Keisha Howard, founder of Sugar Gamers had the pleasure of interviewing an important figure in the gaming industry. Gerard “HipHopGamer” Williams. Recently, Gerard received an award from the Black In Gaming Foundation, otherwise known as B.I.G for his work as a media personality and his philanthropy in spreading gaming and inclusion with the youth of today.
The Black in Gaming foundation, hosted by long-time Black Gaming industry advocates, Carl Varnado and gaming executive Laura Teclemariam, the B.I.G. Awards are designed to educate the game industry, recognize Black game developers, as well as help empower the next generation. “People of color have been an integral, and often unrecognized, under-appreciated part of the game industry from the start,” says Black in Gaming Executive Director Carl Varnado. “This is how we honor the accomplishments of Black game developers and creators, industry-wide.”[1]
Upon receiving such an astounding award, In their interview, Gerard, or better known as HipHopGamer reflects on the feeling of being honored and what it means to truly have such an award. “Well, one of the first things I want to say is [this] is a humbling experience because everything that I get in the gaming space, it just goes back to grandma. Grandma put gaming in my life. Besides, just playing games [was] a way to get off the streets in the hood.” (3:12)
He continues on with thanking his grandmother for her pivotal role in his introduction to gaming as an escape from the hard life of New York streets. “[My grandmother] taught me about life through games because of the different challenges and levels and objectives that you’re going to face in games. You are also going to face these things in real life. She really educated me through gaming. So I thank my grandma so much for that. Secondly, with the Black in Gaming award, I’m thankful that they even have an organization- you know, like for us to be represented in that way. So that right there is a blessing. I’m thankful for the recognition and we need more of it. And I can’t wait to see next year. Who else gets recognized for the amazing work that they’re doing too, because it’s all about spreading the wealth and sharing and showing that love as well. So I’m thankful and humbled by it, for real.” (3:55)
Gerard also took part in the NYPD’s 103rd Precinct’s first-ever virtual Gaming and Guidance Youth Summit on Tuesday, April 28, 2021, for all junior high school and high school students. The precinct partnered with Logitech G, Emmis Communications, Craft Keepers Inc. and Hip-Hop Gamer for the free event that was scheduled on multiple platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and YouTube. The goal of the event and precinct is to guide the students in a positive direction, reduce any possible anxieties and stress while giving the students the necessary tools or referrals to deal with their current situation. [2]
HipHopGamer has also made his own waves in the crypto currency industry with the development of the Saitaima Token. Saitama’s site describes their mission as to educate the next generation of investors and make financial well-being accessible to all. [3] In his interview, with Keisha Howard, he describes his endeavour into the crypto industry “The crypto currency period is the next opportunity. And now we just educate everybody on it and nobody’s forcing anybody to do anything. You do what you want to do, but I know I’m involved in what I can honestly say is in a span of weeks, I’ve been able to generate what people sometimes make it a year.”
He continues “It’s serious and it’s not even just the money. It’s the fact that there’s utility. I’ve never seen anything like this before, ever. So I’m very excited about what it is. We just dropped [Saitama and it’s a legitimate LLC crypto coin] (10:33).
In closing of their interview, Gerard was asked to impart some words of wisdom about independence and freedom in the gaming industry ” One thing I noticed is that, when you work, when you’re passionate about something, like truly passionate about something, you will come across, this clash with the people that are in control. So the thing is you may want to do something, but they may not see it fit for what their vision is. So I didn’t want to fit into a puzzle that was already predesigned, you know, prebuilt.”
He continues “In the process of building my own, I got a chance to learn the industry. And once I got the chance to learn the industry, see who’s who and know what goes on, it just kind of reconfirmed why I don’t think it’s wise for me to have a job in the industry.”
“I can’t work for anybody if it’s going to be like that. That’s when my mentality changed. I started to learn the industry more then, I started to learn the values and started building real relationships and seeing what people wanted to do.”
“If there’s an opportunity to help somebody, great help them, but make sure you don’t lose yourself in the process of all that you do. That’s why I stayed, independent is [why] I don’t have a job and being an employee under a corporation or anything like that, simply because you won’t get a chance to know the truth if you’re in it, but when you’re outside of it and you can see how the chess board moves, then you get a chance to know the truth even if they don’t tell it to you because you will be able to see it for yourself.” And anytime, you know the truth, you can operate in truth and that keeps you grounded. It also gives you an authority to be able to speak on things, to help other people so that they can know what they’re a part of instead of just being in a position that’s in control, that you think is great when in reality it’s manipulative.” (22:55)
You can follow HipHop Gamer on all of his social medias @HipHopGamer
You can watch the full video here with time stamps provided in-article.
