azAp - a-q-rat sounds AZitiZ poetry
a z A p - a-q-rat sounds AZitiZ poetry
When it comes to cool names, there’s no doubt that AZitiZ (AS IT IS) a native of New Orleans, is a master. Derived from the subtitle of the ancient Sanskrit classic, Bhagavad Gita As It Is. The phrase, AZitiZ means the unadulterated truth.
Growing up, AZitiZ went to school in Florida to an all girl's spiritual boarding school where the girls learned yoga, meditation & practiced strict vegetarianism. With the school, she traveled the world, including India , doing theatrical performances and music. Over the years, her music excellence became apparent as she mastered different styles of drumming. AZitiZ has always been attracted to percussion and drums, so after school she went to study at Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California and also lived in India for eight months, to further her study of percussion.
When she returned to the states, AZitiZ heard hip hop, fell in love with it and was inspired by Queen Latifa, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu & Missy Elliot. From here, her music took a totally different direction. Compelled by the flowy, rhythmic rhymes of hip hop, she found her niche. Now, she’s ready to explode on the scene with a fresh new sound.
AZitiZ isn't content to leave the music world as it is. This is an artist ready to leave a crater – that is, she's gonna make an impact. Her evocative blend of hip-hop and soul elements ride an electric line along the cutting edge of urban music creativity. At the same time, she keeps a grip on the staple elements in which the genres are rooted. Catchy doesn't even begin to describe the hook-heavy infectiousness that pull the listener into a world of vital words and potent grooves.
AZitiZ doesn't insult listeners. She doesn't hypnotize the uninspired with heard-it-before complacency. Her artistry is grounded in originality and truth-speaking. Musically, AZitiZ crafts songs that come alive with the fervent spirit of creativity in which they are formed. Lyrically, AZitiZ speaks what she knows, never faking and never, ever hiding from reality. Music, for her, is about joy, freedom, honesty and forming a connection with others. At the core is getting in touch with others through music. To make that connection, the music has to have something real to offer the listener, which is where keeping it real and refusing to water down the message – for anyone or any reason – come into play. The spirit of joy and the exuberance of freedom come from that synergy, possible only through talent and truth.
There's a reason for the strict standards behind the music of AZitiZ. Love doesn't lie. Pure human artistic communication occurs only through the honesty exercised in one's craft. “True expression is love,” says AZitiZ. Therefore, to truly express one's self, it must be from love, the truest form of which requires emotional, artistic and intellectual honesty in songwriting. Which means nothing is taboo. The good of life, and the bad, are all sources of influence for AZitiZ and her music. A fascination with the wonder of existence is also necessary for that special spark that's found in good music. “Life inspires me, the ups, the downs, smiles and frowns. Mother Earth inspires me; the stars and the unknown intrigue me. I am influenced by people who follow the heart and, especially, the soul.”
“AZitiZ is a forthright performer, one of strength and integrity, and – most importantly – understanding.” – A&R Select
I am the composer and producer the sounddesigner in this collaboration based at the Baltic Sea in Germany.
In the mid 90’s I started DJing. Primarily Rap and Hip Hop of the 80s and 90s was my thing. However this all changed when I moved to Berlin in 1998 when I started Combining Nu-Jazz with Hip Hop, but with a turntablelist style. Adding scratches, dropping beats and generally juggling with two records. As this combination developed, I started producing Bootleg remixes from classics Hip Hop artist like the Beastie Boys, KRS ONE, Eric B. & Rakim.
However, after a while, my attraction to Hip Hop lyrics was no more, and I found myself becoming more and more interested in the beats and Instrumentals. Thus moving more into the Trip Hop and Dub spectrum. After time and bit by bit, my turntables became dusty, as I was busy composing my own tunes.
In 2007 I was pulled towards the Baltic Sea in Schleswig Holstein. Where my life changed... (Don’t ask why?)
So…… Here I am today. Its 2010, I’m still making Hip Hop and Trip Hop tracks.
azAp - a-q-rat sounds AZitiZ poetry on myspace.com
