Philadelphia-bred rhymer, Shizzo is shining in the spotlight! While Philadelphia is well-known for producing some of hip-hop’s most talented emcees, it does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. With that said, Shizzo is ready to lead the way all 2023!
He is undeniably one of the city’s most promising talents. In a genre with multiple sub-genres, he is never afraid to explore a more vulnerable aspect of his music. As a result, he may use his imagination to create more authentic and relevant music for listeners. Shizzo shines bright with his debut release, “Blickity,” and is ready to rain releases all year! In fact, this trendy track, presented by Divine Chosen Ent., is entirely original and modern in comparison to anything Shizzo has ever recorded. But don’t misunderstand: that was the intention. Shizzo says he was motivated to write this catchy song after noticing that his music was not reaching younger people. As a result, he believes that people of all ages would be moved by this song.
Get Sturdy With Shizzo
With this critically acclaimed record, Shizzo wants to do something different for his fans. He usually raps over typical hip-hop production, but this is STURDY. Shizzo considers the “Sturdy” movement to be essential. It allows people to openly express themselves through dancing, something was previously prohibited in his community. In an era where TikTok dance challenges reign supreme, “Blickity” is certainly a banger that people will enjoy dancing to and vibing to. Shizzo’s vocals on the hook and the lyrics complement each other nicely, while the Ahkashi-snap production pays tribute to the late PNB Rock.
Keeping up the momentum, Shizzo is currently working on his debut project. In addition to delivering drops from the GOAT Killer mixtape series. In which he samples some of the best beats and puts his own spin on some of his favorite songs. For now, get familiar with Shizzo here. Be sure to press play on your preferred DSP as United Masters has made the sizzling single available on all platforms. Lastly, let us know what you think here at KAZI Magazine!
Shizzo Stops By KAZI Magazine To Talk “Blickity” and More!
- Hey Shizzo! Happy New Year! Thank you so much for chopping it up with me today on behalf of KAZI Magazine. How’s the new year treating you? Let’s jump right in to all things Shizzo, Philly, the artistry and more! Who is Shizzo and where did it all begin?
“So Shizzo, is first of all, a man of God. I’m a Veteran. I’m a father. I served in the US military for about 11 years. Besides, you know, like my endeavors and trying to do right in the community by going to different schools talking to children about like entrepreneurship and the pursuit against gun violence and things like that. I’m also a licensed Realtor. Yeah, that’s pretty much as far as like professionalism. But I’ve been doing music since I was about 13 years old.
So the name Shizzo literally came from just like everybody that’s named Shawn because my name is Shawn. Everybody that’s named Shaw in Philly, everybody just call them Shizz. So I’m like, everybody’s name Shizz, because it’s so a whole lot of people named Shawn. I’m the original shit. I just kept saying it over and over again. So I wrote in a rap one time where I was like, I’m Shizz the original for short call me, Shizzo. And everybody just kept calling me Shizzo so it stuck. So that’s where the origin of the name came from. So it’s really short for Shizz the Original”.
The Philly Phenomenom
- Being from Philly, which is known to breed some of the hottest artists in the game, how would you say the city influenced your sound and style?
“I think the city influenced my sound, I want to say influenced my sound, but I would say it influenced me. For instance, like when you see somebody come from where you come from, and do the same things that you were inspired to do. There’s like a different type of motivation. For instance, like I literally watched Meek Mill be on the corner freestyling. And, you know, jumping out going to different schools at the let outs and showing people and displaying his talent, to the point where now he’s, you know, he’s won so many awards, his girlfriend was Nicki Minaj at one time, you know what I mean?
But as far as influence, I’m definitely influenced mostly by the people in my city in the city. Well, my city didn’t even, it wasn’t them who made me want to start rapping. But it was them that made me think like, “hey, I can do it too”.
The Artistry
- Also, I have to ask. Without any order, male or female, who are your top 3 Philly artists?
“Well, I mean, definitely at the top for me is Meek Mill. I will also say, I like core. I like core. He’s one of my favorite. Oh, and Lee Amazin’. I like Lee Amazin’”.
- What’s your creative process like? Do you put pen to pad or punch in and out?
“For me, it’s like a good song, like, if I’m just doing a studio session, I’ll just sit there and write, you know, pull out my notes on my iPhone and just start writing, while listening to the beat. But a good song for me, it takes a while because it’s like, I hear a beat. And then I’ll write like four bars to it one day, and eight bars the next day, then 10 bars the next day until the next thing I know, I got a whole song.
So I’m really one of those guys, where it’s like, I can work better under pressure. Because I’m sitting in the studio and they are like, alright, I need a verse and I can sit there and write a verse real quick. But when it comes to my craft because perfection takes time, so when it comes to my good stuff, I’d be like, Alright, let me take my time with this. And you know, get something done”.
Get Sturdy With “Blickity”
- Most recently, you released your trendy track titled, “Blickity”! Additionally, it’s Ahkashi-snap-production pays tribute to the late PNB Rock. Can you tell us more about its inspiration?
“Yeah, so I was actually in Dallas, Texas, I was doing some work out there. And a bunch of my co workers, they were all like, younger than me. And I was playing some of my music. They were like, Yeah, youre hot you’re hot. They were telling me like, you know, my music is good. And then I just let them play their own song selection. Everything that they were listening to had a more modern sound, it was less of like, you know, logical, conscious rap and more like Dance Dance Dance.
So I was like, You know what? Let me tap into this. Let me see where this can go. I found this beat that I had this producer make. And I was like, You know what, I’m gonna try to see what I can do with this new school type flow. And it came out very, very well. So I’m proud of that trip”.
- In fact, the new single serves as a “sturdy” anthem. What are your thoughts on the “Sturdy” significance during this time with music?
“I think it is good for the culture. You know, what I mean? I think it is getting us back to where in the 80s where we had Beach Street and breakdancing, things of that nature is getting us back to that. And Hip Hop is not just about the music. Hip hop has so much to do with our culture. It has something to do with movies, TV, the way we carry ourselves. I’m a firm believer that hip hop rules the world, you know? Anything could be influenced by hip hop, you know what I mean? So the fact that we are incorporating body movements and people gathering together and especially bringing the kids into it, I think is great for us right now”.
The State Of Music
- Do you see it dying down anytime soon?
“Well, I don’t think it is going to. It’s just going to be like how music has been, throughout history, it’s always going to fluctuate, you know what I mean? So even if it does die down, then it’s going to come back, and it’s just going to come back in a different form. Like, adding dance and adding fashion, the next week, we probably get, it’s probably just gonna be all people getting dressed, and listening to music. Or making music to listen to with a certain style style of outfit. So I think it’s not going to last forever, but it will come back. So in reality, it will last for lifetime over the lifetime. You know what I mean?
And I think that influence is really going to be something that will continue to impact us in a way that hip hop doesn’t become too serious. Because we don’t we really don’t want it to, with conscious rap. You know, everything is not a Kendrick Lamar situation, we got to be in the club, we got to be able to have fun!”
The GOAT Killa
- With an already elaborate musical catalog, for fans new and old, which record(s) are personal favorites and why?
“I got this record called “Quarantine In Cali”. That’s definitely one of my favorite ones. I didn’t even expect it to be. It was just something I saw as I was writing but like, if anybody’s been in California you love it. It is a nice place to be in and I made this song because they call me like the concept King because I can make concepts with music out of anything. So I think “Quarantine In Cali”. Then I got another song called “Do Season”.
I mean, and honestly, my favorites are stuff that I didn’t even put out yet. But I will say at the top “Blickity” is at the top. Not because it got the most numbers out of all my songs, but because it put me in a place of like, being uncomfortable. I don’t make music like this, so trying something new, and it’s really getting heard. It’s getting you know, spins and stuff like that. So yeah”.
- Next, when familiarizing yourself with fans, which track of yours would you tell them to press play on to have the best idea of you as an artist and your artistry?
“First thing I would do is send them the Goat Killa: Vol 1 mixtape. Just send that off straight to them and let them tap into that because it is versatile. Like you can’t really put me in a box when you listen to that. Because it’s like, Oh, he’s talking about positivity, talking about the streets. He talked about God, he talked about everything. Women — he talked about everything. And he’s doing it in his way. While using, you know the best people in hip hop and their beats to do it. So like, you’re gonna get the best of me in that whole project”.
Hip Hop Saves Lives
- Tell us about a time where Hip-Hop saved your life?
“Okay, so when one time I got locked up, and it wasn’t even a violent crime, it was something innocent, it was a misdemeanor, but jail is jail. But, um, I was discouraged because I I’m not one of those guys. I don’t live a life of crime and stuff like that. So me being in there was just really, really upsetting. And the only thing I had was music. I didn’t hear music, I didn’t have a radio. All I had was the music in my head and in my heart.
So I was able to keep a conscious mind and stay level headed. I was able to make a rhythm in my head or beat on a wall or split a couple bars. You know what I mean? So I feel like if I didn’t have that gift that God gave me I would have went insane. Anything would happen. You know what I mean? So I’m grateful that I had hip hop because that show me no matter where I’m at, I can be stranded on an island by myself. I still got my music”.
What’s Next for Shizzo?
- What’s Next For Shizzo?
“Well, for sure, I want to get that Blickity video poppin. Right now we’re trying to gather some people really put a good visual, because it’s obviously a good song, judging by the numbers. So the visual on that has to be great. I don’t really have a date yet. But when the time is right, that’s when it’s gonna happen. Besides that, it’s just to continue to put out good music.
Because I have a love and a passion for music more than anything. And it keeps me sane it keeps it gives me sanity. And I feel like we all get depressed and discouraged. Sometimes people suffer from depression. I’m a veteran. So I’m medically diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, you know what I mean? And what helps me survive, what always puts me back in a place where I’m walking in purpose is when I’m in a studio when I’m stepping on stage, or when I’m just letting somebody hear my music, even when my music plays”.
A Message To The Fans
- Lastly, is there a message that you’d like to leave with fans?
“ We are all given a gift from God. And that’s basically waking up. That’s air in your lungs that’s being able to walk and talk and speak by phone or strength. But the greatest gift he gives you is your gift. The greatest gift you can give back to God is using that gift to inspire other people. To impact if you can use your gift to inspire other people. Don’t sleep on it. Use it.
CONNECT WITH SHIZZO ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube
