City Haze the Future of NYC
Interview By: Geneva Relf
Geneva: City Haze thank you for agreeing to this interview today!
City Haze: No problem ! Thanks for being interested !
Geneva: Now your from NYC the home of many great legends do you feel that pressure sometimes being from there?
City Haze: It is what it is . I think there's enough pressure from just being an Artist on a fast come up , staying consistent and trying to remain in the loop of things . As far as the Hip-Hop itself , of course there's a lot of pressure representing the Mecca where it all started . Now a days everybody wants to be a rapper and but there are some who don't understand the difference between Rap being the genre and Hip-Hop being the culture.
Geneva: Now how did you come up with the name "City Haze" ?
City Haze: There's no crazy story behind it . City represents being the future of NYC and as far as Haze...At this point in my career it's just so catchy and it sounds good when females call me by it. (Laughs)
Geneva: Now you have few new projects out already, "Tell Me Whats Good" Ft. K.O. and " Lost In Tokyo" with all the buzz about these tracks how do you feel?
City Haze: Im still very humble about it but at the same time I feel very accomplished . The release/promo campaign that was set up for these records went just as planned . One record was for the Hip-Hop community & the other leaned more towards mainstream consumers . I played a card and it was the PERFECT move ! They are completely two different records and fans were introduced to my versatility and creativity as an Artist .
Geneva: Now "Lost In Tokyo" was produced by the legend RZA (Wu-Tang) what was it like working with him?
City Haze: For true Hip-Hop lovers who wouldn't want to work with The RZA? For 2010 I wanted to start the year off releasing something that was very left field and "Lost In Tokyo" was the perfect direction . Some only know City Haze for releasing smooth cut Hip-Hop/R&B records . So I decided to take it back to straight up lyricism on this one and for RZA to be behind the boards is a blessing . I believe "Lost In Tokyo" is already labeled as an City Haze classic .
Geneva: You have been featured in many magazines so far, when did it hit you that your a star? That your music is getting recognized?
City Haze: Last summer in 2009 me and my publicist were invited to an Magazine release party . It was actually my first red carpet as well . It was strictly for fashion but it amazed me that a lot of people who attended actually knew who i were . These one set of females who we introduced ourselves too went crazy once my publicist said "And this is City Haze" (Laughs) from that moment on I knew I was born to be a star . To go somewhere and feel appreciated for doing something that you actually have a passion for...there's nothing like it !
Geneva: Being young in the industry do you feel that the pressure is on now more then ever to be great in the studio?
City Haze: They say when your young is when your most marketable, so I guess so . I will always do music ! Nobody can ever convince me to stop doing what I love . I take the word "Pressure" seriously but it doesn't intimidate me . In my eyes the word "Pressure" applies when it comes to keeping fans attached to your music .
Geneva: Who do you aspire to work with in the future?
City Haze: Honestly..I'll work with anybody as long as it's good music . Me being a major fan of R&B/Pop music I would definitely be willing to work with Ryan Leslie , Jamie Foxx , D'Angelo , Keri Hilson , Pharrell , Justin Timberlake , Chromeo and many more.
Geneva: Now your a busy young man, so what upcoming projects can we look forward to next?
City Haze: I have a few new records and new videos to drop before the street album "Star Of The City" releases on May 10th .Other than that I will mostly be doing a bunch of shows through out the Spring and Summer .I'm thinking about releasing a mixtape but I don't want to really jump the gun on that just yet .
Geneva: When it comes to being a artist what do you think is the biggest hurdle most of you face?
City Haze: Besides new artists trying to break-out & shine in the music industry....I honestly believe that to many artists focus on trying to fit in instead of just standing out . When I first started back in 2008 I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how I would use my personality to the best of my ability . For those who follow my music it's pretty clear to them what type of person I am . The word "Image" plays a major role in an artists career and it's up to him/her how they paint it .
Geneva: Now you also write your own lyrics correct? Do you feel your audience understands you better that way?
City Haze: Yes I write my own lyrics and my audience definitely understands me better that way ! Especially when it comes to females (Laughs) . Most females first impression of me is "cool , laid-back and smooth" and that's how I am on a regular basis . For those who have heard previous records that were a bit more serious...those songs showed that even though im laid back & cool I still have my up's and downs just like any other human being . So with that being said...Music to me and to millions more is the best way for somebody to openly express themselves .
Geneva: Now the ladies are going to want to know, is City Haze taken or just being borrowed?
City Haze: Borrowed like sugar in the hood , hahaha!
Geneva: Thanks again so much for taking the time to do this interview. Is their anything you would like to add before we close out?
City Haze: Once again thanks for being interested and for everyone else feel free to check me out at
Myspace.com/CityHaze718 and tweet me at
Twitter.com/CityHaze .
It was a pleasure to interview such a humble young man, he is a very talented young man so make sure you keep your ears out for him! He said it best "Now a days everybody wants to be a rapper and but there are some who don't understand the difference between Rap being the genre and Hip-Hop being the culture." I agree with that statement, well hope you enjoyed learning more about City Haze who is becoming the future of NYC sooner then you think!
