24-year-old rapper, Brody Burke, goes by stage name Hollow Profit. Specializing in 90s era, Boom Bap, Hollow Profit adds new flavors to old styles. Rapping since 2014, he is sure to appeal to the tastes of the traditional Hip-Hop heads – carrying on the long-held tradition of lyricism.

With his single, “Sicilian Gold,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Hollow Profit. Read below to learn more about Hollow Profit, the story behind his single, and what’s to come.

Hi Hollow Profit! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

It was when I first listened to ‘How Much a Dollar Cost?’ by Kendrick Lamar. I was moved by that song’s message to not hold money in such a high regard – charity over greed. To me, any material profit is hollow in comparison to the richness of life; God, people, music, and experiences hold so much more value than money ever could. I’m not in it for the money – I’m in it for the music.

What city are you from and where are you based now?

I grew up in rural Poplar, Wisconsin. In 2019, I moved to Duluth, Minnesota and have been living here ever since.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

Growing up, my family never listened to Hip-Hop (more Country and Classic Rock). I was 14 when I first heard Eminem through the radio one day when my family was going for a drive. My sister was really into Hip-Hop at the time, and my father, knowing this, turned up the radio. I really enjoyed the song (‘Berzerk’) and would listen to it on YouTube. Through YouTube, I would come to find more Eminem songs and other Hip-Hop like NWA, Dr. Dre, and Kendrick Lamar.

Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?

Absolutely, I grew up listening to a lot of Outlaw Country, and I can see where it has influenced my songwriting. Obviously, being such sonically different genres – I don’t take influence from the southern twang of it all. I’m not out here sampling any Merle Haggard or Willie Nelson on my records, but the way I structure some of my songs, the sometimes blunt word usage and simple comedy is something that I find myself leaning on more often than not.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

Smooth. I try to make my songs as seamless as possible. A bad transition can kill a song’s momentum, a clunky flow can detach the listener from the moment, and an uneven performance can turn a potential fan away very quickly. Cohesion is a must when making music. One must ask: does everything flow together well? I think too many artists get caught up in trying to polish one minute area while neglecting the overall picture. I try to make the overall body and flow of the song appealing, and then go back to fine tune the small details.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

I really enjoy running and learning (especially history). As far as staying creative, that has never been a challenge. It is more of a deep, unyielding impulse to create. I always have ideas, lyrics, melodies, and more floating around my head. The hard part is not finding the inspiration, the hard part is finding the time to live out that inspiration through the artistic process.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

MF DOOM for sure. I love the way he uses words and subverts expectations when rapping. With each listen, you can find more and more unpacked nuance. I also really enjoy The Beatles – they were so innovative for their time, and the music still holds up all these decades later.

What are some of your future music career goals?

Short term: I would like to put out a few classics, work with the best lyricists at my disposal and inspire the next generation to do the same.
Long term: I would like to start a record label here in Duluth. There may come a day when I no longer have the desire nor the energy to keep making music. When that day comes, I’d like to be able to help the next generation of MC’s along, expanding Hip-Hop’s ever growing legacy. I think this culture is important to carry on.

Now onto your release, ‘Sicilian Gold.’ What inspired this song?

It was really more of a practice drill. I was writing to a beat just to keep my pen sharp – I didn’t go in with any planning or forethought. By the end of it though, I thought ‘this goes kind of hard.’ So, I recorded it and sent it to Ronnie, seeing if he’d like to hop on the back half. The rest is history.

What is ‘Sicilian Gold’ about in your own words?

On the surface, it is about an all black outfit, highlighted by gold chains. If we look a little deeper than that, it’s really about fashion and feeling confident in the way that we express ourselves.

How did the collaboration with Ronnie Alpha come about?

I’m always on the lookout for underground talent. I came across Ronnie’s music a few months prior, and once I had completed the demo for ‘Sicilian Gold,’ I messaged him via Instagram. He said that he would hop on and that was the start of us collaborating. As of writing this, we have had three songs together with one more locked in the vault (It’s insane). He’s a really talented artist and highly underrated – definitely worth a listen.

What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from ‘Sicilian Gold?’

I hope it can be an escape for people. There’s no deep underlying and grandiose message to the song, but sometimes simple songs like ‘Sicilian Gold’ can offer a moment of reprieve – especially when someone’s having a hard day. Nothing too deep – I hope people find enjoyment in one form or another.

What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?

I think my collaboration with Fat Ray – speaking with him on the phone is going to be a memory that stays with me for life. He’s had such a robust career thus far, working with Dilla back in the day to being a cornerstone of the bruiser brigade; he’s well worth his salt. He was the first established rapper to speak to me as a peer, and for me, that went a long way; him willing to collaborate. The song’s pretty fire too (‘Hot Pursuit’).

What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?

Be humble and work hard. It’s simple: you are not going to know everything, and you are going to make mistakes. Humility will help you learn and hard work will help you when you screw up: and you’re going to screw up.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?

I have an upcoming album, ‘CUIBONO?’, dropping this October. It is the culmination of years of work. I consider it to be my first official album (even though I’ve dropped a few tapes prior). ‘Sicilian Gold’ will be track 3 on the album.

Where can we follow you on social media?

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0xttq26akW9MSLr4wBlmGN
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hollow-profit/1461693346
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@hollowprofit
Bandcamp – https://hollowprofit.bandcamp.com/
Hollow Profit website – https://hollowprofit.com/

Before you go, let’s ask you something random. What is your favorite food?

Pizza.

Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!