Julien JiZO: Yo, Wasssup IZ! How you been
homie? Sorry it took me so long to get this
interview ready. I have been hella swamped
(working and maybe too much partying...LOL.)
Well... with that being said... I want to thank you
for accepting to do this interview with
us. Can you please briefly describe yourself and
the world you are living in?
IZ: Im making a
living doing what I love, traveling, seeing new
things and fine women... What more can you ask
for? I love it...
Julien JiZO: Your biography says you were
ambushed and viciously stabbed nine times...Did
you see the light at the end of the tunnel that
most people talk about when experiencing a near
death situation?
IZ: No. I see it in
every day life.
Julien JiZO: You mentioned in your song
"Run Together" that you did time for "Attempted
Murder"? How long were you in the hole? Is this
a part of your life that you want to erase from
your memories?
IZ: I did 4 1/2
years altogether... Do I want to erase it from
my memory? No... I wouldnt want to erase
anything from my memory... Ive had a crazy life,
good times and bad... But in the end all of
those memories are very dear to my heart.
Besides, who knows? I change one thing and maybe
I don't end up where I'm at and we never have this
interview... feel me?
Julien JiZO: How did you become a 454
family member? Who is the founder? and what is
the exact meaning of 454 if I may ask?
IZ: Chris Luu is
the founder and CEO... The real question that
needs to be asked is not how did I become a
member but how could I not become a member? Or,
how can you put a bunch of real people get
together and not expect us to do real things...
It's just natural that this would happen. It
makes me wonder why it didn't happen sooner...
But if the question is how did I meet Chris Luu?
My homegirl Lisa Kim Fleming who I will be
eternally grateful to, introduced us... Chris
flew me out to San Jose, we had dinner, popped a
ridiculous amount of bottles at a club and it
was a wrap... Business conversation need not be
long... Our conversation went something like
this: "I want to achieve this, you want to
achieve the same thing... Lets do it together."
Done dada.
The actual meaning of 454 is something we keep
between ourselves... Not to dodge the question
or exclude anyone, but anyone who needs to know,
already knows... But briefly, 454 has been and
always will be a story of success... To be a
part of that success is a position I feel
blessed and fortunate to be in...
Julien JiZO: Your first mixtape has
finally been released! Are you working on any
kind of specific project?
IZ: Basically I'm
livin in the studio... Vol.1 is out, so I'm
workin on volume 2 as we speak as well as an
album... There isn't time for much else... Like I
said, why didnt we start this sooner?
Julien JiZO: So, how did you hook-up
with them cats from FM (the FAR EAST MOVEMENT) ?
Who was behind the "I Party" track?
IZ: Pretty much the
same way I linked with 454... we met and we just
clicked... theyre my brothers... some real ass
dudes...
"I Party" was a song produced by my homie Wonju,
who also did "Roll Wit a Gangsta" as well as
"Paper Chaser." When I got out of prison, Kev
told me that I should try out some new sounds
and styles... It was basically an indirect way
of sayin: Yo shit is played out son! haha...
Wonju played "I Party" for Kev and he was like
"that's your next single." I said "hell naw!"
After months of contemplating it I agreed to do
it but only if it was with them... After we
finished recording it I was like "oh shit, this
is kinda tite." It ended up being a fan favorite
on their last album "Animal." It really opened
my eyes and gave me a paradigm shift... I had no
clue at the time that not everyone loved gangsta
rap...
They really gave me a lot of guidance and I owe
a lot of my success to them... Like I said, I
would have been stuck in my one track, hardcore
hip hop, dont-give-a-shit-about-anything-but-the-lyrics
attitude forever if I never did "I Party." That
was a crazy change for me... but that's just the
tip of the iceberg compared to this new shit im
about to drop... Be prepared to be surprised.
Julien JiZO: Now that FM made it to the
top and basically broke all stereotypes of Asian
Americans and music in general. What are your
thoughts on the current state of the music
industry?
IZ: If you wanna
know how I feel about Asian Americans in the
mainstream American entertainment industry read
my "Letter to the people from my jail cell" at
http://tinyurl.com/4tauzwp or watch my "Run
Together" music video... I cant explain it any
better than that...
Julien JiZO: So I was reading a comment
you made on Facebook about dropping your iphone
in the toilet? Do you really write all your
songs on your phone?
IZ: Most of em...
That's why I dropped it in the toilet... To make
sure they were the shit...
Julien JiZO: Do you still talk to
Jimmyboi? Are you possibly working on a
collaboration with him? What about Traphik a.k.a
Timothy Delaghetto? Rumors are going around you
guys are working on a song?
IZ: I havent spoken to Jimmy in
a while... Im sure he doin his thang...
Tim is crazy... if you wanna know what kinda guy
Tim is you need to hear his ringback tone and
his voicemail greeting... Funny as hell... Yeah,
he's definitely another person I feel like has
the right type of attitude and it shows in his
success... he's very down to earth... We gonna
get it in on a cool ass spring time anthem with a
twist... You'll see
Julien JiZO: You seem pretty tight with
"Joe and Bart" from JustKidding Films. How did
you guys meet?
IZ: I met them at the ISA
(International Secret Agents) concert last
year... We ended up doing a skit together and
youll probably see us doing a lot of stuff in
the future.. They actually hosted my mixtape
release party at JLounge last month...
Julien JiZO: Well I hope you enjoyed
your brief stay in Dallas last year. What do you
think of Texas and our southern hospitality?
IZ: It was great... Made me
feel extremely welcome...
Julien JiZO: Is there anything else that
you would like to say to our readers and/or to
the rest of the world? Shoutouts to anyone?
IZ: Yes... y'all aint seen shit
yet... this is just the beginning... I'm free and
off parole in 3 months... Imma be a problem...
Garden Grove and Koreatown stand the fuck up!!!
Im reppin to the fullest baby! Family First! 454
Life til Death...
Oh yeah, luv to my boy Julien from Jizo Ent!
haha Im out!
Julien JiZO: By the way, my birthday is
coming soon..
J
Get me a 454 chain!!!! LOL. Well, see you soon
bro! JiZO-entertainment got your back! Don't
forget about me when you make it to the top, and
I ain't kidding! I know you, Thai and all them
cats from 454 are next to be on the map!
Interview: conducted
by
Mr. JiZO
Embodying an ever-confident “nothing can stop me”
attitude and slick lyricism, IZ’s witty, punchline
laden raps and descriptive storytelling have made
him a force to be reckoned with in the worldwide
arena of rap. From the gritty realism of his
introductory single “On My Feet” to the futuristic
soundscapes of “I Party,” a collaboration with
Platinum selling artists FarEast Movement, 3 short
years is all it took for IZ to establish himself as
a permanent and key figure in the international rap
scene. Achieving an unprecedented degree of success
in a short duration, IZ was noticed by 454 Life
Entertainment CEO Chris Luu. After short talks, IZ
and 454 Life Ent. formed an alliance which has
served as the launching pad for a new stage in his
career. Upon signing, he requested and was granted
absolute artistic autonomy. Backed by 454, IZ has
linked up with top-notch producers such as
Traxamillion and platinum producers The Breakfast
Club (Beamer, Benz or Bentley.) These producers
tailor to his vision and share his determination.
IZ has a Korean heritage, but Southern California
has been his home for almost his entire life. He
grew up in the city of Garden Grove, a crime
infested neighborhood long recognized as a breeding
ground for violent Asian gangs. IZ was brought up in
the street, and although music had always captivated
him, he did not pursue a career as a musician until
his life was struck with tragedy. The fatal shooting
of his beloved girlfriend left IZ in a whirlwind of
emotion, and motivated him to begin expressing his
consciousness through music.
After a promising start to his musical career, Iz
found himself behind bars, which placed a halt to
all of the progress he had made. Two weeks after
being released from prison, IZ was ambushed by
enemies and was stabbed nine times. Even while being
threatened with a violation of his parole, IZ
refused to cooperate with the police in naming those
who attacked him. IZ was released from the hospital
shortly afterwards, and was then questioned by the
police regarding the murder of one of his attackers.
Once again, IZ refused to cooperate, choosing to
focus instead on his burgeoning career as a rapper,
and putting that chapter of his life behind him.
IZ will be dropping his eagerly anticipated debut
album with 454 Life Entertainment. With his focus
set on being the best, and with his potential being
transcendent of boundaries, IZ’s range of influence
is limitless.
“While other asian cats are tryin to be the NEXT
Jin, IZ is just trynna be the 1st IZ… He looks past
color lines and is strictly about his music. He’s
not into flash & jewels, but HAS touched money which
most rappers fake about. His level of loyalty to his
hood/elders and respect for hip hop is uncanny
compared again to the weak competition of mc’s out
now…. IZ’s street credibility is never camouflaged
by fashion or vocab. IZ is real. Let the man live &
he’ll show you how he does. Nothing but love for my
fellow corean chingu”
-Ben Baller
20x platinum A&R, international DJ & Celebrity
Jeweler/Blogger Ben Baller
“IZ is that next artist to carry the west coast
to a new real place… he represents everything we
love about new music and LA”
-Far East Movement
Interscope Recording Artists
