The phrase, “Blame it on Hip Hop,” is automatically starting dialogue through out the community. “Are these cats for real, are they holding it down, are they for the underground or commercial?”
Let go deeper inside and get a closer look and feel for BIOHH

BIOHH, was actually started by Marcus Manning and four other business partners Richard Strong, James Cheatham, MC Livingston and Johari Moten. Noticing the influences that hip hop had on everything around him, Marcus remembers watching TV and hearing a beat with hip hop flavor, seeing commercials that were finally representing a piece of the culture, hearing the change in dialect amongst people from a lot of different cultures and classes. People were coming together from a political perspective in the name of hip hop. Seeing the power that hip hop had, Marcus said to himself, “That’s Hip Hop, Blame it on Hip Hop!” To get deeper into why BIOHH was formed and what it really means, we sat down and had a Q&A with one of its founders, Marcus Manning.

LOS: Where are you from?

BIOHH: Mainly from Minnesota with the exception of Richard Strong who was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Oakland CA.

LOS: Tell us about BIOHH Honey’s.

BIOHH: BIOHH has always had a womens’s line and actually carried more womens than mens however, word wasn’t getting out so we had to find a way to let people know. Thus the birth of BIOHH Honey. The clothing will also be a mixture of Urban sporty style with a splash of cotureness(not a word). We tend to use a lot of brighter colors to catch the eye of fashion lovers. Again though, just like on the BIOHH side, The BIOHH Honey has a community intiative as well. BIOHH Honey is said to be a celebration of the natural sweetness and beauty that exists in all women. It is a celebration of being a women! This is to be a group of women that not only promote at events but they will also be working to design different programs that touch subjects that women are faced with. It can range from advancing in the workplace to making life easier at home. From how to be beautiful in your darkest hour to suicide etc. We will begin to key in on some core issues but for now it will remain relatively broad. Watch for these women as the will pop up at very select places.

LOS: How does BIOHH Support Local Hip Hop?

BIOHH: I think we support local hip hop in a number of ways and will do even more as we grow and kick in doors. Currently though, we have sponsored some events, done some giveaways and attended many shows. Also, because we have such a strong business background, we have coached a number of MC’s in regards to marketing themselves and creating the critical competetitive differentiator. I also believe that in support of the local scene, anything and any travel that we do, just brings more attention to what is happening with hip hop here in Minnesota which I think is good for the all aspects of the art-form. We have been doing a lot of travel and we are hearing a lot of good stuff about the Minnesota hip hop scene vs years ago when they used to laugh it off.

LOS: Tell us about some of the Community Events BIOHH is doing.

BIOHH: We will be at Juneteenth, Rondo Days and a number of other summer events. We will be participating in the Urban League, Family day event and more to come. In September, we will begin a 10 school tour of public speaking.

LOS: What do you see as the future of BIOHH?

BIOHH: BIOHH is a company that will start out as a clothing line but will branch off in to several child companies ranging from a motivational speaking sector to realestate and community building. Because we have a little bit of talent in a number of areas, it only makes sense to hit it! However, we will take it one step at a time and perfect the clothing side first. Our goal is to become one of the top urban(I hate the term urban but everyone knows it by that) fused with a coture brands in the world. We will have a commercial size following with an underground type feel.

LOS: Any shot outs?

BIOHH: We send Phat 5′s to Boima, Desdamona, Dj X-CAL, UM&F, Rhathinik, Ray Benderez, Spitty Will, KMOJ, Lars Larson, Leah,High Cal the Don, Jack Brewer,Yo, the Movement, the CORE, Los Notivos, Illuminous 3, Sweeps, Dmills, Mahdi, Dj King IXL, Truth Maze, Sentwali, Wizdom, Afro-Preachah, K. Steward Management, Unknown Prophets, Chaka Makali, Buddah Tye and all the other kids who continue to support the art form and keep this thing elevating!

That’s all FOLKS! See Ya next time!

—By Lady’s Of Soul

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