Joe Hound: Chance Meeting

As a protégé of superproducers, Cool & Dre, Miami's own Joe Hound has already built an incredible buzz for himself, and his solo debut, Misery Loves Company. He's been friends with Dre ever since junior high, and attended North Miami High School, where he excelled in sports with both Cool & Dre. The trio even recorded an independent project, Stressed Out, Lost and Confused, while still high school students.

After graduation, Joe briefly went on to enroll at Bethune-Cookman College on a basketball scholarship, but after only one year in school, he returned to Miami and eventually re-aligned himself with Cool & Dre. He has since released three widely popular mixtapes -- 2 Sides Of Joe Hound, War: The Infantry, and War -- while he builds anticipation for his forthcoming Epidemic Records' debut.

BallerStatus.com: First things first, you titled your debut Misery Loves Company, why?

Joe Hound: It shows my struggle. It's been a long time coming. I've put a lot into this game. I've lost relationships over this game -- my homies, damn near my religion if my head wasn't on straight. So, this album is a lot of built up frustration. I feel the world needs to hear it to understand who Joe Hound really is. You can't get that from a single, or just a video, you need a couple of records to understand my story, and from what I've come from to get to this point.

BallerStatus.com: Working with Cool & Dre, how much input do they actually let you have when it comes to the studio?

Joe Hound: A whole lot. Cool & Dre let me pick my own records. Don't get it twisted though, they step in if the record is not right. Dre did a lot of hooks too. He'll hit me up, and be like, "Hound, I got a record for you." And, if we both vibe the record, then it's like "Let's do it."

BallerStatus.com: Any highlights, and/or special guest appearances, favorite tracks, etcetera, that you'd like to point out at this particular time?

Joe Hound: We had Rick Ross stop through and drop a killer 16. DJ Khaled came through and did an intro on a record and set it off. C-Ride, Dirtbag... the album is a problem. I promise. You remember I said it.

BallerStatus.com: Lyrically, what motivates you?

Joe Hound: Usually from how I am feeling through the day, or something I might be going through.

BallerStatus.com: Tell me your whole inception into music. How did it all begin for Joe Hound?

Joe Hound: I first started doing music just freestyling on the block. I wasn't really taking it so serious, but I always had a passion for music. I just never thought I would be able to get to the point where I'd be doing it to pay my bills and take care of my family, until a chance meeting with Cool & Dre, who I already knew from high school. I told them I was trying to do this music with this group I was with in '99. They heard the records and they was like, "Hound, you should go solo. You got the harder verses." They put me in the studio in '99 and I been going hard body ever since.

BallerStatus.com: So, at first you never actually believed you could make a legitimate living as a rapper?

Joe Hound: Not until about 1999 when I hooked up with Cool & Dre. They, like, convinced me it was other ways to get money besides hustling. I used to be like, "I could flip this, and make a couple stacks in 30 minutes." Dre would be like, "Trust me, this sh-- gone pop off."

BallerStatus.com: You are a Miami native, correct? Growing who were you listening to that had an overall influence on your sound?

Joe Hound: Yeah, Lil Haiti, 8 Duece, 8 Four and you can't forget, 7-0, Dade County for Life. I always was listening to Pac, Biggie, Scarface, Luke, JT Money, Master P, Bob Marley. A whole bunch of artists had records that kinda shaped the type of music I do.

BallerStatus.com: How did you get the name Joe Hound?

Joe Hound: Hound is a Miami thing. Every click got a Hound in it. I just happen to be the Hound in my camp, so I just threw my first name on top of that Hound, and there it is, ya feel me?

BallerStatus.com: Define for me your particular style of music?

Joe Hound: It's a vibe. That's what I call my music, vibe music. No matter what type of vibe you feeling, I got a record for it, so that's basically how my style comes about. It depends on the beat, which ever direction the beat takes me, that's where I am going. So, you might never hear two records that sound alike from me, 'cause I just ride the beat. I don't force a certain style on a track, 'cause it might not vibe, ya feel me?

BallerStatus.com: What will be the ultimate key to your success in music?

Joe Hound: Just grinding. And, no matter how big you get, keep your ears to the streets because this music come from the streets. Sometimes people tend to forget before you made your first mill, you was on the streets, get it? You got to always stay hungry and keep your eye out for new talent because there's always another artist waiting to take your spot. This game is cut throat, so you must prepare like that.

BallerStatus.com: What are your feelings on the current state of hip-hop?

Joe Hound: I like the fact that the South is on top right now, 'cause if not, you might not know who the hell Joe Hound is. But, I think whoever is controlling the radio play could add a little more diversity than just the dance and gimmick records you hear now. I love a lot of the records on the radio, but sometimes they oversaturate it to the point that it becomes almost annoying. I want to hear just a little more diversity, sspecially if it's coming from the South.

BallerStatus.com: Who is Joe Hound?

Joe Hound: I am a hustler for real. I worked to get to this point. There was nothing given to me. I will get down for mines. I am like everyone of you out there that was struggling, or still struggling. I put my hard hat on and went to work. So, when you see me just know, "With hard work dreams do come true."

BallerStatus.com: What do you like doing in your time away from music?

Joe Hound: I like giving somebody the business on the basketball court or playing Madden; chilling with my shortie or hanging out with my homeboys; and to top it off, I'm probably booed up with a dime piece somewhere low key.

BallerStatus.com: What's next for Joe Hound?

Joe Hound: Misery Loves Company in 2008. That's right around the corner. I got Joe Hound TV on YouTube coming, and a new mixtape dropping called Believe The Hype, hosted by DJ Khaled.

BallerStatus.com: Any message for the readers of BallerStatus.com?

Joe Hound: Yeah, two times for the whole Mi-Yayo, the whole Dirty South and whoever doing music across the country. Two times for all the readers too. You could check me on Myspace.com/JoeHound or JoeHound.com. Also, two times for the whole Epidemic family, Cool, Dre, C-Ride, Dirtbag, and, two times, for you.

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