Following the release of his impressive new EP Drunken Manifesto, we were blessed with the opportunity to interview artist and rapper Grizzy to find out more about his musical journey so far. Here’s how it went.
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Hey – thanks for the interview, and congrats on the EP release. For those who don’t know, how would you describe yourself as an artist?
I think my style is what separates me from the pack. Drunken Manifesto has nice blend of rap/hip hop that has hard hitting rap as well as catchy r&b/pop songs. I blend rapping with auto tune and singing to bring a variety of different styles for a wide range of audiences. Everything I talk about is based on my real life as well and a lot of artists tend to make up things when they rap whereas I try to be as real as possible.
You fuse a fair few genres throughout this EP, to great results no less. Who or what has inspired you to make this kind of music, and how do you get started when crafting a new track from scratch?
I like blending different kinds of flows and styles into my songs kind of like an Eminem/Drake thing. I think people enjoy music more when each song can be separate from one another yet compliment one another at the same time. When making a song, I must find a beat with a melody I can really get behind, and making the hook is the most important because that is what most people will remember after listening and its what will make them continue listening. Once the hook is done just having lyrics people can relate to is what I focus on.
How do you come up with your bars – what’s the writing process like?
I base everything I talk about on my real life. Every verse has some real-life connection to me. I try to talk about things in my life that relates to people as well as finding a catchy flow that people will enjoy. Each of songs has a bunch of different flows within the same song and I think people like the variety. I try to be creative with my bars and let people into my life through my words.
Do you produce your own music?
I do not. My beats are bought online and I buy studio time to have my songs engineered and mixed.
You have a really unique sounding voice – easily recognisable and well suited to all of the tracks on this project. How have you honed your delivery style and performance skills over time?
I grew up listening to Eminem and later in life got into Young Thug and Future, so I try to blend all those influences together in my delivery. I love auto tune on my songs, but my natural voice serves me well when I need it to. Overtime, through making new records I was able to hone my delivery and be able to change speeds/flows within the same verse in order to deliver an original sound.
Is live performance an important part of your plans?
Definitely. I was in an accident recently which has prevented me from performing, but I’m excited to show my presence on stage live because I think it is a huge part of building a good fan base.
What’s one of your greatest aspirations as an artist?
I want to be able to make enough money from my music that I don’t have to work a job anymore. A lot of people think I won’t amount to anything special, so I’d also want to be remembered and well-known when I die. Bringing enjoyment to others with my music is very important to me. Hopefully a record deal is on the horizon at some point.
I heard a bit of an Eminem influence during the verses of Soul – who would you say are your top three rappers of all time?
Well the top artists of all time are pretty set in stone, but my favourite artists of all time would be Eminem, Tupac, and RA the Rugged Man.
What’s the most important thing for you to present within your music?
I want people to see I’m real. I’m not out here making shit up for 15 minutes of fame or to come off as provocative or fake. I also want people to see how original I am. I don’t think anyone makes music like mine that I’ve heard, and I’m my own biggest fan so I’m always going to make music I’d listen to and enjoy over making stuff just for popularity.
What’s something about Grizzy most people don’t know?
I am a perfectionist when making music. I spend days/weeks on songs just writing them before I’m satisfied with them and most of the time I end up trashing them after a while because they aren’t good enough in my eyes. Also, I can’t freestyle for my life haha. If I had to freestyle on any platform I’d probably get laughed out the room haha. I like writing and I’d definitely prefer it.
What’s the best thing fans can do to support you right now?
Just getting on all my social media pages and following my path to becoming a successful artist. Obviously listening to all my music on iTunes, Spotify and SoundCloud is appreciated as well. And getting the word out and sharing my music is important because I want to reach as many people as possible.
Here’s the links: iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Artist Page.
Is there anything else we should know?
I have a bio on my artist page actually that has everything you need to know about me outside of the stuff I say in my songs:
Grizzy is a New England native, born in Massachusetts and raised in Rhode Island. Grizzy grew up in a poor, dysfunctional home due to his father’s addiction to drugs and alcohol and spent most of his life looking for an outlet to express his inner thoughts to get through the day.
He has a style and flow which displays a collective grouping of Rap, Hip Hop, and R&B, and his music reflects on his life in the past, present, and what he wants for the future. Every song he writes is meant to bring out some form of emotion out of his listeners while expressing his own outlook on his life events, from catchy, upbeat songs like ‘On My Own’ and ‘Being Bad’ to hard-hitting, emotional tracks like ‘Soul’ and ‘Soldier.’
Grizzy’s blend of style and flow is on display in his debut project ‘Drunken Manifesto,’ speaking on his struggle with his past, alcohol, drugs, woman, and his drive to reach the next level with his music.
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