La Familia',Music*,Money*
The ** fluctuate often,but in that order
Occupation
8 7 9
Biography
G.LIL CUZZ(GANGSTER LIL CUZZ) OR LILCUZZ TO HIS CLOSE FRIENDS,HAILS FROM THE NOTORIOUS NOW DEFUNCT ROBERT TAYLOR HOMES,OF CHICAGO'S RUTHLESS LOWER SOUTH-SIDE.
BORN AHMAD JAMAAL JOHNSON...AGAINST ALL ODDS TO TEEN PARENTS,IN DESTITUTE OF HEROIN ADDICTION,WHERE STRUGGLES BECAME THE NORM & POVERTY WAS DEFINITE,THIS WHERE THE BOY WHO IS NOW THE MAN CAME FROM..LIL CUZZ WAS A MONIKER GIVEN BY THE THE RELATIVE OF A RELATIVE(because he couldn't remember or pronounce his name) AS THE NAME STUCK AND BECAME PERMANENT G WAS ALWAYS INVOLVED WITH AND LOVED ART HIS LOVE FOR ART TRANSLATED INTO THE PENCHANT HE HAS FOR MUSIC.G, HAS ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR MUSIC ,HIS CHARISMA & THE WAY HE ARTFULLY APPROACHES THINGS..GROWING UP IN THE GHETTO OF SOUTH-SIDE CHICAGO..YOU HEAR THE DIVERSITY OF ALL THE DIFFERENT CULTURES WAS ALWAYS INVOLVED IN MUSIC,PERFORMING,DANCING FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS,OR HELPING LOCAL D.J'S DURING HOUSE PARTIES BY ARRANGING SETS...OR GIVING BREAKS TO THE MAIN DJ
ALL THE WHILE LEARNING TO BE A MAN IN THE HARSH CHICAGO STREETS,TRYING NOT TO SET THE WRONG TYPE OF EXAMPLE FOR TWO YOUNGER SIBLINGS.FREQUENTLY OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE WRONG TYPE OF THINGS WITH UNSAVORY INDIVIDUALS BECAME ALL TO FAMILIAR,CONSTANT RUN INS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT,COMPOUNDED WITH THE PRESSURES AND ABUSE THAT COMES FROM THE RIGORS,OF AN IMPOVERISHED YOUTH GROWING UP IN TH REAGAN ERA,KNOWING & SENSING HE NEEDED CHANGE..MADE WHAT WOULD LATER BECOME AN IMPORTANT TURNING POINT IN HIS LIFE
HIS RELATIVES SUGGESTED THAT HE COME TO STAY WITH THEM,HE MOVED SOUTH TO ATLANTA,KNOWLEDGE OF EVERYDAY SURVIVAL,BUILT CHARACTER THAT'S RARELY DUPLICATED,WITH THE UNCANNY ABILITY TO ADJUST TO ADVERSITY, AND WISDOM & UNDERSTANDING FAR BEYOND HIS YEARS,
BUT G,KNOWS HARD TIMES..SO IN THESE DAYS OF ECONOMIC DIFFICULTY... HE HAD OTHER GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS THAT WERE RELATED TO THE CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD,THOSE WHICH HAD ALREADY UP UNTIL THIS POINT HADN'T JUSTIFIED THE MEANS
THOUGH, HE DID FEEL THE "SUBTLE TUG OF FATE"...TOWARDS THE MUSIC & THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. LIL CUZZ'S FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE INTRICACIES OF BECOMING A RECORDING ARTIST WAS THAT OF "LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT,"WHEN HE WROTE HIS FIRST "HOOK & 16 BARS" DULY NOTED THAT HE NEVER! RECORDED IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE OR EVEN SEEN A RECORDING STUDIO UP CLOSE BEFORE,SO IMPRESSED...THE OWNERS OF THE STUDIO stated"THAT HE HAD A INDEPENDENT LABEL,& THAT HE KNEW TALENT WHEN HE SAW IT & THAT G SHOULD JOIN HIS LABEL. LIL CUZZ...calmly STATED HE "WOULD THINK ABOUT IT"...ONLY LATER TO APPEAR ON HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL LP (AS PART OF THE DUO THAT WAS FOUNDED BY HIM & AND A COUSIN)A COMPILATION ALBUM TITLED "IN DA' BATTLEFIELD"PRODUCED BY THE INDIE LABEL HE HAD VISITED ONLY A FEW MONTHS EARLIER...IT WAS THEN THAT HE REALIZED A CAREER IN MUSIC WAS NO LONGER A DREAM ,BUT OBTAINABLE...ONLY CHOICES THAT WAS MADE AT A MORE JUVENILE TIME...WOULD CAUSE LIL CUZZ TO SUFFER,IN THE FORM OF AUTOMATIC ASSAULT RIFLE FIRE,AND IN THE BOWELS OF THE UNITED STATES B.O.P.(BUREAU OF PRISONS)...
G.LIL CUZZ's CHARACTER IS THAT OF AN ERA THAT IS A MERE DISTANT MEMORY...AND HIS STREET CRED IS SAID TO BE LEGENDARY...ACCORDING TO HIS MOST RECENT EXPLOITS..WHERE HE WAS ACCOSTED BY ARMED GUNMEN AND RUMOR HAS BEEN VERIFIED THAT HE "DISPATCHED THEM WITH EASE"..THOUGH NOT WITHOUT HARM,WHERE HE SUFFERED A COUPLE OF "HITS"...AS REPORTED BY A CLOSE RELIABLE SOURCE'..
LIL CUZZ POURED HIMSELF INTO HIS MUSIC,GARNERING LOCAL SUCCESS. FEATURING ON NUMEROUS MIX TAPES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEASTERN,AND MIDWESTERN REGIONS.LOCAL INDEPENDENTS WAGED A BIDDING & RAP WAR,AMONG LOCAL CREWS..BUT THIS DIDN'T IMPRESS G.LIL CUZZ AT ALL,SO HE DECIDED TO EMBARK ON A MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY,BY FREELANCE WRITING..AND SELLING VERSES,BARS,HOOKS OR WHOLE SONGS TO OTHER ARTISTS,
G's MUSICAL INFLUENCES WERE MANY...FROM MARVIN GAYE & TAMMY TERRELL TO HALL & OATES...BUT HIS RAP MUSIC INFLUENCES..ARE VERY FEW..THOUGH HE RESPECTS A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY THUS FAR..HIS "TEACHERS" AS HE LIKE TO CALL THEM,ARE BUT LESS THAN A HANDFUL,AS HE STATES THEM LIKE HE'S BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION A MILLION TIMES"PAC',BIG',CUBE'(ICE CUBE),FACE(SCARFACE),&BUN,(BUN-B from U.G.K) WITHOUT ANY INDIFFERENCE...but in that order" LIL CUZZ states WITH AN UNEQUIVOCAL STARE AS IF HE DARED ANYBODY TO SAY OTHERWISE...OR CHALLENGE HIS DON-SHIP!
WHEN ASKED WHY HE CHUCKLED..and stated"...Because no one can beat them at being them"..."You know the game was invented,founded & built on..."..As he exhales the cloudy goodness,and continues almost as if he was at a Presidential debate..."I take what you say,Your style & make it better...basically "Biting"..."Look how many have tried to imitate them,and have failed miserably!" "I just write what & how I feel".."What the music dictates".."Not trying to bend or force my talent in a direction that I didn't choose!"
