Chauncey Hollis Sr., alias Big Hit and the father of Grammy-winning hip-hop producer Hit-Boy has been sentenced back to prison just months after being released. Big Hit had spent close to 30 years of his life in prison before being readmitted in February 2024 while attending a Super Bowl event in Las Vegas. That is a pretty emotional incident, considering how close it had drawn the father and son, including musical collaborations.
Frequent collisions with the criminal justice system have defined Big Hit’s journey. Through the years, he served a number of sentences: 15 years for possession of 10 kilos of cocaine, 10 firearms, and $300,000 in cash, and 12 years due to involvement in a hit-and-run case.
Punctuated by those long sentences, Big Hit was released from federal prison in May of 2023 after nearly three decades behind bars, a release into the ultimate moment of freedom. His return to civilian life gave way to a new chapter in his life whereby he found an outlet for his creativity and his son Hit-Boy. Unfortunately, this period of freedom became rather short-lived. Less than a year later, however, Big Hit was dramatically sent right back to prison for reasons not disclosed.
Big Hit’s re-incarceration during the Super Bowl 2024 in Las Vegas caught both fans and the music community off guard. While information about the charges is still rare, the timing and occasion made it the most tragic affair. For Hit-Boy, the emotional impact was even tougher because of the times when he declared fear of the arbitrary justice system, even during that joyful moment of their short-lived reunion.
Hit-Boy, who was with his dad at the time, shared on Instagram:
“In the back of my mind the paranoia of him going back was always there and here we are.”
The relationship between Big Hit and Hit-Boy wasn’t just about family; that bond formed the foundation of a musical partnership, nurtured to flourish against all odds.
Hit-Boy, a hitmaker for Kanye West, Nas, and Beyoncé, is one of the few who voiced words about how great his dad impacted his life and music. His father, Big Hit, grasped freedom positively and was able to work on several projects with his son, one of them being “The Truth Is in My Eyes,” launched this December 2023. Hit-Boy served as the album’s sole producer, bringing a deeply personal touch to the project.
That wasn’t all from their creative union. They also collaborated with The Alchemist and also The game on other songs, including “Paisley Dreams” and “Black & Whites,” which showcased the depth of their musical cohesion. The collaboration was more than music; it was how Big Hit caught up on lost time and how Hit-Boy did with his father.
In their precious little time together, Big Hit recorded an astonishing 700 proof that he didn’t waste any one second in being free. Music became an outlet and drove him to put his life experiences into their creative expression. And even though his father is back behind bars, Hit-Boy continues to set the music they made free.
In a poignant Instagram post, Hit-Boy commented on his emotional state since he was forced to endure the storm of tumultuous emotions.
“People used to ask me what I was on, dropping so much music and moving around with my pops. In the back of my mind, the paranoia of him going back was always there, and here we are. We don’t know the future, but Big Hit sends his love to all his supporters. He recorded over 700 songs when he was out so we got more music on the way.”
This re-incarceration of Big Hit casts a shadow over what was a promising chapter in his life and his relationship with Hit-Boy, but both father and son appear to be set on keeping their momentum alive. The music keeps inspiring the listeners as it has, time and again, transformed personal struggles into art.
