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rue to his namesake, music has been Hakeem’s dream since he was young. So seeing his Ronnie Notch-produced single “Thick Wit It” explode throughout the Midwest and surrounding markets is almost surreal.
“For eight weeks strong we were in the top five on the local Radio One station,” says Hakeem about the success of his single thus far. “We’ve been spun in over 30 markets and we’re really getting it out there.” Competing strongly with major label driven records both on the radio and in the clubs, Hakeem’s catchy ode to the female anatomy has him poised to become the next success story from the STL. But even amidst the success, he realizes that he has to be more than just a one-trick pony.
receiver Brandon Williams to form ∏MO (pronounced “pi-mo”) records is a sign of that independence. Since 2001 Hakeem has released three mixtapes, all of which performed exceptionally well in his city. “As far as independent grinders, it’s definitely hard for us in the Midwest,” says Hakeem, mentioning that his label name breaks down as ∏ the Greek math term used to say 3.14 (St. Louis’ area code) and MO, the abbreviation for Missouri. “When it comes to St. Louis, there’s been a few records that kind of flopped so it’s kind of hard for us right now.” According to Hakeem, St. Louis has come to be labeled as the hometown of a lot of one-hit wonders. This makes it harder for people like him to succeed without being stereotyped to potentially suffer the same fate.
“My style is versatile,” he says. “A lot of people that know me from previous work know that I create different types of records. This one was more [radio] friendly than other records, but I’m making the people happy.”
“I’ve got to change that whole energy,” he says. “I wouldn’t compare myself to nobody in the Lou, but I’ve got respect for everybody in the Lou that’s doing their thing. I’m just a totally different breed.”
Despite the female-friendly music he’s becoming known for, Hakeem hopes that his latest project State of Independence will showcase him as a multifaceted artist. Partnering up with friend and St. Louis Rams wide
Words by Le’Deana Brown Photo by Demond Leek
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