GET TO KNOW...: Uche W., Hip Hop Is For Lovers

She might be, hands down, one of my favorite people in NYC. Beyond being my Ratchet Sister In the Struggle, her love for music and undying faith in the hip-hop culture have served as a motivation for me to become more knowledgeable. Uche W. is a dope individual with an artistic mind, free spirit, and open love for people. Hailing from the Third Coast, she calls Houston and New Orleans her home, while NYC is the place where she spreads her creative wings. The first time I met Uche was at Record Store Day 2010. Everyone was gathered at Fat Beats (RIP) in the West Village section of NYC. Black Milk, the whole entire Duck Down Records crew, and others were the headliners for the event. Talk about PACKED. I somehow was able to wiggle myself from outside of the record store, up the stairs, and to the front. Looking over to my left, I see this young lady with vibrant energy and even more vibrant hair. I mean...her hair was like a hot red color. You couldn't miss her. We were introduced by a mutual friend and literally became cool that night. I think what connected us was her extreme love for hip hop, her aura was genuine, and she understood what it was like to live in NYC being from another city. To this day, I've been blessed to call her sistren, as she has not only helped me in my transition of living here, but has supported me and her other friends in our endeavors of being amazing.

Uche's mind allows her to delve into many different friends. She's done and continues to do activities in everything from photography to being the director of music videos. When she isn't out doing her own awesome things, she's on the front row supporting her friends at their shows or being their cheerleader on social networks. If you live in Brooklyn, you've heard about either her infamous Red Cup Parties in October or her baby, "The Lovers' Joint", which is held every year around Valentine's Day. The energy she gives into bring people together from different backgrounds, music preferences, and walks of life really speaks to her openness in learning about culture and embracing new people. When she rides for you, she rides for you.

When the idea of Hip Hop Is For Lovers came about, it started as an idea. All Uche wanted to do was to talk about her favorite subjects: sex, love, intimacy, and hip-hop. Now, HH4L is a multimedia agency that has two radio shows that air weekly, a blog that is updated frequently, a party that is held once a year (which has one of the highest turn outs for events of this caliber), and is now branching into other arenas.  Teaming up with her friend, Lenee V., these two have taken the HH4L brand and started to build a powerhouse. If you've ever had the opportunity to listen on in one of their shows, you know that they just don't discuss the "love" aspect of music. No..I'm not talking about just the so called "chick songs". Some of their topics include domestic abuse in relationships for both men and women, the infamous friend-zone, the do's and don'ts of relationships and sex, and even most recently, a dedication to women emcees, and my favorite topic that appeals to my inner ratchetness, songs dedicated to the women's erogenous zone (you'd have to download the episode to understand why this is so epic). HH4L is for everyone who understands that it is okay to be open and crass about intimacy and sex. HH4L provides that safe space for you to do that.

So what happens when you take two girls from below the Mason Dixon line, a family pack from Popeye's, Jack Daniels Honey with Ginger Ale (hold the ginger ale), and a camera? You get two dope opportunities to fall in love with a new kind of Southern Belle. Check it out.

Uche Discusses Being From the South, Transition to NYC, and Background in Film and Makeup:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm8wv6NxgP0[/youtube]

 Uche Discusses Hip Hop Is For Lovers:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyoTN6ps-YA&feature=channel&list=UL[/youtube]

 

If you'd like to make a donation to the HH4L Indiegogo Campaign, please do so. Make sure you check out her out on Hip Hop Is For Lovers Radio every Wednesday from 8p-10p.

You see why I love her? See why she is so amazing. Uche W. is more than just the chick you might find rocking out to UGK on the train or Tanya Morgan on her radio show. She is about life, takes advantage of opportunities that are presented before her, and strives to share her talents with the world. That is the kind of woman, Uche W. is and definitely one you should get to know. Make sure you follow Hip Hop Is For Lovers and Uche on Twitter. If nothing else, you'll definitely be entertained.

 

Special thanks to Broady Brown from Nocturnal Charm Media for the video edit.