When Spotify hits you with one of those pop-up “you might like this” album recs when you log in—do you click play? Or do you roll your eyes, judge the cover, and keep it pushin’? Me? I click play. Every time. Because if there’s one algorithm that understands the assignment, it’s Spotify’s hip-hop radar. That little AI DJ has put me on to some serious gems—like underground classics, hidden LPs, and emerging artists that deserve way more shine.
That’s exactly how I found Half-Centric
Last week, I opened the app and got served a recommendation for his album Red Sunrise. The cover was minimal, the kind of stripped-down vibe that usually signals this artist actually has something to say. And then the name: Half-Centric. Half? Why half? I was already intrigued.
I didn’t even make it halfway through the first track before I knew—this one was going on repeat. Half-Centric’s sound isn’t trapped in today’s trends, and he’s not trying to be the next “insert famous rapper here”. He’s swimming in his own lane—somewhere between that native tongue consciousness and gritty underground beat tapes. Think: bars with intention, beats with body. Paddy Wagon slaps with 808s that hypnotize. Hood Dreams hits like a spoken-word sermon—reminding you to protect your vision before the world dims it.
Who is this guy?
His Spotify bio gave me a little flavor—mentions of flipping soul samples, growing up on jazz records, and taking time off to raise his daughter before dropping his debut, Fall From Eden. Love it, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted the real scoop. So I hit up his IG, dropped a comment on his post about Red Sunrise, and to my delight—he responded. We ended up connecting, and he agreed to do a Q&A with Dayclub SEAZN. And trust me—it’s a read.
Q&A with Half-Centric
Why the name Half-Centric? Why half though? What’s the story behind that?
I’m glad you asked this. So my actual name is Amir Hill-Shafeeq. The two last names represent two of the men who were/are instrumental in my life. Shafeeq belonged to my grandfather who is no longer with us, and Hill is my father’s last name. Half-Centric first started off as Afrocentric when I was first coming up as a producer in a rap group called Metaphysical, but as soon as we started, we disbanded, but I still wanted to carve out a career as a producer and the name Half-Centric is a way to honor both my father and my grandfather. Metaphorically, it represents a bowl, as a half-centric translates to a half-circle. A bowl can fit any and all ingredients within it, never capping itself with what’s inside as it can add or subtract at any point in time, and I feel this represents me musically as well.
Your Spotify bio says you were producing before rapping—what was the first sampler or drum machine you got your hands on? And what did that early setup look like?
I remember those humble beginnings. I actually first started producing on an M-Audio 32 Midi Controller with 8 drum pads built in, and I was creating songs on a cracked version of Propellerhead’s Reason 4. I did all those on a Dell laptop meant for writing papers, but not producing music. So I was constantly crashing the harddrive with my insane ideas, but I kept going until I made enough money to eventually upgrade. But having just the single 32 key controller and my laptop made producing on the go a breeze.
I straight-up lost it over the sample flips—Hotel California, Can’t You See?, Piece of My Love, Are You That Somebody?! Fucking epic. Do you usually build the beat first and ride the vibe, or do the bars come first?
I’m really glad you enjoy those sample flips. I grew up on sample production; your DJ Premier, MF DOOM, Madlib, Kanye West, 9th Wonder’s and more. They always talked about honoring the source material and really using the soul of the sample to transform it into something new. So when it comes to building a whole song, you have to start with the foundation, and that for me is the beat. Everything else falls into place when you have a good foundation, because you can literally build whatever you want.
Your sound is mad cinematic—some tracks feel built for vinyl, others for golden-hour car rides. When you’re creating, do you picture a mood or setting? Or is it all instinct?
I pride myself on making music at this stage of my career that people can feel. While I do enjoy mainstream and popular music, there is a valid criticism when people say it’s vapid or sometimes soulless; not all of it, but enough of it to point it out. But when I start creating a song, I let the song speak to me first. It is really intuitive about what it wants to be, and I consider myself a medium, or even a shaman of sorts that helps marry the soul with the song. But to answer your question more plainly, it’s definitely instinct; I have lived an interesting life, so I have a lot of stories to tell.
If you could collab with any rapper or producer—alive or not—who’s on the dream list? And what kind of track would you cook up together?
Goodness, this list would take up the rest of the blog post. I have a litany of producers, artists, songwriters that I would love to sit down with. But my dream collab would have been with Prince Rogers Nelson. Despite his diverse catalog of music, he really spoke life into Black empowerment, and I would want to create a timeless, Blackest piece of music you could ever hear with him. But since he’s not, I’ll find another destined great artist to help build that undoubtedly Black album; I wonder what Pharrell is doing with his time right now?
Real talk—why isn’t there a “This is Half-Centric” playlist on Spotify yet? Who do we need to email about this?!
Hahahaha. I really enjoy how much passion and vigor you speak about music with. I took a chance to look at some of your blog posts, and I could be asking myself the same thing; why are you not the voice of the unknown, giving spotlight to those who have the gift, but not the exposure. Who do we need to talk to about this?! Regardless, those accolades will come, and when they do, they will be built on the back of authentic, grassroots, soulful music. Sometimes you can’t rush something that is destined to be great, you just have to plant the seeds, water them, and watch the fruits of your labor sprout.
Final Thoughts
Half-Centric isn’t just another name the algorithm tossed your way—he’s a layered storyteller, a sample flipper with soul, and a genre-bender who’s just getting warmed up. His music carries weight, texture, and mood you can’t fake. If you’re craving something deeper than the same four-bar loop and hook, dig into Red Sunrise and let it ride. Follow him on IG, stream the catalog, and join me in demanding that damn “This Is Half-Centric” Spotify playlist. Because legends in the making deserve the spotlight—and this one’s glowing.
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