STRIFEblaZe Perspective on 2 to the Chest, 1 to the Head

We are excited to share STRIFEblaZe's new track "2 to the Chest, 1 to the Head"! Our goal at SongBlog is to highlight outstanding new music and give you a peek at the artist’s world behind the music. In this blog we get a chance to sit down with STRIFEblaZe to learn all about the inspiration, concepts, and creative energy that it took to create and produce "2 to the Chest, 1 to the Head". We hope you enjoy and please feel free to ask STRIFEblaZe anything!

Who are you and what do you do?

Answer:

My moniker is STRIFEblaZe. Which started out as a graffiti tag but became my rap name as well..I make hip-hop music as a release for a lot of emotions.

I've been rapping since I was around 15 or 16 years old..I'm 35 now. An old head I know; but I age like fine wine.

Hip-hop has always been a passion of mine. I have a love for lyrics and punchlines and rhymes and all of it. It speaks to me in a way no other genre does.

How does your background play into this song?

Answer:

Was born in Philly and moved to Grosse Pointe, Michigan at a young age which is a suburb of Detroit.

I always felt like I never really fit in and when I discovered hip-hop music I really found my identity and fell in love with all aspects of the culture.

I joined the Marine Corps out of high school and my love for hip-hop music got me through my enlistment. Many a night in the desert training in the field was spent honing my freestyling skills to pass the time.

My liutenant in my platoon even signed me up for a rap battle while on the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit deployment in Okinawa. Yes I won the battle. Pretty cool moment.

This track touches on a lot of personal stuff I faced in the Marines.

What is your earliest memory of listening to music?

Answer:

Shit..probably my uncle showing me Stairway to Heaven by Zeppelin. Then discovered Nirvana. My earliest hip-hop memory is stealing my older brothers bone thugs n harmony CD e.1999 eternal. Those cats could rap and sing like nobodies business.

At what moment in your life did you decide to become an artist / performer?

Answer:

In highschool I would write raps in class constantly, then started freestyling and it was just a natural progression to start recording.

What genres does this release play into?

Answer:

Hip-hop and lo-fi electronic.

How has your sound and style evolved in the last 3 years?

Answer:

I feel like my style is constantly evolving and growing and changing. I'm always experimenting with different rhyme schemes and vocal sounds. I think my lyrics just get deeper the more I write.

What themes do you explore throughout your music?

Answer:

Depression. Pain. Grief. Love. Happiness. Addiction. Peace. Strife.

If you could go on tour with any artist, who would it be and why?

Answer:

Hilltop hoods, an Australian hip-hop duo. I caught them live in LA and it was hype. They rip the mic.

How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?

Answer:

A look into my life through rhymes.

If you could attend a performance by any artist, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?

Answer:

Bob Marley. He was revolutionary.

What is the strangest place where you have discovered a new song?

Answer:

High on acid wandering through mud at a festival I stumbled onto a band Twiddle that saved me that night. I forget the song but they rock.

What do you want people to feel when they listen to your music?

Answer:

Anything.

How do you plan on being a game-changer within your genre?

Answer:

Bringing the focus back to the lyrics. I feel like a lot of rap is dumbed down now.

Artist Perspective - What do you want to ask?