Hoodie Allen

Entertainment

Hoodie Allen

Maureen Flanagan – December 12, 2011

How well do YOU know Hoodie?

Hoodie Allen is an up and coming artist on the rise. His style is a unique combination of hip hop and pop which he likes to call hoodie-hop. He has been working on his own style for about nine years now. With his most recent mix tape out, Leap Year, he will most definitely be making major waves in the near future.

Hoodie started out in Long Island, New York. He was born Steven Markowitz, but Hoodie was a popular nick name of his as a kid. He decided to keep this nick name as his stage name because it "would stick in peoples’ minds and be a little bit funny and representative of who I am." He says making music is his passion and is glad people have taken so well to it.

He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010 with a degree in finance and marketing. At U Penn, he met his producer, RJF. After graduating, Hoodie got a job with Google. At Google, Hoodie would leave home at 7am, catch a bus, work all day and return home at 6pm. From 6pm to about 2am, he stayed up through the night writing raps, scheduling concerts and simply perfecting his sound. “It’s [sleep] definitely something I’ve sacrificed in the making of Leap Year!” Very few of his coworkers even knew about his rapping alter ego.

Hoodie is a great example of a non-conformist. Instead of sticking with a 9 to 5 job, he took a leap of faith and started to pursue his rapping career. Even with a dream job at Google, he still did what he knew he was meant to do. He followed a dream and great things are coming from it.

Hoodie has toured as an opener for Big Sean, Chiddy Bang, and DJ Gabe Sills.

Hoodie is unique in how he does his best to be in touch with his fans. Via Facebook and Twitter, Hoodie does his best to respond to everyone who messages him. One student here at GHHS got a message back from Hoodie.

Oliver Rouch tweeted “I would definitely hang out with Hoodie Allen.” Cece Albon tweeted back to Oliver how happy she was that Hoodie was becoming more and more popular, and that she was one of Hoodie’s first Grandview fans. Hoodie tweeted back to both of them “Thank you both so much for the support, I really appreciate it.”

Student response to Hoodie Allen has been very up beat. Many students have recently heard of Hoodie and are starting to listen to him.

Senior Brenna McLaughlin was one of the first Hoodie followers. She says what she likes most about Hoodie is his “twist on modern music.” He doesn’t just rap, he sings a little bit too; he doesn’t just rap senseless talk, he uses clever metaphors as well.

Sophomore Luke Miller says he likes Hoodie Allen alot. He said that usually he and his girlfriend don’t agree on their music tastes, but she introduced him to Hoodie, and he liked him alot. Luke says that Hoodie has “good flow” and his favorite Hoodie song is "#WhiteGirlProblems."

Sophomore Grace Van Fossen likes that he is “not super popular yet” because you are in on something that everyone hasn’t caught on to yet. Her friends introduced Grace to Hoodie. She really likes that Hoodie’s music has a positive message and sound.

Hoodie’s fresh sound will spice up your playlists. His website has his newest mixtape Leap Year on it free of cost! Download it and start listening!

Check out Hoodie Allen at his Official Site: hoodieallen.com or on Facebook and Twitter @hoodieallen.