Exclusive | Zavier Talks His Upcoming Album 'Planet 33'

“I would like people to know that in majority of the songs that I have, both unreleased and released, I always put out a piece of myself. I want my music to be relatable and also be able to make people feel good.”

— Zavier

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is California artist, Zavier! Zavier is multi-talented as he is a singer, songwriter, producer, and rapper hailing from Orange County, CA. Zavier brings a unique flow as he has music that gets you hype with his most popular single being “I Ain’t worried” featuring Kyra Walls and more sentimental music where is singing as shown in his single “Love Letter”. He found his passion at the age of 5 and credits his mom as a big inspiration in his music because he was able to attend his mom’s shows and watch her perform live. Zavier’s musical talents extend past his singing and rapping ability as he also plays piano for his church where his grandfather is the pastor.

Zavier serves as a producer for rising Inglewood rapper Dayway. He produced the hit song “Bands” which had 2 remixed version with Joe Moses and Compton Av. He is also part of a producer team with credits such as Kap G, Phor from Black Ink Crew: Chicago, Fetty Wap, and more. Outside of music, Zavier has aspirations of getting into acting and modeling.

We talked with Zavier in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Zavier: I have been doing music seriously for about 5 years. I’ve been singing for most of my life because I grew up in church so I was always singing in the musicals. Growing up in church is also what lead me to playing piano when I was 13. It sounds crazy when I tell people but I learned how to play piano from a dream. I woke up from a dream and knew how to play “Fur Elise” by Beethoven. From that point I just kept on working to perfect the craft. Later on when I was 16 I taught myself how to play guitar. When I Graduated I got a midi keyboard and a MacBook Pro and that’s when I started producing and not too long after I had gone into my first session was where I recorded for the first time. 

Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Zavier: My biggest musical influences are: Chris Brown, Eric Bellinger, Blxst, Scott Storch, Zaytoven and Ty Dolla $ign.

What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

Zavier: There are a lot of artists I would love to work with but 2 artists I’d like to work with are definitely Toosii and Blxst. I’d work with Toosii because I really like his sound and what he talks about in his music and I know we’d really make something crazy. I’d work with Blxst because he really makes timeless music and that’s always been a goal of mine with every song I put out. I want to make sure that its timeless and can hold longevity.

What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?

Zavier: I think that my best song ever released would have to be “Ride for Me” Produced by Mr. Wilson on the Beat of The Wav Godz. The reason I feel like this song is the best is because of how organic it was writing that song. I had the first verse and the chorus written before I hit the studio with my engineer Lil Nunu. But when I did the second verse, it was one of those times I didn’t write anything. I was just in a zone and the song didn’t take long to make.

What projects can we look forward to in the near future?

Zavier: My main focus is on releasing singles right now but I do have an album called “Planet 33” that I’m working on. When I came up with the name “Planet 33” I got the inspiration from Planet 9. Which is a hypothetical planet. The thing about hypothetical is that you can choose whether or not to believe if that hypothesis is true or not, just like my dream of doing music. There are going to be people who believe in me and support what I do but there are also going to be those who tell me that I can’t turn this dream into a reality. The number 33 symbolizes creativity, imagination, and self-expression which is everything I stand for creating music.

How do you generate new ideas for your music? 

Zavier: The way I generate ideas can really go so many different ways. Sometimes I’ll get an idea just hearing a song I like and I’ll go home and make a beat and then I’ll start writing. Another way will be when I’m playing piano at church. Sometimes I come up with melodies and then I’ll come home and incorporate it into a beat. 

Zavier Music Interview

What motivates you and how do you define success?

Zavier: Besides being self-motivated, my family is a big part of what motivates me, even outside of music. They have always been there to pick me up especially when I was battling with depression and having suicidal thoughts. I’m thankful that I had them to help me out honestly. That’s why I go so hard. I want to get on so I can help the ones who helped me along the road, which is how I would define success. I feel like once I’m doing good and able to help the people around me do good I’ll be successful.

How do you describe your music to people and what separates you from other artists in your genre?

Zavier: I would describe my music as very all-around. I have songs where I’m singing and more on a slow vibe. Then I have songs where I’m rapping and its on more of an upbeat, turnt type of sound. I also have songs like “Ride for Me” where I do both. I can really come out with any type of song I want because I’m so versatile. Whether its producing or being an artist, I’m always experimenting with new sounds which is also what separates me from other artists. 

Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Zavier: In all honesty, I don’t believe there is a formula to being a successful artist because there are so many artists who have shared stories of how they came up and they’re always different. I feel like as long as your doing you and you love what you do, you can be a successful artist especially if you’re really determined to do it.

Who is your greatest inspiration?

Zavier: My greatest inspiration is definitely my mom. She is the main reason I got into singing. She used to write her own songs and put together her own shows and I’d always be with her at all the rehearsals when I was a kid.

In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Zavier: I feel like the most influential and successful artist today is Drake. In all the years that he’s done music he’s constantly continued growing and improving year by year and is continuing to do that right now. I also respect the fact that he didn’t stay in the same lane coming up. He’s done Reggae, Latin, and other different genres.

Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Zavier: I think I’m emotionally unstable when it comes to describing the mood of my music. But I would say that joy is the mood that dominates my music.

Zavier Music Interview

What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Zavier: One of the sacrifices I’ve had to make in order to make my dream a reality is that I had to miss out on hanging with friends and family at times so I could go to the studio. There was one time I had missed my grandmother’s birthday because I was in a session for more than 24 hours and was working non-stop. I honestly felt bad but I know it comes with the lifestyle.

What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Zavier: I think I get excited making a beat and recording a song the most. With both I can just come up with one melody and it’ll set the tone for the whole project. When I’m producing a beat with Mr. Wilson, we always have those moments where a beat will sound hard and we start bobbing our heads. It’s the same with recording. I just get into a zone by myself. There isn’t anything that really discourages me when it comes to music. I’m very resilient so I don’t really let anything get in my way. If a song or a beat isn’t coming out right, I move on to the next one and I might come back to it later.

Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Zavier: In 10 years I see myself being a successful producer/artist/businessman and owning all of my masters. 

What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Zavier: I would tell other up and coming artists that in the music industry you need to have tough skin and be able to handle everything that comes with the lifestyle. But as long as you stay hungry, have a strong determination, and don’t let anything stand in your way, you can make it and do big things.

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Exclusive | Leeta Lauxkeyy Talks Staying True To Her Music and Setting Her Own Trend

By: Omar Cook

This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is Bahamas singer, Leeta Lauxkeyy! Originally from The Bahamas, this vibe setter has been been living in Orlando since 2013. Leeta came to the states for school where she attended Full Sail University in Florida and majored in Recording Arts & Engineering. She credits her school experience to giving her the extra push to engineer her own music. Leeta has an original sound with a playlist that is full of vibes! This up and coming singer is sure to put you in the mood with her laid back tone.

We talked with Leeta Lauxkeyy in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: I’ve been singing and performing since I could walk, alongside my older cousin Grier. We’ve been doing covers before “covers” even existed. We sang everything from Paula Abdul to Kirk Franklin. Like most artists, I did grow up singing in the church choir and for different functions. Rolling into adolescence my family moved around alot, and any church we decided to call home, my sisters and I were heavily involved in dance and the youth ministry. I didn’t start making my own beats until about 2011 when I began to learn about digital audio workstations, and get my hands on different software.

QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: These days I’ve become my own influence. I used to get so discouraged when I’d see other artists/friends that I’ve helped out numerous times, not even think of me. I realized I have to look within and push myself if music is really what I want to do.

QUESTION: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: Missy Elliott, Pharell, Chris Brown.. They’re the greats. Need I even say more?

QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: The song “Cheerio” from the joint album Water Weed & Fruit with my brother Jeri Newton. Several people have come back and told us that that song makes them feel like their in an underwater trans. I always want people to feel like they can escape in my music.

QUESTION: What projects can we look forward to in the near future?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: I have an EP coming out spring 2019, for now, it’s untitled.

QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: That’s the easiest thing to do, because I literally talk about my own life.  I write almost every day, so I never run out of material.

QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: Life itself is the motivation, and being able to enjoy it. Success is really in the mind. I’m as wealthy as I feel… Try telling that to my bills though, ha!

QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: Sultry and sexy with just the right amount of Hip-Hop.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: There’s no formula, some people are becoming famous just by luck. I just have to keep telling myself not to be discouraged, and don’t give up.

QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: I would have to say H.E.R. she’s the epitome of R&B talent. I look forward to her music all the time.

QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: A lot of sadness to be honest. I tend to write the most from heartbrakes and family issues.

QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: The biggest was leaving my entire family in the Bahamas and pursuing my music here. Back home, there really isn’t much artist support. I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have if I hadn’t left.

QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: I love a great studio vibe with close friends. I feel safe and free to express myself. The way I form my lyrics are sometimes difficult when I think of music today, and what’s “hot” but then I remember that I have to like my own music, and set my own trend.

QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: In 10 years, I actually wouldn’t mind becoming a songwriter, I don’t really need to be in the spotlight, as long as my family and I can live a comfortable life.

QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: Yes, everyone else is doing what you’re doing, trying to make it in the industry, but none of them are you.

QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

Leeta Lauxkeyy: You can find me on any platform! Listen when you meditate, listen when you medicate, listen when you’re sad, happy, or hungry, and just let the music take your mind where it wants to go, it will. Only if you let it.

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Exclusive | 2 Milly Talks His Hit Song "Milly Rock" and the Release of His Debut Mixtape

New York rapper 2 Milly hit instant success when his hit song "Milly Rock" blew up the airwaves. It all started during a block party in Brooklyn three years ago when Spike Lee was celebrating the 25th anniversary for Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing. 2 Milly felt the energy of the crowd, became possessed by the music and jumped on top of a car, and began performing his “Milly Rock” dance.

Fans in the crowd began to film his performance and uploaded it to social media and youtube and instantly he became an overnight sensation. The videos went viral which sparked a craze of people uploading videos of their versions of the milly rock dance. The craze had gotten so popular that even Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa and Rihanna joined in, uploading their own rendition of the “Milly Rock.” 

2 Milly - “Milly Rock” Music Video

“The dance has always been around. It was just a turn up with me and my friends. It was just a good vibe,” 2 Milly explains. “I’m drinking Bombay and orange juice so I get on top of a car and start milly rocking for like two or three minutes. The next day, they’re hitting me up like ‘you’re famous. I was like I only did that in front of 90 people. Imagine if I could do that in front of 90,000 people. So let me make a song to it.” And that’s exactly what he did.

 A year later, 2 Milly released the anthem for the dance, titled "Milly Rock." By the end of the summer, the video reached over a million views on YouTube. He had garnered so much attention that platinum rapper Travis $cott brought Milly and his Sturdy Gang/Stack Paper crew on-stage during his performance at the influential New York City festival Hot 97 Summer Jam. He is now traveling the country on his Sturdy Way Tour and awaiting the release of debut mixtape Only the Sturdy Survive.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood, 2 Milly came up hard like every other kid in the hood. Crammed in a two-bedroom apartment with his mother, father and three brothers, growing up was “really rough,” he recalls. So to ease the stomach rumblings, he jumped into the streets at age 13, engaging in illegal activities for survival.“We did what we had to do,” he clarifies.  And while many of his friends and members of his Sturdy Gang/Stack Paper crew were catching cases left and right, Milly managed to keep his nose clean, which helped him earn his nickname. 

We talked with 2Milly in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

2 Milly: I’ve been making music since I was 13 when I lived across the street from the studio but I took it serious when I made Milly Rock, the dance is what really got me started.

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

2 Milly: My biggest influences are Fabulous, Lil Wayne & Biggie. My all time favorite musician is Camron but right now Migos, Jay Critch, and Meek Mill are on my daily playlist.

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

2 Milly: I would most likely collaborate with someone of my character such as Migos, Jay Critch, Rich The Kid, Rihanna, Travis Scott and Desiigner.

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

2 Milly: Best song ever released hmmmm personally I think it's “Sleepin” Ft PNB Rock, but I would definitely say Milly Rock because of the amount of success.

2Milliy - “Sleepin” featuring PNB Rock (Music Video)

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

2 Milly: My family and friends motivate me but mostly my daughter just knowing I came from a struggle I never would want her to go through.

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

2 Milly: I travel, go to different places, I read and just get high. I go somewhere by myself and smoke and think.

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

2 Milly: My music is pretty much my life so I’d say it’s a description of me.

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

2 Milly: Nowadays I can say no, pretty much anything is acceptable. It’s color ya hair, tat ya face, and repeat the same words or auto tune.

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

2 Milly: Greatest inspiration is Migos, they my brothers probably the realest ni***s I met in the industry.

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

2 Milly: I’ll say P. Diddy, his numbers don’t lie lol.

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

2 Milly: Passion I actually speak my story, I actually tell my stories in the form of music. 

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

2 Milly: I stayed away from home on Christmas thanksgiving, yea I missed a few events lol.

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

2 Milly: Success and failure, pretty much explains itself.

Question: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?

2 Milly: Soundtrack for multimillion dollar selling movies through the nation, platinum records and just a billion dollar brand.

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

2 Milly: Hard work beats talent.

Question: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?

2 Milly: Listen and don’t just skim through it. 

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Exclusive | R&B Newcomer Damar Jackson is Putting on for Louisiana

R&B newcomer Damar Jackson is a star. The talented singer out of DeRidder, Louisiana has an  impressive confidence that makes it clear he knows exactly where he belongs. As a young prodigy who began playing the drums and keys at his church at the age of 9, Jackson stood in awe of great vocal performances as far back as he can remember, watching greats like Prince and Michael Jackson. His mother, also a singer in the church, fully nurtured his talent, enrolling him in music lessons as soon as she discovered her son’s innate talent.

By the time he was in high school, Damar knew exactly where he was headed; the only question was how. “When I was in high school, if you wanted to get money you were either selling candy, selling drugs or selling mixtapes,” he recalls. “So I had this song I wrote with my boy. And I figured out how to record it on my keyboard and put that one song on blank CDs.” 

A band scholarship would lead him to the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and while there, Damar continued to create opportunities to promote his music all while honing his craft. “The whole time I was in school, I was creating my sound,” he says. “So I turned my room into a recording studio.”  He booked and promoted his own shows, which would lead to opportunities to open for artists like Bobby V, Day 26, and Ludacris. 

As he prepared for graduation as a Mass Communications major, a chance Twitter encounter lead him to an internship with Def Jam Record’s Atlanta office. His intern days were not without their share of challenges as Damar recalls sleeping in his car after events to make sure he made it to work on time. Damar continued to perfect his craft as a songwriter and producer, contributing to K-Camp’s success with songs like the hit single “Comfortable.” 

His debut single “ Crazy, ” in which he revisits the last days of the relationship that sustained him during his early years in Atlanta, is an emotional rollercoaster both musically and lyrically. “We got to a point where she saw the success coming,” he explains, “but even though I thought we had been preparing for the late nights and work trips, it started driving her crazy.” As he puts the finishing touches on his debut project, from which the single is drawn, Damar promises more of the same “I be trying to tell both sides of everything. There’s a lot that comes with the decision to choose to take it there with a woman that you don’t plan on marrying. But a lot of guys aren’t honest about the consequences, not just what you’re doing to her, but how it affects you too.” 

With his debut project nearly ready to hit the public, Damar Jackson is set to make his mark on the music industry as a singer, songwriter, and producer.

Damar Jackson - No Protection ft. Kash Doll (Music Video)

We talked with Damar Jackson in an exclusive interview, check it out below!

Question: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?

Jackson: For 8 years and I got started playing the drums. I discovered my gifts early and kept sharpening my tools. 

Question: Musically, what are your biggest influences and who are your favorite musicians?

Jackson: R Kelly, Ryan Leslie, Static Major, T Pain, Usher and more and every artist that made an impact in the game I studied and have been influenced by. 

Question: What musician would you most like to collaborate with and why?

Jackson: Kanye West and I think he might inspire me to create something different if we get in the lab. 

Question: What do you feel is your best song you've ever released and why?

Jackson: I don’t have best song yet, I’m still growing with the music but my best project so far is Unfaithful. 

Question: What motivates you and how do you define success?

Jackson: My gifts motivate me, and everyone that’s depending on me. Success is defined by your goals. Being happy with your life and decisions. 

Question: How do you generate new ideas?

Jackson: Always brainstorming and being a forward thinker. 

Question: How do you describe your music to people?

Jackson: ratchet, passionate, raw, soulful 

Question: Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?

Jackson: there’s no formula but there are some basic principles you should know and practice 

Question: Who is your greatest inspiration?

Jackson: God

Question: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Jackson: Chris Brown, he’s still out here cutting up. Making hits, clothing line, movies etc. salute CB

Question: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?

Jackson: passion, it’s a real story.   

Question: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?

Jackson: Too many to name, going broke, missing moments with family, losing sleep, working desperately but now working out of confidence. 

Question: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?

Jackson: Nothing discounting me because I love the whole process. I’m a real artist so I make the best, mix it, pull up pro tools, record and mix it and upload it to iTunes. 

Question: Where do You see yourself and your music in 10 years?

Jackson: One of the biggest icons in the world. 

Question: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?

Jackson: Don’t stop grinding and connect the dots. Stay prayed up. Make the right sacrifices and believe in yourself no matter who doesn’t support you.

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