It's been less than a year since Bizzy Crook made the move from Miami to New York. The plan was to expand his exposure in the Mecca of hip-hop littered with talent that departs as fast has it arrived.
A few months after the releases of '84 and '84: Off Season, Bizzy found himself performing a Backroom Freestyle on BET's 106 & Park. His "No Limit" video premiere on MTV. And he was a nominee for this year's XXL Freshmen cover.
Guess the move worked.
Now on Kid Ink's In My Own Lane tour, Bizzy Crook caught up with Crossfade about leaving the 305, being on tour, and his relationship with his mother. He even asked us a question.
See also: Win Free Tickets for Kid Ink, Bizzy Crook, King Los at Grand Central Miami
Crossfade: How's the road treating you? This is your first big tour, being with Kid Ink, considering how big his single has become.
Bizzy Crook: The tour's been great, man. Been crazy. We've just been getting so much love. You see me on Instagram, putting on for 305. We got the crowd shouting out 305 every night. And it's just love. It's everything we've ever dreamed of.
What's something that has surprised you on the road? Something that just caught you off guard and didn't expect.
Probably the amount of people getting [my song title] "Good Luck" tatted after the show. A lot of these people are seeing us for the first time. And two or three days later, they're going to get "Good Luck" tatted on them, and just bring it to me. That's kind of crazy, 'cause they gotta go the rest of they lives now explaining to they kids and everybody what "Good Luck" means to them. They going to be telling this story forever.
How did you feel with the final 12 on the XXL Freshmen cover?
Everybody on that list worked hard. I feel like everybody can have an opinion, but at the end of the day, you can't take nothing from anybody on that list. These just a bunch of guys that we've been familiar with.
And I ain't trippin'. I'm working on No Hard Feelings. I'm about to turn up. Shout out to everybody that made the XXL Freshmen. Next year, we got that, for sure.
Ink made it a couple of years ago. Did you two talk about that?
Man, I never really asked him, directly. I think I talked to Ill Will about it. But yeah, I never asked Ink about it. I definitely, probably will.
Last time we sat down and talked was last year in Atlanta, and you were in the process of moving to New York because there's only so much you can get out of staying in Miami.
Yeah, last time you and me sat down I was in Atlanta for A3C and I was actually going straight up to New York, so I was already on the move. And man, it's just been such an experience. And the love I'm getting out there is unreal. I go to the club out there, and it doesn't matter if Rihanna is in the building or Hov is in the building, they showing love and they playing my records three to five times. And I'm not even from there. It's hard to still even get that now unless it's a DJ you have a relationship with. It's just hard to get love like that. I think it's just wrong because I'm from Miami, so I feel like the DJs they should take pride in somebody from they city out there representing, and they supposed to push that, and they not supposed to wait until the whole world is up on somebody before they jump on it. And I think that's what lacks out here. I've definitely been able to see that.
See also: Miami's Top Ten Rappers on the Come-Up
Do you feel appreciated by Miami hip-hop fans?
As far as the fanbase and the love in Miami, that's definitely been growing. The other day, I was on the way to the club, we was hosting Dream and we turn on Power 96 and I'm on Power 96. You know, I've heard myself on Hot 97 and on radio stations everywhere else where we've touched down on the tour, but it's just different hearing yourself on Power 96, because this is where I'm from.
When we was driving around, this is what was playing in the car. Now to hear myself on it means different. I'm glad that people finally waking up and showing love. I'm the city. I'm trying to put on.
We also talked about the relationship with your parents, especially your mother. How's your relationship like with her now since then?
Me and mother, finally, we speak every day. I don't miss none of my mother's calls. My big homie, who's very close to me and helped me out a lot in my career, his mother passed away. Kind of just watching how it affected him, it kind of made me appreciate family more. So me and my other speak every day and I try to speak to my father as much as possible too. And on top of that, I've been able to kind of forgive my mother for doubting. I kind of understand what it was. It was never a doubt for somebody who doesn't want to see you do good. It's the exact opposite. It just happened to be what I wanted to do. She thought it was hard, but that's all in the past now. Now when we come to these holiday parties, it's a different conversation with the whole family.
What does she think of your progress?
She sees it, man. I call her every time somebody tells me I'm on the radio. Every time I'm on TV, she sees it. And I think she's proud of her son.
What's the feeling like coming home to Miami on a tour such as this one and possibly being different than any other show you've done here?
The feeling's amazing. I ain't seen my homies since I went on tour, and family. So you know, it's coming back down and it's just a different kind of love from the people as a whole.
People finally giving the music a listen. And they sort of realize that they mess with the music. That's where the support is growing. Where before, there were so many musicians, and being that I'm from here, too many people don't want to listen to another rapper coming from out here, and that's the point where they make the move and that's when it grabs your attention.
We back and we've been getting love. I'm walking through the mall. We getting love everywhere. We in the club, we getting love, and it's different. It's the best feeling in the world to get love in your city.
Your turn to ask me one question.
Alright. What's your thoughts as a writer on the current state of hip-hop in Miami and how can it change for the better?
That answer is an essay and a half. [Laughs] I believe it's extremely bright. I believe within the next five years we'll have multiple, if not stars, guys that are about to be stars. I look at guys like you, Curry. You guys are on the cusp of really doing something. Personally, I believe you two wouldn't be ready for XXL cover until next year. I was happy to see that you were even nominated. I think there would be no reason for either of you two not be on it.
At the same time, there is plenty of division, and a lack of support from radio. I don't have to tell you that if you go to a New York radio station, they're not just playing Top 20 hip-hop and rap. Or if you go to California, they're not doing that. Chicago, they're not doing that. They show a lot of love for the local artists. But I think it's getting there. It just takes that one or two artists to actually break through.
It's diverse also. Not everyone is talking about dope and their cars and trappin', and that's amazing.
Yeah, I feel like Miami is about to be the next city to really have its run. Chicago got the juice right now. Atlanta got the juice. It's been a minute since you've seen Miami come together like that. It's just a bunch of artists that's really getting it, and I think that's what we working up to.
Crossfade's Top Blogs
Bizzy Crook. As part of Kid Ink's My Own Lane 2014 U.S. Tour. With King Los. Tuesday, May 20. Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $20 plus fees via ticketmaster.com. All ages. Call 305-377-2277 or visit grandcentralmiami.com.
Follow Crossfade on Facebook and Twitter @Crossfade_SFL.
