The world is starting to move again and we are glad to keep the trend continuing with our latest interview. The Underground Uprising "Artist of the Week" DEEZ is an up and comer with a sound and vibe all his own. Dive in and find out what drives him and his music in our interview below.
Where are you from? What was it like growing up there?
"Born in Phoenix, AZ went to school up north in Prescott Valley. What was it like? For me it was small & slower than I wanted, though these days I can appreciate that. "
How did you come up with your name Deez?
"I actually didn’t haha. My government name is Darius & growing up I chose to hang out with a mostly older crowd. Nicknames come about… first it was “lil deezy” being the youngin n all. But yeah eventually it just stuck when I started to get more serious with the flows."
What inspired you to pursue music?
"I’ve been around it my whole existence. My pops sings / played the drums in his own band and various others, so I think in some sense I’ve always effortlessly, gravitated towards music of all types. Words are another love of mine. Like I was always writing poetry etc. I even published a small book. This is a tough question to answer in a short manner. Ultimately I think what inspired me was a feeling of wanting to express myself. I believe we all have an identity & I’m embracing mine hoping to provide a positive impact on society."
Biggest challenge up to this point in your career?
"You mean besides Covid-19? I was just getting my feet wet with the live performing when the shutdown happened, so having that halted was a real hurdle I’m currently working around. Just more opportunities to be creative :) "
What do you think of the current state of AZ hip-hop?
"We have such a wide variety of talent here, not to mention ITS ALL LOVE. A beautiful thing we have in common is we all want to see each other win. Excited for what this state has to offer the future of Hip-Hop."
Advice for up and coming creators and artists?
"The only way to get better is to do it. Don’t just invest in what you desire, invest in yourself."
Favorite independent artists?
"Tyler The Creator, locally though Joseph Bills, Sincerely Collins, thekaleidoscopekid… to name a few."
What advice would you give yourself if you could go back to where you started?
"None, I wouldn’t be me if we changed something."
Who would you like to collab with in the future?
"JOSEPH BILLS & THEFONZARELLIPROJECT "
What’s the next move for Deez?
"Moves are consistently in motion, for I am ever-evolving, just tune in to find out."
by: Steven Sandage