Interview: Steezy Grizzlies
DC native Steezy Grizzlies is hours away from dropping his new tape Green and is surprisingly nervous. Read on to find out what’s bugging Steezy and what to expect from him an his SNB team.
It’s March 14th and at exactly 3:14, Steezy Grizzlies will be releasing his 3rd project to the public. After month’s of anticipation, name changes and anime, Steezy is ready to reveal the next chapter in his musical legacy. Steezy came on the scene in late 2011, releasing his first EP Punchout at the top of 2012. The self proclaimed coon made his first impact on a Plue Starfox jam entitled G.H.T.O with the Klan’s Sir E.U, and flexed a unique if not under developed delivery.
Flash forward to summer, and Steezy is back with a polished flow and a terribly infectious single entitled L A V I $ H. A clear improvement from his first effort, G U N D A M poised Steezy to be one of the most promising acts in the DMV underground. Compromised of jazzy beat’s, odes to hipster chicks and plenty of SNB features, it was more of a proper release than his first EP.
Green is his latest endeavor and the public has only got a few peeks at what to expect, with his first drop Dat New New clocking in under 2 minutes. Read on to find out what to expect from his new project, his SNB team and his personal statement to the fans.
GRZD: What’s up homie. You’ve got a new project about to drop tomorrow, you excited about that?
Steezy Grizzlies: More like nervous bruh. When I was first writing Green I was really trying to make a tape for my “supporters” but I went back and listened to all my stuff only to realize how much I hated it. I feel like Green is more of me then what the supporters want and that is what scares me.
GRZD: What didn’t you like about the old tracks? Did you find yourself trying to make another Lavish type hit?
Steezy: I hate Lavish. I feel like niggas only liked for me a song I wrote in about 15 minutes. I wouldn’t say I ‘found myself’ with Green but it put me on the road to that goal. I have bangers on the tape, I just didn’t try to make another Lavish and never will.
GRZD: So who is Steezy Grizzlies now compared to Gundam era Steezy?
Steezy: I would say Gundam era Steezy was a person making music for DMV hipsters, trying to make them happy. Then he realized that shit was damn near impossible so he got so damn depressed that he almost thought about quitting music. Steezy Grizzlies now doesn’t give a fuck. He makes music he enjoys and enjoys doing that. He realized that if you don’t say shit in these raps then your raps ain’t shit. He doesn’t fuck with too many people anymore and has started producing. Yeah that sums it up.
GRZD: Wow. Good to hear you’ve been producing. Who produced on Green and what’s your favorite song from it?
I started producing but didn’t feel ready to put them on Green. Rashad Stark, rMell and Renzy Beats produced tracks on Green to name a few. If I had to pick a favorite song it would be ‘dmGotham’ feat. Johny Locus or ‘Hits For Your Bitch’ featuring the whole SNB.
GRZD: Speaking of your SNB team, you guys are on the rise and are continuing to buold a name. So what’s next for the SNB? What makes you guys unique?
Steezy: We on the come up? I thought most niggas hated us (laughs). But Rashad is working on a BUMPING ASS PROJECT. It’s all over Green. Johny Locus is coming with a dope ass mixtape full of bangers. Also, Day is coming out with a tape. I think the fact that all 7 of us make different styles of hip-hop but blend that shit so zesty makes us different.
GRZD: Do you feel like your the leader?
Steezy: Nah. I say that because a lot of shit I wanted to do, the team was against. We’re more like a big ass group of brothers. I’m the loud ass uncle telling niggas we going eat and trying to make the gang laugh.
GRZD: So what’s next fort Steezy? Where do you want rap to take you?
Steezy: I’m just going to make music until me and my niggas can live comfortable. I think the next step is an indie album but that’s NO TIME SOON. Maybe some EP’s or some shit, but I need to step my bars up before dropping another project.
GRZD: Green is on the horizon and some people are eager to hear it. Anything you want to say about it before the public gets to consume it?
Steezy Grizzlies: I hope you niggas like it. I worked hard on it. For those who thought my last 2 projects were ass, you were right. But these niggas better not dare fix their lips to say Green is some ass. I love all my supporters and love all my haters. This is the 1st step into me becoming one of the greats I promise. SNB until the death of me and Happy Green 3.14.13!
Make sure to download Green at 3:14 here
CJ The Genesis - We Ain’t Playin
Waldorf rappin ass nigga CJ The Genesis drops a brand new single from his upcoming album Salvation. For those unfamiliar with CJ, he used to rap with the Kool Klux Klan and dropped a pretty damn impressive project called Impulse. Add a standout verse on Sir E.U’s HCVIM and CJ’s name is primed to ring a bell in the scene’s circle. Flash forward to now, and CJ is prepping a brand new tape. On We Aint Playin, CJ absolutely flexes about a dozen flows, tearing the beat apart. Though he isn’t renown for flowing over trap beats, he proved that he can easily go with best of them. Salvation dropping on the 15th.
Aceology - DailyDoomz 1.5
The self proclaimed ‘Trill Game General’ from the Backwards Society is back with more raw trill waviness. Aceology isn’t breaking the mold with this one but rather sitting comfortably in his lane, progressing where the track lets him. The typical trillwave tropes are revisited on this track, from screwed samples to slow BPM’s to sipping lean and smoking blunts, but from the perspective of a young kid from Maryland. Always good to hear new jams from the Backwards Society crew. Stay hip.
#NOONEISREADY
TWO-9’s Key! releases a 6 track EP out of nowhere and it is appropriately titled “#NOONEISREADY” If you haven’t heard of him before make sure to get hip quick. Click through and check out his other tracks on Soundcloud.
Blu x MED - Burgandy Whip
Produced by Madlib
Cali natives Blu and MED recently dropped a Madlib produced EP along with visuals to a new single. Technically. Last year around this time Blu leaked a mixtape titled UCLA entirely produced by Madlib. It was very rough around the edges but full of soul and gems that Blu is renown for. It was soon taken down by Stones Throw (Madlibs label) but if you know where to look its available. Flash forward to this year and we have visuals for a standout on the tape Burgandy Whip featuring vocals from Jimmetta Rose. The video, like the song itself, perfectly captures the feel of the song through filtered effects that give it a vintage look. Cop that EP on iTunes and support good music.
Willie Jetts - Elder Toguro
Grazed is back after a seasonal sabbatical. There’s been tons of great music released in the past 4 months and it hasn’t fallen on deaf ears. We’ll continue to keep you hip on the old and new. First up we have a new track from Willie Jetts, collabing with the sampledelic Sealab 2012. Jettson sounds vulnerable over a somber melody bearing light on recent events. Willie Jetts recently moved from Maryland to Ohio, a move that isolated him from the life he once knew. But music is still his main focus and he doesn’t seem too concerned about dwelling on the past. Speaking of the past, Willie Jetts recently released the impressive Commercial Free mixtape, documenting his growth as an artist.
AllitheAbstract - The Middle Class Video
AllitheAbstract is back with a fresh new track and video to match in anticipation of his upcoming The Middle Class Album. Directed by Alli and his homie Rox, The Middle Class Video is a high-def industrial look at Alli. Adorned in the finest Givenchy and black boots, the Abstract drops jewels over The Aqua League production. Never one for hooks, Alli spits straight up bars demonstrating his knack for quirky metaphors and effortless similes. The first track clocks in at a little under 2 minutes with a snippet of another track he released recently with Cap Stylez afterwards. If I Had is a smooth piano laced cut, and hopefully we get full visuals for that soon. If these tracks are any indication, The Middle Class Album is sure to be dope.
Rippodraminati - Goodfellas I
Cal Rips unearths this prequel to the classic Goodfellas II, recorded in the 1032 days. Over Jay-Z’s Allure, Sir E.U and Cal Rips trade bar for bar precisely on point. If my mental calendar serves me correct, this track was recorded before Cals #ThumbsUp tape released, which thrusted him into the areas premier talent pool. Nonetheless he rapped his ass off pretty well and managed to not be outshone by E.U who is known to do that every now and again. Avion shows up at the end, a bittersweet snippet of life gone too soon but this is not a memorial track. This is a lyrical exercise, a preview of the deep stash of tracks that the Klan has amassed over the past couple of years. Expect alot more from the Rippodraminati duo of E.U and Cal Rips
