Jose Da'Hype: Odd Flower in Bloom

D.L. Hughley figures prominently in Da'Hype's comedy career. Known for starting his sets with goofy materials before settling into more serious topics, then closing out with more silliness, Hughley has capably combined humor with serious commentary. Da'Hype found this a winning formula for his comedy, too. As evidenced by this lively conversation with Valerie, Da'Hype has plenty of silliness to offer, but is also comfortable labeling himself as the "woke comedian". One that has strong opinions he's willing to share on and off stage.

Da'Hype grew up in a highly structured rule-driven family. Mom was in the military for over 30 years and Dad was a police officer. He can count New Orleans, Jacksonville, Fort Drum, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and most recently, Austin as places of residence. He served in the military, too, and was deployed in Iraq, not because he was following the family tradition, but because he never loved school. The only thing that seemed to drive him is art, in some way, shape, or form. He began acting at the age of 8, performed slam poetry for years, and more recently, comedy. Luckily, he's found a home in Austin, "Austin called me and gave me everything I needed." With a strong queer scene in Austin for artists, actors, comics, he's performed on more shows here than any where else he's lived. He feels immense gratitude for finding himself in a welcoming place and being around people that celebrate him.

When you grow up in a military and law enforcement family with many siblings, you don't have time to be delicate in word choice. Being blunt is a family mantra. Fair warning to romantic dalliances: if you can't take Da'Hype's bluntness, fair odds you won't be able to handle his family, either. So, don't expect an invitation to family events over the holidays. Possessing a lot of self-confidence comes from loving himself. I theorized that people love him because they see in him what they wish they could be. Imagine a world with no self-doubt, hand-wringing, and worrying about first impressions! It's aspirational to be so confident, but Da'Hype is also really kind to his friends.

Two years running, Da'Hype has hosted The Roast of Jose Da'Hype, an invitation only event focused on celebrating, while also roasting Da'Hype. This year, Da'Hype focused on one literal translation of roast. Sharing with us that cooking is his love language, he spent an entire week planning and cooking a roasted menu for the event. A kind of move that only makes sense in his brain, but also brings him back to something he thinks is pivotal to his family. He loves cooking and learned to cook from his grandmother and frequently cooked with his mom. It's fitting that something he loved doing with his family became something he wanted to share with the family he's cultivated through the Austin comedy scene. And y'all all heard Da'HYpe say on the record that Valerie gets invited next year, right?