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ATLANTA–Rapper President Hill has kept the promise to himself of committing to making music since he was 12-years-old. Unlike a politician’s chess move, Hill grabs his mic like a State of the Union podium and spits bars that describe the realness of his youth on the streets, his spirituality, the will to create something meaningful, and the range of genres that his debut album The Elected Official provides–an album Hill says he’s been working on since he was 14.
“It's been a long time coming. It's a very surreal feeling to be able to actually release something that I've been working on since I was 14 years old,” says Hill. From carrying a pair of house speakers eight miles from a local Atlanta mall to his grandmother's house, to recognizing his skills as a businessman and leader establishing his record label fittingly called Merciless Nation, Hill has indeed worked mercilessly to build both a passion and a business with his music. Hill is more about purpose than profits, putting his faith in his hip-hop and explaining that success comes with doing what you believe in.
“The money will come, but just to be able to get what's in your heart out will allow you to live longer” says Hill. Whenever you have something that is intangible, that money can't buy, whether it is something you're just naturally born with or whether it's helping people being able to release that will help you live longer.”
Now, Hill is ready to show the world all his passion. On The Elected Official, there is a song for everyone. “You Feeling It Shawty” that’s about looking back on peaceful and simpler times and has reached almost 80k streams on Spotify. “Off In The Club,” is a slow jam for the dancefloor that has a chop and screwed-like beat, to “Country Girl Slow Down,” Hill’s take on contemporary country that fuses hip-hop with a southern guitar riff, and his latest single “I Decided” about doing what’s right for yourself.
The record shows the diversity that Hill had been exposed to while born and raised in Atlanta. The city is known for its eclectic entertainment industry and primarily for its hip-hop and gospel scenes, leading Hill to listening to bass-driven music and being introduced by his cousin to artists like Goodie Mob and 8Ball. Hill took his street smarts and put them into his career, while making beat modifications that shift perspective and groove. Hill doesn’t see himself as a “president” per se, but a leader in his community that is creating a nation within his sound and record label, named by a man preaching to him at a local church.
“So when I was in church one day after I left the streets--I'm still on the streets, but I stopped doing the wrong stuff in the streets, stopped selling the drugs, stopped doing drugs--and I began to let God lead my life. And a man was preaching and I just heard it in my heart, he said, 'You're no longer Merciless Montanna. You’re President Hill now.’ I started bringing sermons home to my partners. And that's a leader,’” says Hill.
What’s next on Hill’s campaign route is a plan to tour cities wherever his music is welcomed. President Hill has a voice and he wants to use it, showing the power of music and passion can turn one thought into a powerful statement.
“Whenever I do something, I try to go 100 percent because if it doesn't work out, it just wasn't the right thing for me. But it won't be because I gave it half. I gave it 100, you know, so when you say President Hill, we gonna go full regalia. We're gonna go all the way, President Hill. We're gonna create flags, we're going to create our own nation within a nation. So that's what we're going to do. I actually want the people to know that Merciless Nation is a nation within a nation. I know some people may feel like the nation has done some things wrong, but this nation has done a lot of things right, and it's up to us to make sure that we stay colorblind and make sure that we stay united on all fronts. So if anything comes against the American people, we will be united. So I want them to know that Merciless Nation is not just a record label. I'm not just a rapper. I'm here to serve the people in my conduct and my conversation, and we're going to take this as far as God intended for this to go.”
You can listen to The Elected Official on all streaming platforms.
