The Stööki Craft Makers continually strive to push the boundaries of jewellery making. One of our key...
BZ - Blög Störy
BZ – BLÖG STÖRY
South London’s BZ has shaken up the UK afro-rap genre with his new release ‘No Rules’, championing self-determination and prosperity over a bouncy tn_490 produced beat.
Despite being only 19, many will recognise BZ from recent tracks such as ‘No Lay Lay’, ‘Big Oga’ and ‘Act a Fool’, all of which amassed over 100,000 views each on YouTube. However, it is BZ’s most recent track which has got us the most excited yet and just one listen of the track will make it clear why. Assertive lyrics and unique cadence are accompanied by a sleek set of visuals reflecting BZ’s confidence and unique style. The video acts as a mantra for anyone who is striving to be the best and anyone who wants to live by ‘No Rules’.
We spoke with BZ about his new track and his musical ambitions and his life!
1. Introduce yourself…
I’m BZ, I’m a 19 year old rapper from Croydon, South London and I make music, that’s all I do really.
2. Tell us a bit about your latest release…
My latest release was very much just me talking about just not conforming and living by no rules really. It’s pretty much what it says in the title. It’s about being a boss and taking charge of every situation. It’s about living like a gangster and gangsters survive by themselves, they do what they need to do for themselves.
3. ‘No Rules’ got over 50,000 views in its first week on YouTube. What has the support been like for you?
The support is always so overwhelming because when you’re in the studio your just doing it because it’s what you love, you’re not really doing it with the expectation that its going to go off and this persons going to comment this and that persons going to say that. All of the support really helps, and I’m always really surprised by it, whether its 1 view, 10 views whatever it is.
4. When and why did you start making music?
I always used to do spoken word and poetry, but I started making music when I was in school and we always used to make beats in the changing rooms by banging the benches and when I used to freestyle people would actually say I was good and that I should go studio. All my family were already musical as well, my cousin was in a band and stuff like that. So, I decided you know what let me take myself studio and see how a song comes out, that was when I was about 13 and since then I’ve just continued to make music.
5. How did COVID-19 affect your music and creative process?
One of the main negatives from it was the fact I wasn’t able to perform but I feel like it also propelled me. Just before COVID I was thinking about quitting music, but lockdown forced me to create music as it was all I could do and from that I think I made my best music. During COVID 19 life kind of stood still so it helped me to properly think about life and that gave me a lot more inspiration.
6. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Worldwide id be so gassed to work with Kendrick he’s my favourite artist and the best in my eyes. In the UK there’s loads of different artists but id love to work with Pa Salieu and the likes of Aitch, Dave but I feel like the majority of artists I’d like to work with are underground artists so people like Lex Amor, Shae Universe, Kojey Radical, people like that.
7. What’s influenced your music the most?
I’d say my culture and my upbringing and my surroundings. People I’m around have also helped to influence it but its more the culture like whether its street culture or my African culture, that’s what influences my music the most.
8. How has your environment influenced you?
It unconsciously influences my music loads. Id say like the way I speak, the diction I use, the lyrics I use, what I actually write about it. It’s all my experience and I write about my experiences. For me I feel like Croydon is my music, you can’t really take it out and Africa is my music, you can’t really take that out.
9. What’s your go to pizza topping?
It’s actually a new one, its Domino’s pizza they started like a cheeseburger pizza and that’s a bit of me. I love cheeseburgers, I’m lactose intolerant but I still love cheese so thats my go to right now.
10. What’s next for you in music and in life?
Consistency, so just continuing to release and make bangers and showing people what I’m capable of and in terms of life, just continuing to be me and improving what I do every day. I think music is my life. I’ve got a few fashion things lined up to so just continuing to expand down that avenue really.
11. What’s your end goal?
To be an international artist. I want to be the best. When you enter anything, you should always enter with the intention of being the best ever. Being realistic, I’m not there yet bit every day I’m waking up and want to be the best, I’m striving to be the best. That’s the goal.
Photography by: @DJ _Lukey
Executive Produced by: @Maya_Mihoc
BZ wears:
Rise Necklace Gold
Crater Ring Gold
Shift Ring Gold
#StookiMovement