Read the full interview on YoungCalifornia.com!
Hailing from Oak Park, Sacramento, Mozzy embodies the definition of a street rapper who used music to change his life for the better. Joining the likes of YG, Chief Keef, Meek Mill, etc. (the list goes on), the Bay Area native is here to prove why he too deserves mainstream recognition. Read more…
As evidenced in “Bladadah,” if you know, you know. Mozzy’s goal is to not only better himself, but everyone surrounding. With his latest project 1 Up Top Ahk still heavy in rotation, Mozzy continues to tell his story in a way we can all relate. With his unique flow over the West’s signature sound, there’s no telling what 2018 holds.
Earlier this month, Young California caught up with Mozzy ahead of his sold out show at The Roxy in Los Angeles.
For those who don’t know, who is Mozzy?
Hell Gang Mozzy, yeah! Black ass, short dude. Ugly ass dreads — muthafuckas nappy as fuck. From up out of Oak Park, in the city of Sacramento. Beautiful struggle. Beautiful struggle. Bladadah. 1 up top ahky. You feel me? Mandatory check. He a northern California nigga that know how to rap better than everybody.
How would you describe your sound?
Like no others. My sound is like no other. You couldn’t compare me to nobody else and say, “They sound alike.” If we do, he biting! I don’t care what nobody talking about, this right here is unique. This me! I been crafting this sound, this style, for a lifetime. It’s been working for me so I’ma stick with it. But it’s raw, it’s rugged, it’s slimy, it’s new, it’s adventurous!
The wordplay — it’s gonna have you slithering on one of them little rollercoaster rides, going up and down. You gonna be like “Oh okay! What he just say!? Double that back real quick, rewind! U-turn! Hold on, I gotta get a complete understanding!” But nah, that’s what it is, it’s just unique. It’s fresh, and it’s needed. It’s very much needed. Straight up.
You’re poppin in the Bay. How does being home compare to being in LA?
I ain’t gonna lie, I been out here in LA long enough to walk through the mall and cause a frenzy. But I’ll say home sweet home — ain’t nothing like it. It’s a different feeling. They embrace you like you one of theirs. The love is just oozing. You feel me? Hell yeah. Home is home.
Do you feel like it’s hard to convince people elsewhere?
Nah, they functioning with me. Everybody been vibing with me. They been functioning with me and plus you know, I pull up to the slums, I pull up to the trenches, no matter where I go. And also, that’s homecoming, that’s welcoming — the trenches! You feel me, that’s also like home. So a nigga be feeling at home.
I’m obsessed with your album, 1 Up Top Ahk. What did you want fans to get from your story?
This album was really for all the new fans, all the new followings. All the new followers who was unfamiliar with Mozzy. It’s an introduction: this my life. I doubled back and took it back to where I went jail and it was slimy for me. And dooters got snatched by CPS. I took you back to Zilla Zoe dying. I took ‘em to Oak Park with album. I took ‘em to 4th avenue. I introduced them to my childhood, my manhood. You feel me? I let them know why. I identified why and how a nigga became involved and knee-deep. As far as like… I ain’t have no hatred in my heart until they shot Deezy. It’s my life. 1 Up Top Ahk is my life from day one to up-to-date.
How’s the fan reception been?
Fans love it. G-O-D every show! I be telling that nigga Dave-o, “Man, slide that 1 Up Top on!” That motherfucker never fail me. Any song from that motherfucker! It go Platinum, it go up gang. So it’s been a blessing.
You embody the definition of a street rapper. How do you plan being a role model for the youth?
Getting the bag, getting out the community. Letting them know this ain’t no pussy shit. This real nigga shit, this boss shit, this what you supposed to do. This what I was designed to do. I was designed to get a bag, boss up, and bring the lil niggas with me and give them opportunity. A lotta niggas pumped faked on me and my career when I was coming up when I was a young boy. I refuse to do the same to my youth, to my young niggas. Just like I was worthy, them niggas worthy. Just like I had it, them niggas got it. And I’ma make sure them niggas get what they got coming for them.
The music industry is no joke, what are your thoughts on it?
It’s beautiful. It’s blessed me. It’s powerful — you can hit overnight. You can become a fella fella overnight. It’s changing people lives. That’s how I look at it. It’s a temp agency though, shit temporary. It’s a temp agency, but it’s a good look. I function with the music industry.
If you could pick one song of yours for fans to hear. What would it be?
Damn, at the end of the day, I would have to go with… “Sleep Walkin.”
You mentioned already fulfilling your dream. What’s next?
Fulfilling others.
What’s a normal day in the life? Walk us through.
Wake up, roll up, pour up. Film it. Browse on the internet, see what Instagram talking about it.
You heavy on social media?
I be fucking with it — just Instagram. I don’t really be on Twitter and shit. Get my life together as far as brushing my dentals and getting dressed. I’ll probably end up at a bank. I swear, I be at the bank. A lot of percent of my time is dedicated to the bank. Just taxes and just making sure ain’t nobody stealing my money. You feel me? I’m just on top of it. Pull up on gangland, smoke, go to the studio, make 3 to 4 songs. I do all that when I ain’t with the dooters.
What did you do with your first advance?
I got it out the mud. I ain’t get no advance, didn’t nobody give me no advance. My first advance was a CD Baby check. That mother fucker was like $3500. I really got it out the mud — ain’t no label really gave me no money. I just grind for all this shit. I got an advance when I went to KC and did a whole project with a nigga. He paid me for a project and a show. He gave me like 10 bands. That was an advance.
What’d you do with it?
I had my shit together, I knew what I was finna do. I went and got my license, went and got me a bootsy ass Toyota Camry.
Those things are nice now!
They reliable —that’s why I copped it. It’s reliable. But I got my shit together, straight up. Because I was fresh out at the time. So I went and handled all my business, so I could position myself.
What would you be doing if you weren’t rapping?
Right now, rapping. On my momma, like these niggas is garbage as fuck. Like we almost there. Straight up, that’s what the fuck I’d be doing — right now. If I wasn’t rappin’, I’d be like, “Bro, I’m telling you. We almost there bro!”
Who’s the most played artist on your phone?
Right now, you got Durkio (Lil Durk). I be fucking with Money Man. It’s a lot of Atlanta niggas in my playlist right now.
None from the Bay?
Hell yeah, I throw that shit on too. I’m still tweaking off Jack and Lil Blood. Phil just dropped a new project — shout out “Bread N Butta” and shit going brazy. I be tapped in to my niggas, low key. To keep it 100, I really be tapped in to what my niggas got going on because they up under my umbrella. Me and Young T.O got a project finna drop. Shout out SOB my RBE niggas.
Dream collab?
I wanna fuck with people like… I need that Anthony Hamilton collab. Or Lyfe Jennings. Or Erykah Badu. I want a DMX collab too! I need one of them.
You’ve actually done a project with Gunplay and bunch of others. Who’s the next artist you’re collaborating with?
I got my nigga Yowda, he’s from MMG. My nigga Young T.O. I’m trying to knock one out with my boy Kur — he outta Philly. Kur, he go brazy! Yeah, me and dog finna knock out one. Aye, tell the nigga Dave East quit pump faking, let’s get to it! Ya hear me? I need one of them.
Who else slimy? Who else out there slimy?! I think me and Kur, we finna cook up one. I’d love to do one with my nigga East (Dave East). Oh, shout out Lil Wop, Lucci. I fuck with Lucci heavy. YFN family, the whole YFN. Me and him knock out a project, that’ll be detrimental. Straight up! That’s gon’ hurt somethin’.
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