their debut street album, Grindin Season, paying tribute to their urban upbringing yet looking forward to a brighter future.

Harnessing the power of the internet and social networking to connect with producers and other artists from across the globe, GooD HooD's style has rapidly matured. By blending their lyrical prowess with the creativity of a diverse range of progressive, worldly composers, they are developing a new sound using innovation and experimentation as their blueprint. With each new song, they continue to outdo themselves, proof that the best is yet to come!

Their most recent accomplishments include the release of the new music video for "Game Tight," and having their song "Break a Leg" featured in the independent Puerto Rican film, ELITE. They are currently recording a new album at Listen Vision studios in Washington DC.

Experienced showmen, GooD HooD have opened for Do or Die, Little Brother, Akir, & Fort Minor. They have performed at Chicago's historic Bud Billiken Parade, the Washington Park Afro-Caribbean Festival of Life, DC Carnival, and the Baltimore Music Conference. Other notable venues where they have performed include the Congress Theater, Nation, U.S. Beer Company, Bill's Blues Bar, The BooCoo, Pure, Queen Makeda, and Spot Lounge. Their music has been featured in the independent films "Signage" and "Elite" as well as on various mixtapes and internet/college radio.

Instrumentation

Roger "Deuce" Brown - Vocals
Sab'rey "Hutchie" Smith - Vocals

Discography

2011 - Released GAME TIGHT EP & music video
2010 - Released ROCK STEADY single & music video
- BREAK A LEG featured in Puerto Rican indie film ELITE
2009 - Released CAN'T STOP music video
2008 - Released "GRINDIN SEASON" Street Album
- WHAT's GOOD 2NITE featured in indie film "Signage"

GAME TIGHT, TAKE OFF, ROCK STEADY, GON GRIND, CAN'T STOP in rotation on:
GameTyme w/ Sherm Demand on Lawless Radio
LMC (Local Music Chicago) Radio
Elite DC Radio
Skope Radio

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Last.fm
• Youtube
• ReverbNation

Audio

• Take Off
  Listen  
• Game Tight
  Listen  
• Rock Steady
  Listen  
• Gon Grind ft. Chaundon
  Listen  
• Hip Hop
  Listen  
• Beautiful Game (w intro)
  Listen  
• Break a Leg
  Listen  
• Can't Stop ft. Shifty
  Listen  

Video

Game Tight.mov

Performance Montage

Photo Gallery

Press

• Good Hood: The Hip-Hop Lyricists from Evanston [+ Show ]
  

  Real lyricists are just one way to describe this dynamic rap group that’s from Evanston, IL and the ...Real lyricists are just one way to describe this dynamic rap group that’s from Evanston, IL and the Da North Pole in Chicago. Working with the independent label, Heavy Syndication and DJ Anonymous, the group has released they’re debut album, Grindin’ Season.
  
  The groups beat transports you back to a time where hip-hop had a unique sound, and with their original lyrics you are sure to become enthralled with Good Hood’s new single Break a Leg. Like the title on their new album, they are grindin’ to make this hit #1 in the streets.
  
  Good Hood was formed in 2000 by Deuce and Sabrey while they attended Evanston Township High School. During those years the original group, The Billa Click, which was made up of 7-8 members at the time, performed a plethora of open mics and showcases that include Chicago, Southern Illinois University and Northern Illinois University, and opening for the Chicago rap group Do or Die, to name a few. Then, Deuce decided to move to DC to further his education and his partner Sabrey soon followed. They began working with their former label called Heavy Syndication in 2005. They’ve been grindin’ ever since!
  
  Crystal: Are you stationed in Chicago now, or are you still in the DC area?
  Good Hood: We spend time in both Chicago and DC, depending on when we have shows, business meetings, etc… Since our former label, Heavy Syndication, was based in DC, we were obligated to being in the DC area to take care of business. Now that we are fully independent, we have been spending more time back in Chicago & Evanston, but we still record in DC and work with several producers and business partners based in the DC area.
  
  Crystal: What makes you unique from other rap groups out today?
  Good Hood: First, we talk about issues of substance that are relatable to those living and growing up in the world today. With the economy continuing to stall, inflation rising, and people struggling harder and harder just to get by, I think that people want to hear more music that relates to the issues faced by individuals and society as a whole. By touching on subjects that everyday people relate to, it makes our music more universal than other artists who only talk about their possessions and women. We aren’t trying to fit the character mold of who rappers are “supposed” to be. Though, we both come from the hood, we have been blessed with the opportunity to pursue our music and travel overseas to places like China, Spain, Chile, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. But at the end of it all, we’re just two guys from the Chi who speak our mind using rap as our outlet. We won’t insult the intelligence of the hip-hop audience by dumbing down our lyrical content.
  Second, we both have unique voices and styles or flow, as I like to call it. Sabrey has a gift with the rhymes and can spit bars that would leave your tongue in knots, while I punch from the gut and say what everyone is thinking but hasn’t put into words. The two of us together on tracks creates a real nice balance.
  Third, as independent artists, we have worked and continue to work with some amazing producers and artists from such places as Atlanta, New York, Evanston, Chicago, North Carolina, Washington DC, and even Sweden. Not only does this give our music a diverse sound, but paired with the travelling we’ve done, it broadens our horizons by giving us a more global perspective on the music business.
  
  Crystal: What inspired the single Break a Leg?
  Good Hood: Break a Leg was meant to be put on another artist’s album with us as the feature,
  but he never got it done and ended up giving us the track to use on Grindin Season. So we took it and ran with it. This track is about how you gotta go all out to succeed. Especially, in the rap game! Just like they tell actors and athletes before they perform,”Break a Leg,” meaning “Good Luck.” So when you hit the stage, you might break a leg and you still gotta finish the show. That’s the mentality needed for success. It was produced by Battery from Atlanta.
  
  Crystal: What do you want your audience to take from Break a Leg and the rest of the album?
  Good Hood: We would like our listeners to be inspired to pursue success for themselves, whatever their goals and objectives are. This music is what we were meant to do and we aren’t gonna let anything or anyone stop us from being successful. Even in tough times, you gotta stay focused and keep a positive mindset. If you want something badly enough and you are dedicated, being from the hood, growing up without your parents around, or any other obstacle can’t stop you. Basically, as bad as things can get, there’s no time for excuses. Take charge of your life and realize that the world is yours!
  
  Crystal: Where will Good Hood be in the next six months?
  Good Hood: Over the next six months, our main focus is to make Good Hood a legal business entity and start our own publishing company. Both of these are long overdue! We are seeking representation by a booking agent and potentially a manager as well. We are always seeking show opportunities and are currently working on some new songs produced by a Swedish producer, All I Ever Wanted. Throughout this time, we will be bouncing around the country, wherever we need to be to move our career forward.
  
  Crystal: Any shows Crystal Magazine Chicago readers should know about???
  Good Hood: We are going to be performing on Aug. 22 at US Beer Company in Chicago. Then in September, we will be doing a show at The Black Hole in Baltimore as part of the Baltimore Music Conference. Those are the only shows we have specific dates on right now, but we will also be performing at TCO Entertainment’s North Pole Movement Concert in Chicago later this year. We also perform every so often at Bill’s Blues Bar and The BooCoo, both in Evanston.
  
  You can contact Good Hood at:
  goodhoodhiphop@gmail.com and at
  www.myspace.com/goodhoodhiphop.
  
  With their down-to-earth lyrics, original hip-hop beats and hunger to make Grindin’ Season the #1 album in the streets, they are going to definitely be the successful rap group from that started their quest in Evanston IL.

• Game Tight Video - Good Stuff Right Here!! [+ Show ]
  

  This is really good stuff right here Chicago natives by way of DC putting out quality hiphop. Coo...This is really good stuff right here Chicago natives by way of DC putting out quality hiphop.
  
  Cool Kids Forever Films noted director Backie T shot Good Hood’s music video for their latest single “Game Tight”
  Known for groundbreaking visuals and imaginative presentations, Cool Kids Forever Films has been on a roll since the top of the year—creating more and more classics to add to their already stacked roster. Their upcoming collaboration with Hip-Hop duo Good Hood is no exception.

Setlist

A typical set by GOOD HOOD can range from 10 to 45 minutes. Songs will be chosen based upon venue and audience. The set will be customized for each show.

We prefer two cordless mics, but cordless not mandatory. Request soundcheck prior to show.

Basic Requirements

Calendar