Today we’d like to introduce you to Henny Flatz.
Hi Henny, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey in music started as an artist with my group, Guilty Flavor. Being an artist myself gave me an appreciation for the talent, creativity, and hard work that go into making music, but it also opened my eyes to the challenges independent artists face when trying to get their music heard and gain the recognition they deserve.
Around 2018–2019, I launched Hip Hop Trends (HHT) with a vision of shining a light on independent artists and giving them a platform alongside established national acts and respected underground artists. I wanted to help bridge that gap between emerging talent and the wider music industry. Over the years, we’ve interviewed artists such as Zoe Osama and LaRussell before their careers reached a much wider audience, and we’ve worked to create opportunities for artists to connect with new fans and build their names.
Live event promotion has also been a major part of my journey. I’ve been promoting concerts for approximately 20 years, and my partnership with Lou “FatFat” Green spans more than a decade. One of my early milestones was bringing out Haystak in 2011 and recording a song with him before we became good friends. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to promote an incredible range of artists, from Haystak, Riff Raff, Lil Rob, Amanda Perez, BFB Da Packman, Lil Tjay, and Kap G to Mr. Capone-E, OT Genasis, and many others. My work with FatFatm who I consider a brother and a true friend has spanned further than concerts. From Toy Drives, Cleaning up the streets initiatives, creating out boxing Promotion company 10-0 Promotions, where we focus on keeping the youth out of the streets and in the gym, something we’re very proud of. Fat continues to carry the 10-0 torch and continue that legacy training and developing young athletes into warriors in the ring including his daughter and talented Boxer Marina “Good Girl” Jimenez.
One memorable milestone was helping bring Slim 400 to Phoenix for his first headlining sold-out show in the city. This led to Arizona artist The Desert Baby getting signed to Slim’s label before he was incaserated and Slim 400 eventually tragically losing his life. The Desert Baby used that opportunity to get noticed on his own accord and Slim 400 and his manager were impressed with his work and connected with Desert Baby directly and went on to release multiple projects together,. Moments like that remind me why I continue doing what I do: creating experiences for fans while helping artists reach audiences they might not otherwise have reached. I also recall sleeping on Master P’s couch in his studio after traveling with J-Tweezy from PHX to LA to hand deliver some music from J Slugg and other Arizona artists, who Master P ended up signing and collaborating with.
Another proud moment was running the marketing behind legendary Arizona artists Bouji & Swerve – two AZ artists who made major waves with songs like Bouji’s “SLIM JESUS VANILLA ICE” which amassed millions of views on Facebook & Instagram, and hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube along with other records such as Circus, Right Now & more. I also promoted the song FFN by Swerve Baller, which unfortunately caught the attention of law enforcement which inevitably led to both artists catching a case and serving over 5 years each in AZ Correctional Facilities. These were two artists I truly believed in and to this day believe they would have reached (and still can) main–stream success had their legal troubles not gotten in the way.
My work extends beyond just promoting hip-hop shows, as well. I’ve produced music for Miss Lady Pinks from Hi-Power Ent and to this day work closely with Hi-Power Founder Mr. Capone-E.
I also co-wrote and produced a project connected to the Arizona Sun Devils called “Forks Up” a song that was played for years during kick off and throughout ASU games, among others. I’ve also helped launch and grow entertainment ventures, including handling marketing for the first three years of AZ Hip Hop Fest. Eventually, I decided to step away because I wanted to stand behind approaches to the industry that I felt were fair to artists and respectful of their work. Supporting artists means more to me than simply putting on a show; I believe they deserve to be treated fairly and given genuine opportunities to grow.
I’ve also promoted countless national and international Jazz and R&B festivals, including Cancun Jazz Fest, Solfest, AZ Jazz Fest, Las Vegas Jazz Fest, and San Diego Jazz Fest, where the lineups included acts like R. Kelly before his incarceration, the Isley Brothers & more. Throughout my career, I’ve had opportunities to work around legendary performers such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Erykah Badu, Fantasia, Maxwell, Santana, Daughtry, Babyface, Charlie Wilson, The Game, SWV, DJ Quik, E-40, Spice-1, JuicyJ, J. Stone, Devin The Dude, Slim 400, Anthony Hamilton, Kem, Ledisi, Joe, Puddle Of Mudd, Sebastian Bach, Haystak and Kenny G, along with many other major names in the music industry. I’ve also had the opportunity to create music with The Shop Boyz, The Word Alive, Haystak, Rappin 4-Tay, Cappadonna of Wu Tang Clan, Willy Northpole, and more.
Beyond events and media, I’m also an entrepreneur. Mass Media Marketing serves as my marketing agency and the umbrella for my broader business vision, while SoopeRARE Collectibles represents another side of my entrepreneurial interests.
When I look back, I see a journey built on passion, relationships, persistence, and a willingness to create opportunities rather than wait for them. From being an artist in Guilty Flavor to building Hip Hop Trends, promoting concerts, producing music, and developing businesses, my goal has remained consistent: to contribute to the culture, help artists get recognized, and create meaningful connections between music, business, and the people who make it all possible.
I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built and the artists I’ve been able to support, but I feel there’s still much more to accomplish. Hip Hop Trends is about continuing that mission and making sure independent artists have a place to be heard, discovered, and appreciated.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. The music industry can be cutthroat, and one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that not everyone who stands beside you has your best interests at heart. I’ve had situations where people I eventually chose to distance myself from tried to drag my name through the mud. I’ve also experienced moments where I helped create opportunities, build momentum, and move artists into bigger spaces, only to find myself in the background while other people received the recognition for work I helped make possible.
I’ve helped artists transition from being relatively unknown to becoming more recognizable public figures, opening doors that led to opportunities on platforms like No Jumper and acknowledged by DJ Akademiks. Seeing those opportunities come to life was rewarding, but it was also frustrating when my role in helping make them happen went unacknowledged. You learn quickly that doing the work and getting credit for the work aren’t always the same thing in this business.
But honestly, those experiences became fuel for my ambition. They didn’t make me want to quit; they made me more determined to build something of my own and stay focused on what I set out to accomplish with Hip Hop Trends. I learned that I don’t need everyone to acknowledge my contributions for those contributions to matter. The artists I helped, the opportunities I created, and the relationships I’ve built are part of my story regardless of who gets the public recognition. A wise man once told me, a man who shines from within doesn’t need the spotlight.
One of my biggest mistakes was trusting people before they had earned that trust. I’ve also invested time, energy, and resources into artists whose personal decisions eventually led them into legal trouble. Some of those are still people I care about and continue to support as human beings. I believe in separating the person from their mistakes, while also understanding that I have to protect my own business, reputation, and future.
Those experiences taught me that loyalty is important, but it has to go both ways. Talent alone isn’t enough, and sometimes you can believe in someone’s potential more than they believe in protecting it themselves. I’ve had to learn to set better boundaries, be more selective about partnerships, and understand that helping someone doesn’t mean carrying the consequences of every decision they make.
Through it all, my passion for music and independent artists hasn’t changed. If anything, the struggles have made me more committed to creating opportunities and building platforms where artists can be seen and heard. I’ve been doing this for years, and I didn’t come this far to let disappointment, politics, or other people’s opinions determine when my story ends. The road hasn’t been smooth, but every setback has taught me something, and I’m still here doing what I love.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I consider myself a creative first, but creativity has always been my business. My work lives at the intersection of hip-hop, entertainment, media, marketing, and live event promotion. I’m not someone who fits neatly into one category because I’ve spent my career learning different sides of the industry and finding ways to bring them together.
My journey started as an artist with my group, Guilty Flavor, and that foundation continues to influence everything I do. I’ve experienced the music industry from the artist’s perspective, and I understand how difficult it can be to get your work heard, build an audience, and find people who genuinely believe in your vision. That understanding is a big part of why I launched Hip Hop Trends around 2018–2019. I wanted to create a platform that gave independent artists visibility and helped put them alongside established national acts and respected underground talent.
Through Hip Hop Trends, concert promotion, production, and marketing, I’ve been able to contribute to the culture in several ways. I’ve helped create opportunities for emerging artists, worked with established performers, promoted sold-out shows, and helped connect talent with platforms and audiences that could take their careers to another level. I’ve also worked across R&B and jazz, promoting festivals and events featuring legendary performers. Those experiences taught me that the principles of building an audience, telling a compelling story, and creating meaningful experiences extend across every genre.
I’m also the founder of Mass Media Marketing, which serves as the umbrella for my marketing work, and SoopeRARE Collectibles, another extension of my entrepreneurial creativity. To me, these ventures are connected. Whether I’m developing a marketing strategy, promoting a concert, interviewing an artist, or building a brand, I’m always looking at how to turn an idea into something tangible that people can connect with.
What sets me apart is that I don’t just look at the industry from the outside. I’ve been an artist, a promoter, a producer, a marketer, and a builder of platforms. I understand both the creative side and the business side, and I know how much work happens behind the scenes before the public ever sees the finished product. I’m also willing to take chances on independent talent and help create opportunities before everyone else recognizes their potential.
What I’m most proud of is the body of work I’ve built over the years and the relationships I’ve developed along the way. I’m proud of the artists I’ve helped, the shows I’ve brought to life, the businesses I’ve built, and the fact that I’ve continued to evolve without losing my connection to the culture that started it all.
Ultimately, I see myself as someone who creates opportunities, not just content or events. My business is built around creativity, relationships, vision, and execution. Hip-hop gave me my foundation, but my creativity has allowed me to expand far beyond one role or one industry. I’m still building, still learning, and still looking for new ways to contribute to the culture while creating something that lasts.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like most about Phoenix is the potential. There’s so much talent, creativity, and ambition here, and I’ve always believed this city has the ability to make a much bigger impact on the national and international entertainment scene than people sometimes give it credit for. After years of promoting shows, working with artists, and building Hip Hop Trends, I’ve seen firsthand how much talent exists in Arizona. We have artists, producers, entrepreneurs, and creatives who deserve opportunities on a much larger scale.
What I like least is that I think Phoenix sometimes gets caught in a cycle of competing with itself instead of working together to reach a bigger audience. One example is the recurring top-10 Phoenix or Arizona hip-hop lists that pop up every few months. They inevitably ruffle feathers, spark debates about who’s better than whom, and send everyone back into the same cycle of competition. There’s nothing wrong with recognizing talent, but I think we sometimes spend too much energy debating who’s number one locally instead of figuring out how to make the entire city a bigger player in hip-hop.
To me, that reflects a bigger issue: we’re thinking locally when we should be thinking globally. There’s a worldwide audience for hip-hop, and the internet has made it possible for artists to reach people across the globe without needing permission from traditional gatekeepers. Imagine what could happen if more of our artists, promoters, media platforms, and businesses focused on building together, creating larger opportunities, and bringing more national and international attention to Phoenix.
Instead of constantly debating who’s the best in Arizona, I’d love to see us focus on making Phoenix a destination for hip-hop—a city people want to travel to for its shows, festivals, talent, and culture. I’d like to see the city become a serious part of the global hip-hop conversation, where our artists aren’t just known for being the best in Phoenix but are recognized for competing on a worldwide stage.
That’s part of the vision behind Hip Hop Trends and the work I’ve done throughout my career. I want to help create visibility, build connections, and open doors for artists. I believe Phoenix has the talent. What we need is more collaboration, a broader vision, and a willingness to understand that someone else’s success doesn’t have to come at the expense of our own. When the city grows, we all have more opportunities to grow with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hiphoptrends.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiphop_trends
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialhiphoptrends
- Twitter: https://www..x.com/hiphoptrends_
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@hiphoptrends
