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• August 26, 2011 08.31 | Illregular Music Collective | LIVE @ The Grashopper | Little Temple Bar | Silver Lake, CA

Bio

Government Name: Melissa Taylor

How did you come up with your stage name? When I first started getting serious with becoming a performer, I couldn’t think of a stage name, so I asked the next best person, or I guess you can say people which are Belvi, Rich, and Blizz. They gave me a few choices and I thought craze was pretty fresh.

Birthday & Zodiac Sign: August 14 / LEO!

Hometown/ Birthplace: Inglewood, CA./Compton, CA.

What event/person inspired you to become an artist? Well part of it was the death of my mother (great grandmother). That put a lot on my mind and soul for a few years and I had a lot of pent up anger and sadness. The other part is my closest friends. I want to be able to show them that it’s much more to this world than just working all your life and idiotic drama. I want to make sure if I live it up, they will too.

Who are your musical influences? Kanye West, Andre 3000, N.E.R.D. LAURYN HILL!!! And Lupe Fiasco.

What are your talents? What are the titles you appoint yourself as an artist? I’m a pretty good storyteller; I make jewelry and come up with ideas for clothes when I’m bored. I also sing a bit. I guess you can say I’m a Rap artist/fashion designer.

Why do you (rap, sing, produce, etc.)? Because it’s the one thing I know I’m good at doing and it’s something that no one in this world can say I can’t do. They can say I can’t cook or whatever. But rap? Nah.

Briefly describe your lyrical/writing style? I am still growing as an artist but I can say I go off on my emotions and true-life events.

What makes you stand out as an artist and how to you think it will affect the music industry? I’m a pure hip-hop triple threat; I’m able to stand on my own as an artist. Meaning, I feel as though I can hold my ground against male and female MCs, which we haven’t seen since Lauryn Hill. Women in hip-hop haven’t been the most inspiring to other lovers of the craft. I think in due time, I will affect the music industry but I can’t tell the future so let’s see what will happen.

Who/ what inspires you to be the person that you are today or aspire to be? It is and will always be my living situation. After my mom died, I haven’t had a stable living situation. Part of the reason is because the things people didn’t bother to teach me and me burning the bridges that took me to learn the things that those people never bothered to teach me. So being that all i have is a minimum wage job and a dream and one life . Why not try to be something more than what I am now?

What three artists do you feel influenced the growth of hip-hop? Hands down Kanye. He changed how rappers LOOK and SOUND. He stepped up their game. Outkast: they embody the term “Originality” for a rapper. And Ludacris: around the time of his start in hip-hop, he was the only one of his kind.

Who do you listen to the most and do you feel as though they affect your creativity? I really don’t listen to a lot of music. I couldn’t tell you who’s hot on the radio right now. Actually, I vibe off of other rappers and off of my own experiences.

How do you measure success in the music industry today? If your songs are getting played HEAVILY and worshipped in Tokyo LOL.

What do you plan on accomplishing for yourself as an artist? As much as I can. I want to help the world as best as I can. I want to be under MJ in charities because when I needed help at one time in life. Certain people at that time didn’t give me the time of day so, I’ll give the world some love.

If you do accomplish these goals, what will be your next step as an artist? Vacation (ha-ha!) Then, back to the drawing board to accomplish another goal of mine: to go diamond with a classic record…

Who do you want to work with in the music industry? Hands down: Cee-lo and Kanye West.

What is your opinion on the current climate of hip-hop music? What is hot, is what is hot for now. It’s always changing and I feel with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul, I have a good outlook on hip-hop in the future.

What other aspirations do you have (in or outside of the music industry)? Inside of the industry: I want to be the first of my kind. Outside the industry: I want to be a worldwide humanitarian.

What is one thing you want to do before you die? See my great-grand children.