BY ALYSSA MAHADEO
Three charming, fun-loving and humble gentlemen hailing from St. Maarten might be hot and fresh here in Toronto, but back home they’ve been killing the game for the past ten years.
Steel DC, Hitter, and Mr. 4DH each make up one-third of the European based group from the Island, a talented crew, spitting lyrics for the haters, about the haters, hoping to inspire all the future generations of haters while they’re at it. They came together as a label three years ago to form 4DH Entertainment, still maintaining their individuality as solo artists in the fierce world of hip-hop. Subscribing to the world of diversity they don’t want to be limited strictly to the hip-hop genre, mixing in a little bit of everything redefining and creating their own genre, something that offers real words and lyrical situations that everyone can relate to.
Their first trip to Toronto has brought to light the infinite opportunities they can implement discovering new ways to promote their music and presenting the opportunity to network and make some solid connections during their stay. Over the span of a few days they put on an array of performances highlighting some of the newest tracks off their latest mix tape G.M Gold Medal that dropped on May 27th.
Currently in the works they’ve been collaborating on individual projects including Steel DC’s next album and mix tapes from Hitter and Mr. 4DH. These boys have been in the music scene for a long time. As young boys they were part of the church choir, pursuing it further in college and developing a knack and passion for it. Steel DC gained some experience rapping in French during his time in Guadalupe while Hitter’s passion was drawn from examining the words and techniques of other artists in the industry. “I love music, it is a passion I had from a young age,” explains Hitter “Watching a lot of different artists, seeing how they came from the same situations makes us reflect on how that has shaped us.” Their brotherhood stands on the same mission, to collectively always keep moving forward.
Mr. 4DH the mischievous troublemaker of the group explains that his past was a little shady and there were more than a few times where he found himself in trouble. “The music scene is what got me out of trouble,” he shares “It put me on a whole different level; I was blessed to meet my two brothers who are striving for the same things setting the same goals; and together we wanted to do something different from what was customary on the island.”
The challenges of living on a small island like St. Maarten stems from the lack of opportunities and the inability to make it as big as you might want to. Through the unwavering support and guidance of their managers Keith ‘DT’ Sweeny and Pierre Hitie the guys are always motivated to keep doing what they do, win or lose capitalizing on every golden opportunity that comes their way.
Much of their music is inspired by real life situations that happen everyday. Their group name ‘4DH’ stands ‘For the Haters’ driven by a love for the people out there that would rather see them fail. “Every time you try to do something positive there is always going to be that one person trying to bring the negative towards you,” says Mr. 4DH.
“Where we are from a lot of things happen, everybody’s struggling and always looking to find a different way,” explains Hitter, “On the road of life there are two paths and the questions is which one would you choose?”
“My music is my way of expressing myself,” shares DC Steel, “We only speak the truth.”
4DH Entertainment provides music about their lives, humbling real life experiences that anyone in the human race can identify with. “We are no different from you,” shares Mr. 4DH. “Everyone goes through problems, some people choose to hold it inside, we put it in the music so you can feel it and know you’re not alone.”
