Rapper Deanté Hitchcock Talks 50 Years of Hip Hop, Plus His Favorite Grooming Must-Haves

To be celebrating 50 years of hip hop is a testament that the genre will always be alive. Over the course of these five decades, we’ve seen the evolution of the genre, from both male and female artists from all over the world. Thanks to this progression, we've seen an emergence of newcomers like rapper Deanté Hitchcock.

The Atlanta native developed a love for music at an early age and came out the gate swinging with his first mixtape, "19 Summers". From then on it was grind time. Hitchcock released several EPs before being tapped to work on the Grammy-nominated Dreamville compilation album, "Revenge Of The Dreamers III", which is currently RIAA-certified Platinum.

Building off that momentum, the emcee dropped his debut album "Better" featuring the single “How TF” featuring 6LACK as well as collaborations with JID, Young Nudy, Miguel, and St. Beauty. Shortly after, he flexed his songwriting skills on the NAACP Image Award-nominated show P-Valley.  This all-star list solidified Deanté as a must-watch artist within the next wave of Southern rap. 

“Hip-Hop has shaped the majority of my life," Deanté Hitchcock tells us. "It’s a little weird to think about at times, actually. Being able to piece my thoughts together over instrumentals wouldn’t be the same for me without the artists who came before me.” 

This past spring, he released his sophomore album, "Once Upon A Time"—which he describes as the emotional rollercoaster that he experienced with his romantic partner and the birth of their infant son, Otto Saint Hitchcock. Did we mention his son loves music at the age of 2 just like his father did at that age?

Hitchcock is a Southern boy through and through and certainly loves Southern rap. He credits his musical influences to a few hometown heroes like Outkast, T.I., Kilo Ali, Ludacris, Future, and Young Thug. Outside of Atlanta, he credits Lil Wayne, Big Krit, Cole, and Smino. According to the rapper, hip hop is still young, and he can’t wait to what it’ll look like in the next 50 years. 

Aside from being a Dad and rapper, he is a man that also enjoys keeping himself up. He takes care of his hygiene and makes sure it's always top-tier. Whoever said, Black men don't care about grooming lied.

The EBONY team chatted with Hitchcock further to learn his favorite daily scents and how he keeps his locs healthy and hydrated. Get into some of his favorite grooming products below.

Dior

Sauvage Eau de Parfum

"Dior Sauvage Cologne is really my go-to for travel. A lot of people have the scent in Atlanta, so I use it sparingly when I’m home. I may swap it out for YSL or Bond No.9, but the Sauvage is one of my favorite scents, so if I’m out of town I’m definitely bringing it with me."

Price: $120

Shop at Sephora

Bevel

Professional Hair Clippers & Beard Trimmer

“Signature fade with the bevel blade.” - Nas. You can’t go wrong with the Bevel man. A 10 out of 10 product. My hair grows fast, so I like to make sure I can keep my facial hair well-kept in between cuts and the bevel has been my favorite pair of clippers so far."

Price: $306

Shop at Amazon

Maui Moisture

Lightweight Hydration + Hibiscus Water Shampoo

"Maui Moisture shampoo and conditioner are the best on my locs. They get my locs and scalp clean without making them too dry. I like to shampoo every 2 weeks or before getting a retwist."

Price: $8

Shop at Walmart

Kiehls

Facial Fuel Skincare Starter Set

"I've just started taking care of my skin more. For my skin care routine, I use the men’s set from Kiehl’s that includes a daily cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. You have to make sure your moisturizer has SPF in it. I do this routine every morning because I’m trying to look like Pharrell at 50. The Facial Fuel exfoliant scrub is great too because it really gets under your beard."

Price: $51

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Wild Growth Hair Oil

Hair Growth System

"Wild Growth Oil keeps my beard looking healthy and adds a shine to it as well. On top of that it’s good for beard growth as well. This is one of my newer pickups but I want my beard to be a little thicker than it is now so it’s become a part of my regimen for sure!"

Price: $9

Shop at Amazon

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