Each month, we will speak to an athlete, celebrity, or non-Hip Hop entertainer about what Hip Hop means to them. This feature is intended to showcase how far-reaching the influence of Hip Hop culture has grown in the past 50 years and how much the culture means to so many.

This month, we spoke with mysterious singer-songwriter White Gold.

Hailing from the Bronx, White Gold is best known as a go-to collaborator for Eminem. White Gold is featured twice on Eminem’s latest album ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coupe De Grace),’ including on the hit record “Habits.” White Gold can also be heard on “You Gon’ Learn“, Eminem’s popular collaboration with Royce Da 5’9 off Eminem’s 2020 album ‘Music To Be Murdered By.’

Photo credit: White Gold

So White Gold, what does Hip Hop mean to you?

“Hip Hop means the world to me. It’s culture. It’s how we live our lives. The inside jokes, being in the know and the conversations we have every day that revolve around it are what make our genre unique. The five elements started this thing of ours, but the main component now is the music.  I can remember a Hip Hop record for damn near every major life experience I’ve gone through.  Hip Hop has been there for me through my darkest days when I didn’t know how to express my pain or anger, so I threw on Onyx or A Tribe Called Quest.  These two Hip Hop acts are especially poignant because Onyx is the first Rap album I clearly remember ever listening to. ‘Low End Theory’ was the album I threw out there on my first day of the summer on the Hill Horace Mann program to relate to another kid. It helped me feel safe because I didn’t know anyone there.  My older cousin had a treasure chest of cassettes that she kept under lock and key, and one day, when she was at school, the treasure chest was surprisingly open. So I immediately closed the room door, took out Onyx’s ‘Bacdafucup’, and played it from beginning to end.  This was the first time I ever heard a Rap album from beginning to end.  I was 7 years old, and obviously, I listened to Hip Hop, but mostly, whatever came on the radio and what was on Video Music Box.  This was before we even had cable.  I’m not sure many remember the TV antennas, but I used to hold it steady while my cousins enjoyed the music videos and danced in the living room.

My love for Hip Hop only grew from there, and I revelled in the fact that I could learn verses quickly.  I would stop and start lines at a time on the boombox and write them down in my black and white marble notebook (that was supposed to be used for school).  It got to the point where I had 3 or 4 books filled with lyrics of songs I loved.  I used to go to school and recite them all the time, and all my friends loved to ask me to recite rhymes on the spot.  Even though they weren’t my lyrics, I felt empowered doing so.

Hip Hop also was blasting out of the basketball court in the back of my building.  I lived in the Marble Hill projects until I was a teenager.  Sedgwick, where Hip Hop was born, was a stone’s throw away from where we lived.  Amid the chaos of life, from seeing my first dead body at age 9 to running the streets with my friends and getting into trouble on the block or summertime block parties, Hip Hop was blasting full force.  It was the soundtrack to our life.  When the older heads used to have us box in a big circle with gloves on, Biggie or Nas would be blasting out of the boombox.  When Biggie died, and “Notorious Thugs” premiered on Hot 97, it was blasting out of the park for hours, and some of us were crying, others were just sombre, and some were celebrating Big’s life.  I’m not sure who I’d be without Hip Hop, but I know I’m a better man for it being in my life. From listening to Jay Z navigating treacherous relationships with his dangerous partners, our life stories would soon intersect, and Hip Hop served as the legend for the map I was looking at.  I’ve escaped three major attempts on my life and each time my life flashed before my eyes, there was a song.  A Hip Hop song.  Now, I don’t know if this helped me narrowly escape or what, but it’s comforting to know that when it’s all said and done for me, I’ll be ushered away with the sounds of my culture.”

Follow White Gold on Instagram and X.

Read more interviews on The Hip Hop Museum!