Local rapper balances school, family and military service

As a child, Josh Harwood listened to hip-hop after his parents went to bed.

He put on headphones and placed a piece of tape over the red "on" light to make sure they couldn't tell. His Christian family didn't approve of music off the top 40 list.

"If it wasn't gospel, it wasn't allowed," Harwood said. "I had to sneak everything I wanted that wasn't Christian-oriented, even comic books."

After leaving West Virginia at age 4, he moved to Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas during his adolescence and learned more about rap at each stop.

He moved back to West Virginia at 17 and has lived in Morgantown for 10 years.

Harwood, 27, now splits his time between his music, his studies in political science at West Virginia University, his commitment to the National Guard and his newborn son, Jace.

In spite of his many commitments, Harwood, better known by his rap moniker, Profit Money, has always considered West Virginia his home, and now he hopes to bring recognition to West Virginia on the hip-hop scene.

"It's just going to take one person from West Virginia to make it known that we have a big rap scene – that's all it's going to take," Harwood said. "That bubble just needs broke, and the rest will come."

The name Profit Money came from mixing the word "prophet" from his childhood church days and the word "money," which was a common nickname during the '90s. He changed the spelling of "prophet" to "profit" to relate to the word "money."

Known locally for his "Country Roads Remix" fame, Harwood has produced three full-length albums under the SoundVizion label. In addition, he has put out various EPs along the way. Profit Money is working on a solo debut album to be released this summer.

"I had to learn everything from the ground up. Nothing was ever told to me," Harwood said. "I learned how to do my own recordings and make my own beats."

His style is different from many rappers, as he doesn't rap about murder, money or drugs.

Instead, he tends to relate his music to West Virginia and his life experiences. For example, in his song "WVU," he raps "Nothin' to do, so grab ya stool, and hit another beer, because every Saturday it's ‘Let's go Mountaineers.'" Harwood's voice is generally characterized as gritty with a slight hint of a lisp.

"He's really honest, and it comes out through his music," said Chris Flynn, a fellow performer and friend of Harwood. "That same thing happens when he performs – he pours his heart out in his music and on stage."

Harwood recently performed at 123 Pleasant Street April 16 for a tribute to longtime rapper and friend Meuwl.

The tribute show was made up of only West Virginia rappers, and Harwood was the opening act.

Harwood isn't the typical rapper, however.

He answers to additional monikers: soldier, dad and student.

He joined the National Guard in 2008 but was barely accepted due to a hearing impairment he's had since birth.

Now, he is a 13 Delta, where he helps to take outside influences, like wind pressure, to help other soldiers aim their weapons.

"I like the order of it; there's a lot of structure" Harwood said. "I was always bouncing around a lot, so there wasn't much structure for me."

Harwood rarely mentions the National Guard in his songs for security reasons, but it does influence his daily life.

"It's taught me some quick reflexes and to be aware of what's going on around me at all times," Harwood said. "I need that when dealing with my son, too."

Harwood's son, Jace, is two months old and currently lives with his mother.

"When he was first born, I was driving back from the hospital and changed lanes without looking," Harwood said. "Even though he wasn't with me, I was so angry that I could've done something to myself, and Jace wouldn't have a dad."

Harwood doesn't see Jace as often as he'd like due to his busy schedule with the military and school.

Harwood is in his second year at West Virginia
University majoring in political science.

When he's finished, he plans to attend law school to become a politician and give back to the state of West Virginia.

Instead of exporting West Virginian resources out of state, Harwood wants to tighten regulations, as well as
closing the gap between the impoverished and the middle class.

"There are so many people in my life I've heard complaining, but no one takes action," Harwood said. "I don't want to just sit around; I want to do this to better the state and have power to change it."

His schooling will be on a hiatus, though, as Harwood will be deployed to the Middle East with the National Guard.

When he heard the news, he produced a cover of "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by John Denver.

"When I get back, I will graduate," Harwood said. "West Virginia is where I want to be. This is home for me, and I'm going to make it known."
 

 Guest submission by Joey Machak, WVU broadcast news student