“I heard the whole track and Drake really just like dissed this dude
and took his lyrics, from what it sounded like to me.”
- Herman Watson on first hearing Rappin 4-Tay’s lyrics from
“Tha Playaz Club” being rapped by Drake in YG’s song
“Who Do You Love.”
Herman Watson, continued from page 32
out there, for the first couple of quarters, I
will be able to release some new music later
on this year.
SM: Well I can’t wait to hear your music!
What do you sound like?
HW: I have music out everywhere. You
can look me up on YouTube. I have a
single called “Love” and another one
called “Showstopper.” I haven’t been able to
do videos for them. I have a lot of features
ready for me. People are trying to work with
me. Like I said, I came in doing music, I just
haven’t had really had the time to focus
on me. It’s really like with me and 4-Tay, we
have this year and this year only. We gotta
make it happen. So I am kind of busy until
that’s done. But you can totally look up my
music. I am on soundcloud and all that. I
was on 4-Tay’s last Christmas album. If I am
not doing music, I am busy hyping him up,
running his management and all of that kind
of stuff.
SM: Well I will definitely tell people to head
over to your instagram @herman1990 and
@hw_management.
HW: I own HW Management. That is my
management company. Like I said I only
manage 4-Tay, but I work with everybody.
From El DeBarge, 2Chainz, to a lot of
artists. I know a lot of artists and I book
shows for them. But it doesn’t make me their
manager.
SM: So any artists that are looking to do a
show with you, they can email you?
HW: Yeah, if you are a featured artist. Obie
Trice, Kurupt, everybody always hits me up.
If they are not going through an agent, they
call me and I cover a few stops. They can
hit me up under hwmanagement@yahoo.
com or www.playazclub.com. I am the tour
manager for all of Rappin 4-Ty’s stops and
pretty much anything that has to do with
shows.
SM: Let me ask you a little bit of like
industry career questions. Can you give any
advice to rappers that want to advance
their career in the industry if they don’t
have all of the connections right off the bat.
42 | THE POWER ISSUE
HW: I am not downing anyones stuff, I have
two kids and I used to have to work real
jobs. I am blessed today. I am not rich, not
anything like that, but I don’t work regular
jobs. I do this. This is what I do for a living.
I am proud of that, that’s cool. But I didn’t
have any education for it or anything like
that. So at one point in my life I have asked
myself if I could go back, would I go back
to school and do all of that? Right now, I
am so far in in the game that I don’t have
a choice but to stay in it. At one point I did
want to get out and do stuff like that, you
know? When you have kids, you want to
have stability, a big car, house and all of
that. Not everybody can blow up being a
rapper. I learned that. I am a good rapper,
I have fans, people love to hear my music
and love to work with me, but I know the
difference of being a star, a celebrity, and
making money. I am not money hungry, but I
definitely make money and that’s what I am
about. Giving advice to anybody out there,
if you really want to be in the music industry,
don’t sign anything. Make sure you get a
lawyer and learn the ins and outs. You will
be screwed a couple of times. But it will only
make you stronger and wiser. Being in this
game is cruel, and it is messed up, but at the
same time you have mad fun and there’s just
nothing like it.
SM: Someone like you would know, for sure.
If you sign any form, what types of factors
do you look for before you make your
decision on it.
HW: After I look at it about a hundred times,
I have my lawyer do the same. And let me
know if it is really something that is going
to benefit me. I never signed anything, ever.
Everything I do, I own it. 4-Tay’s music is
registered with me. I have interns that go to
school and go to Columbia Records and hit
me up because they don’t know how to do
a show. I am talking about a quality show.
Not at a pizza place or a bar or whole in the
wall. I am talking about a Staples Center
kind of show. These people can’t even get
exclusive VIP passes. They have to really
network and do all of that kind of stuff. I
didn’t go to school, I didn’t do any of that
and my name is on the list. I can attend
probably any show! That is one thing I have,
that I will always have. The ability to get
into stuff as far as concerts and stuff like
that. But you know, if you are going to sign
something make sure it benefits you. If you
don’t have anything to lose or you don’t
have any kids. I have shit to lose. I have to
make sure my next move is my best move. I
am always working.
SM: You sound so experienced. I am glad I
got to talk to you. I know I have run int