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| Blu Division Exclusive: Quiz Interview! |
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| Written by Justin Melo | |
| Tuesday, 24 June 2008 | |
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Take a dive into the world of Quiz and see how this rapper gets down; read up on his upcoming "Before Taxes" project all the way back to the story of how Quiz first got down with Glasses Malone and the Blu Division camp.
Q: This is Lunatic 63 for Raptalk.net and we’re here with Quiz; how’s it going? What’s good man? Making it happen, what’s going on?
Q: How you doing?
Q: Start us off by letting us know how you linked up with Blu Division? I was just running around with my own mixtapes in the streets, doin what you’re supposed to do. I ended up linking up with Glasses’ (Malone) brother and he was promoting in the clubs with Glasses, trying to help get his name out. I met him at a club and we chopped it up – he started fucking with me and that’s how it came about.
Q: How have you changed as an artist since you began working with Blu Division? As an artist?
Q: Or as a person, either way. I’ve changed a lot. Just being around Glasses and getting to see what happens when you’re in a different situation. I got a better idea of how to hustle just business wise. As far as an artist, I feel more comfortable being in my lane and running with it.
Q: When can we expect the street tape “Before Taxes” to drop? I’m looking at June 20th (editor’s note: Interview was done two weeks ago).
Q: Real soon. Real soon. “Let’s go” is doing pretty well and “Vote 4 me” is getting love in the streets. Both those records are getting good pushes so I want to drop the album as soon as possible. I just want to make it available to people because I got something else coming right behind it really quick.
Q: How do you plan on releasing “Before Taxes?” Will have hard copies in mom and pop shops and will have the free download also. I’ll do whatever I can for the people to have access to it.
Q: You mentioned the “Vote 4 me” track which features G. Malone and Mistah FAB; who else appears on the project? Ofcourse we have Fly Boyz, Conflict, let’s see. I got hit from Fly Society on there, Name brand is on there. I have an in-house singer by the name of Screz on there. My dude Sega is actually on there rapping – Sega is actually a cat from Long Beach that we fuck with, he’s an upcoming producer. He actually produced the whole album.
Q: Well you just answered my next question, I was about to ask who’s producing on the record besides Sega (Laughs). Yeah (laughs) Sega is the only producer on this project.
Q: We need more albums coming out with one producer handling the entire project. Right. Basically what it was is to get my exposure and visibility up and Sega is trying to do the same thing. We are both talented cats that can make some noise so we said let’s get together and knock something and that’s what we did.
Q: Using one producer really helps formulate a sound. Right, right.
Q: How many tracks are on the album and how would you describe the overall sound of the music? 12 tracks, no skits; all music. The overall sound is fresh and kind of steers away from the typical street, dope boy music. It’s still street and still something everyone can relate to; I tried to keep it different at the same time. It’ll be a nice ingredient for what’s going on as far as the rise of the west coast.
Q: You have 12 tracks on the album, many fans view that positively as most like shorter albums. However, that does mean less room for error; does that concern you at all? Not at all, I recorded more than 12 tracks. I just picked out the best 12 for what we had going on.
Q: You said you have something to hit us up with after this project drops; can you go into detail on that? Sure. The dude who produced “Haters” (FOC) the new G.Malone record with Baby and Lil Wayne – We kind of linked up and have an album coming out shortly after “Before Taxes.”
The title for it right now is “Fuck a Record Deal” but that may change. We will have the album all ready soon and every song is solid – it’s a good look.
Q: FOC is a great producer. Yeah, FOC – Focus Music Group.
Q: I’m excited for that. I appreciate it.
Q: It’s all love. How do you try to make each song you record better than your last? I don’t think it’s about making each song better than my last because each song is different. I try to come up with different concepts and stay away from what most people are doing. I want to stand out. It’s going off of what the feeling of the track is.
Q: How do you structure your verses? I go off the feeling of the track – as far as free styling, I’m not going to go into the booth and just freestyle off the head. Some cats can do it and make it sound good, but for me, I try and catch the feeling of the track; I take my time and write it out. I get in the booth and get it off and make it sound good. That’s how I do it, I flow with the record.
Q: I was just curious to see how you do your verses. Yeah that’s how I do it, I write them out.
Q: We need more people writing there verses out. It’s some people who can free style, but some shouldn’t be doing it (laughs).
Q: How did you come up with the concept for your song “He’s Alive?” He’s Alive… I was working on a mixtape called “Monsters Inc” it’s still supposed to drop. It was supposed to be a Halloween mixtape with a Halloween theme. We’re still setting it up. I heard the sample on there and keep it to the theme of a monster and being a beast; somewhat dark but still trying to rap.
Q: Song fits the idea very well. Exactly, that’s what I was planning to do (laughs).
Q: Are you going on a tour anytime soon? You can catch me around with Glasses; I stay on the road with him when I can. Just local shows in LA and what not, that’s about it.
Q: How do you feel about the current state of the west coast? I think we’re in a transition stage in terms of knowing the faces and the talent. If it wasn’t for the old west, there wouldn’t be a new west. I would like to see the old west and the new west combine to collaborate a little more. I think we’re where we need to be right now as far as everyone has to go through stuff to grow; will get it together. The new cats are doing their thing and the old cats have been doing their thing and still are. The talent is definitely here, we just need to get more unity and more people working together; after that, will be alright.
Q: What can you do to make the state of the west coast better? Showing that I can be myself but still fit in. How you can take the norm and make it cool; personally I don’t gang bang – Blu Division has gang bangers and people who do whatever to keep living and maintaining.
I work and I’m in school. I grew up on my own, I hustle my music – I do what I have to do. I’m still maintaining and still relevant you have to be yourself and still fit in.
Q: That was a good statement. You’re doing you, being yourself. Right, that’s definitely what I’m trying to do.
Q: Not that there’s anything wrong with the gang banging rap. Not at all, if that’s who you are than that’s who you are; more power to you – I respect everyone for being who they are. I fuck with gang bangers and I fuck with other people; it is what it is.
Everybody has something to talk about. The world isn’t one dimensional so music shouldn’t be one dimensional.
Q: I couldn’t have put it better myself. What grabs your attention about a beat when you’re in the studio? When I hear it, I know it. It has to be something solid and strong. It could be a solid and strong simple beat. If it sounds good, there’s nothing around it. That’s what I aim for. I could do a club record or do a record like “He’s Alive” just busting and showing my ass.
Q: Who were your influences growing up? Of course 2Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z. I’m a really big Jadakiss fan; I’m a LOX fan period. I’m a really big Ludacris fan. Eminem and DMX were really big when I was coming up – as far as what got me into rap, my older cousins got me into hip-hop. When they introduced me to rap it was Black Sheep, Onyx, Wu-Tang Clan and De La Soul; it was at that stage when I got introduced and around the Jay-Z time is what really pushed me into it and helped me understand music and lyricism.
Q: You may be the wrong person to ask, but do you know when Malone is dropping his album? From what I’m hearing right now, September.
Q: September?
Q: Do you have any last words for the fans before I let you go? I just want to say keep checking out for me, I appreciate all the love and support. Keep supporting myself, G. Malone and the whole the entire Blu Division movement. Hit me up on myspace.com at www.myspace.com/youngquiz and that’s about it.
Q: Thank you for your time Quiz. Comments (0)
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