Michael Henderson, better known to hip hop heads as Hen, was born in a relatively small town in northern Indiana. Birthed by a woman who both sold and frequently indulged in the uses of cocaine, marijuana and heroin, Michael was raised by his grandmother. As a youth he was influenced by various genres of music including Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Gospel. After his mother was involved in a near fatal car accident, he turned to music as a means of escape. With the explosion of the preteen rap group Kris Kross, Michael had an epiphany. Realizing that he didn’t have to grow up to become an artist in the genre he so desperately adored; he began writing songs immediately in conjunction with a childhood friend. Even as a 12 year old novice, it was easy to see that the kid truly had a gift for songwriting. Garnering the attention of his peers, Michael continued down the road of artistic growth, picking up a nickname “Hen,” given to him along the way by middle school classmates.
At 14 Hen began producing his own music under the tutelage of a local producer and DJ. By his freshman year of high school, Hen (then also known as Kid Chaos) along with two other aspiring MC’s had formed the legendary local group E.L.P. Reeking havoc on the underground while performing at various talent shows and showcases, E.L.P wowed listeners with songwriting far more mature than the boys themselves. Towards the end of high school the group began to dissolve. Faced with decisions concerning his next move, Michael, always an excellent student began applying to colleges.
The following fall, he began attending “The Harvard of the Midwest,” Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Rooming with his cousin and co-aspiring artist Melo, Hen continued to write. The two decided to collaborate on a song called "Split Second." The result was phenomenal, and the musical chemistry between the two, powerfully undeniable. So undeniable in fact, that the cousins decided to make the musical marriage a permanent situation. The two formed their own independent label known as Hart City Entertainment (www.HartCityEntertainment.com). The group would come to be known as Hen & Melo with Hen serving as the group’s producer. While performing in college showcases and various events including a televised performance in Cincinnati, the group released the first of three albums appropriately entitled "The Arrival." "The Arrival" was a success garnering critical acclaim on the underground circuit. Expectedly, the duo fired back, a second time two years later, again turning heads in the underground with their sophomore effort, the creative classic "Manifest Destiny." Not long after "Destiny" Hen and Melo delivered their third album to date “INevitable” widely considered the groups best effort.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business, Hen returned to Indiana and began working as a mortgage broker and substitute teacher. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities Indiana offered for an aspiring artist, he quit his job, took his last $120.00, and bought a one way plane ticket to New York to pursue his dreams as a solo artist and producer. The gutsy decision to move, leaving the comfort of Indiana for the uncertainty of New York, serves as a testament to his passion for music and his unhindered desire to be successful in the industry. While in the northeast, Hen auditioned for the Joe Jackson (father of the legendary Jackson 5) Hip Hop Boot Camp. Mr. Jackson’s event, a competition and television reality show hybrid, was heavily advertised on New York’s Hot 97. Hen had became an east coast finalist, placing himself in a select group of only 20 contestants. Countless individuals had entered from various cities along the east coast. His finalist status reaffirms his place among the elite unsigned artist. Relentless in his ambitions, he continues to pursue his goals as a producer and artist with the release of his highly anticipated sophmore album "Unhinged."
