Same Hip Hop Different Faces

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May issue of AliasRoosee Magazine, featuring Jay Jilla and Czo

Transcript of Same Hip Hop Different Faces

photography courtesy of iCSC Media Group/P.AL Photography

Contents

Editor’s NoteDear Readers,

I alI always wait unl the day the magazine is due, to write the “Editor’s Note.” I want to make sure I write from a new month’s perspecve. In the past month, so many things have happened in my personal life, professional life, and society. This issue is special to me because it releases on Mother’s Day. Those of you who know me personally, know that I have not always had the ideal relaonship with my mother. As I get older, I find myself being compared to her more and momore; her big heart, her creavity, her kind spirit, and quiet strength. Prior to wring this note, I called her and had one of our famous “quick conversaons” (they normally last 3 hrs). We laughed and cried and at the end of the conversaon we said I love you and hung up. I immediately did something I can’t ever remember doing, I told my mom how much I appreciate her. There is an old saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” from that saying is where I drew this month’s inspiraon. Just like in my personal life, things may change, but I can always count on my mother to be the same, Hip Hop is the same way. There will always be a latest trend, coined phrase, or gimmick; but REAL Hip Hop never changes, only the faces do.

Happy Reading,

AliasRooseeAliasRoosee

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TeeJay: Since we have crossed that bridge into albums let’s keep going, what was your first album/mixtape?

Jilla: Illi Music then Nash / Nowitzki. I also have a new mix tape I am working on called Jay Jilla’s Swag in the Flesh.

Czo: My album is coming May 29th and Czo: My album is coming May 29th and my mixtape will be out shortly after.

TeeJay: Jilla, the first time I was introduced to you it was through an episode of Mista Monday’s, how did the appearance on that show come about?

Jilla: I been cool and aJilla: I been cool and affiliated with Mista for awhile. We had some music together and he told me that he was shooting an episode for his show right before the performance and asked if I wanted to get on.

TTeeJay: Czo, I heard your music, long before I realized who you were. Little did I know that you were the feature on the first song I heard from Jilla. How did you two even link up?Czo: My mother passed away and I Czo: My mother passed away and I moved back here because my grand-mother needed me. Back in The Bottoms, I used to get my hair cut in the hood were I lived. When I moved here I really needed a cut. I was talking to my grandma, and I was like I can’t be going to SuperCuts! So I grabbed the to SuperCuts! So I grabbed the phonebook and started flipping through looking for names of barber shops that sounded like they could keep up with what I was accustomed to. I came across “head poets.” I went in and this other guy cut my hair and f*cked me up! But then I met him (Jilla) and I told him where I was met him (Jilla) and I told him where I was from and found out he had family there too. The song Hun Duns came about when he (Jilla) was cutting my hair. Jilla gave me this concept he was thinking about for a song. In about 5 or 10 minutes I spit the hook for the song. By the time my hair was cut the song was ready.

We start off with what I call my “clear the air” session. What are you respective artist names? I am asking this question because everything I have heard or seen has “Nash” and “Norwitski” on it.

Czo: My artist name is Czo. That’s my name from down south (Clearwater, FL).

Tee Jay: So how did you get to “Steve Nash?”

Czo: See, that came about because I was going to name my Czo: See, that came about because I was going to name my mixtape “Steve Nash.” I chose it because the NBA, much like the rap game, is dominated by African American’s, but Nash holds his own and is embraced by everyone. His credit is due to his skill, not ‘cause he a “white-boy” playing ball. I’m doing the same, so that comparison is made. One night, I was performing for the “Shut It Down Sunday” competition and they could not get Czo right, so I said, “Itget Czo right, so I said, “It’s Steve Nash.” The announcer looked at me and said, “I like that!” The crowd went crazy when he announced me! And every since then when people saw me they called me Nash. It just kind of stuck.

Jilla: My artist name is Jay Jilla. The whole Dirk Nowitzki thing came up when I collaborated with Czo (Nash) for a song on my mixtape (Illi Music) called Hun Duns. I say a line: I’m with Steve Nash; call me Dirk Nowitzki. It stuck from there. Everybody loved that song so much, then the idea was tossed out there to do a mixtape together. When I was asked what would we call it I said, “Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki,” from that point on when people saw us they called us those names because of that when people saw us they called us those names because of that mixtape. And like Czo said, we are white-boys balling in a black man’s game, and if you were to make that basketball reference it would be Nash and Dirk.

TeeJay: Everything that you do it’s always both of you, other than the obvious friendship; what is your affiliation to one another?

Jilla: When have never been in a group. We ([me] and Nash) do music and will always do music together, but we don’t “belong” to anyone.

Czo:Czo: Yea, I knew this question was coming. I do music with AMPED UP because when I first got here that is who embraced me and offered me everything I needed. I kept my word because when I got here they wanted to do an album and I wasn’t just gonna jump ship so that is how the album came about.

Jilla: I think the confusion comes in because I have my own Jilla: I think the confusion comes in because I have my own production company set aside from AMPED UP (Ill State) and that is what CZO is under.

TeeJay: I said earlier that I could see the obvious friendship between the two of you, but apparently that bond is deeper. Just how deep are we talking? When did it hit you that this was more than music?

Jilla: Man, I been doing music for a minute and I have NEVER Jilla: Man, I been doing music for a minute and I have NEVER experienced the chemistry I feel with him, with anyone else. I have done spur of the moment songs with all type of people, but it’s different with him. We vibe and that is what let’s us do hit after hit. Not many people can make an album that can play from track 1 to the end without skipping, so many people tell me how they just put that mixtape in and let it go. Plus, we arenaren’t just some guys that did a lil’ mixtape together and that was it, we call each other brother. I have no friends, it’s just me and my brother.

Czo: Another reason you feel that connection is because we both know each other’s story. We both dealt with our mothers being sick (mine died), we both been in the drug game, bangin’, been in the streets, done prison time, and we both decided to let that go and change our lives for the better. I been slangin’ since I was a shortie, I never knew what “doing good” was. I mean I had my definition of “doing good,” which was being bout that life. But nolife. But now, I’m really doing good. I’m focused, I ain’t in the street, I left that fast life alone, and I’m shaping up to be someone my mother would be proud of.

TeeJay: Earlier this month, Editor of AliasRoosee, went off about some things that have become common occurrences during local artist performances. While looking through old threads and photos, I never once saw anything that mentioned you guys being inebriated during a performance. I think the Editor would agree, that this aspect sets you very far ahead of other local acts. Is keeping the drinking and smoking to a minimum a conscious decision or does it just happen by minimum a conscious decision or does it just happen by accident?

Jilla: When I show up to a Shut It Down or any show, I’m there to work! I‘m not at the club kickin‘ it, it’s two different things I’m bout my business and extending my fan base. Yea, I may have a drink or two but I’m not about to get so slapped that it jeopardizes the performance. You never know who is watching. We have walked off stage and top-notched producers abound Peoria have come and introduced themselves and exchanged info to do business with us.info to do business with us.

TeeJay: Here are some questions I often ask during my small feature artist interviews, who is in your top five local artist list? In no particular order…

Czo and Jilla: Bloodline, Goonies, Shy Bunny, Mista, H2G…Jilla: During a radio interview I was asked Jilla: During a radio interview I was asked who I want to work with and I said the Goonies.Czo: I said Shy BunnCzo: I said Shy Bunny. I get a lot of hits on Facebook about features, and to be honest I be so busy that I don’t have time to get back to everybody. But just for the record, I’m not ignoring you if I haven’t answered it’s just that there is not enough hours in the day, to get back to everybody.

TTeeJay: Last question of the night, if you had your pick of any industry producer and/or artist that you could work with who would it be?

Jilla: Jay-Z, Kanye, Rick Ross, 2-Chains, J. Cole, Eminem, Machine Gun Kelly, Tim and Bob, and Swizz Beatz...

Czo: Jadakiss, JeezCzo: Jadakiss, Jeezy, Adele, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Meek Millz, Maybach Music Group, Tim and Bob...