Rap and roots: HenGee reflects on race and West Coast hip hop

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When Henry ‘HenGee’ Garcia relocated to Los Angeles with his family as a teenager, he brought his East Coast hip hop skills with him. Along with his brother DJ Evil E, he performed as a DJ for many artists such as Ice-T and Ice Cube and together they formed what we now know as the West Coast hip hop movement.

But there’s more to Hen Gee than just hip hop. As an Afro-Latino rapper, he wanted to represent both sides of his heritage, so he started to rap in Spanish. He now manages Latino hip hop talent and has been a strong advocate of the El Movement after-school program, a chance for children in the intercity to be introduced to music and other art forms. Annenberg Radio caught up with the artist.