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There is a new movement rising out of the streets of St. Louis, pushed forth by a new voice, one which will forever redefine what mainstream audiences have come to expect from the city’s Hip-Hop community. This voice speaks for all who refuse to have their life choices limited by the environment into which they were born, promoting change and prosperity. Hakeem Tha Dream is that voice, a street scholar bred from a block notorious for drug dealers, robbers and murderers.
At just 23 years of age, the rapper/producer, born Hakeem Love, has already spent nearly a decade cultivating his sound. As a teenager, he and three family members started a group called Da Acez. The foursome scored a local hit with the single “Where She At,” and soon released their independent debut album Off Tha Hook. But for Hakeem, the seed was planted long before that. Born into a very musical family, Hakeem was exposed to more genres and sounds than most of his peers. Still, by the age of 8, he knew without a doubt which sound to pursue. “I chose rap because, though I was introduced to other music, I feel like it best expresses where I come from and what I represent,” explains Hakeem. It’s no surprise, then, that Hakeem, then known as Frequency Aos, used the opportunities presented to he and his group members as a chance to hone his skills, learning how to maximize the use of studio time, mastering his stage show, and even developing his talents on the boards. And when the time came, Hakeem felt more than prepared to forge ahead as a solo artist as his own sound matured. The end result is an artist whose versatility effortlessly balances the status quo with unconventional beats and progressive lyrics. “I believe being introduced to different music keeps me open minded, thinking outside the box more than the average ‘rap’ artist would,” he says. It’s not surprising that audiences near and far have come to support Hakeem’s movement. He has the ability to speak to the tragedies of daily urban life with the same ease with which he can get a party started. Through his own grind, Hakeem garnered the support of mixtape and radio DJs across the country. He’s also appeared on stage alongside the likes of such acts as Juvenile, Master P, and Eightball.
In 2002, at the tender age of 18, Hakeem assumed full control of his career, co-founding PiMO Entertainment with Childhood friend Brandon Williams of the St. Louis Rams. PiMO, a name derived from the area code of St. Louis – 314 or the mathematical symbol pi) – and the abbreviation of Missouri, fully intends on leading St. Louis in a new direction. Hakeem’s vision is to bring lyric-driven music to the forefront and show the world that there is more to the Lou than party tracks and one-hit wonders. Having released three mixtapes – 2001’s The Pi Spectacle, 2004’s Nightmare Series, Vol. 1, and 2006’s Nightmare Series, Vol. 2 hosted by DJ Sir Thurl – all of which were tremendously successful in and around his hometown, Hakeem Tha Dream decided it was time to bring his music to the world. His current single, the Ronnie Notch-produced “Thick Wit It,” is leading the way for PiMO Entertainment. Released in 2007, the song has become a certified Midwest hit and is rapidly gaining speed in other markets.
PiMO’s grassroots networking and marketing strategies have generated an undeniable buzz and a groundswell of support, proving that the imprint and founder Hakeem Tha Dream are well on their way to mainstream success.
PiMO is the Future! -- Tai St. Louis, All Hip-Hop.com Staff Writer
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