Exclusive | William Prize Talks Overcoming Depression and His Upcoming Project "Mind Games"
By: Omar Cook
This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is William Prize, an under the radar lyricist from the East Coast! Prize is a recording artist, and partner CEO of AZUS Records hailing from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He graduated from 71st high school in 2012, served in the armed forces for a while and is now pursuing a bachelors in audio engineering. Aside from music, Prize finds passion shooting photography and playing basketball. This is an artist with a soulful vibe with lyrics that you can feel. Keep your eyes out for Prize because this is someone you need in your playlist!
William Prize - “Brotha From Another” Music video
We talked with William Prize in an exclusive interview, check it out below!
QUESTION: How long have you been making music and how did you get started?
William Prize: I’ve been making music for almost 2 years now. Once I’d gotten out the military in 2016 I wanted to find a new hobby and I’ve always loved music so I figured I would learn how to produce. I was scrolling down my Snapchat and seen my bro Cidy Pyramids making a beat and asked if he could teach me the ways haha. I pulled up that day and been pulling up every since. We would eventually drop our first collab instrumental tape entitled “MAD COLLAB” which can be found on SoundCloud.
QUESTION: Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?
William Prize: My team is my biggest influence by far! There motivation and drive keeps me going and everyone is a high caliber artist so it keeps all of us on our toes for sure. I have a wide range of music I listen to but I’m a huge fan of Common, J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T, and Kendrick to name a few!
QUESTION: What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?
William Prize: I would like to collab with Anderson Paak, bro has the most soulful and free sound I can think of right now. I would like to do a song with Solange singing the hook , I love her voice.
QUESTION: What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?
William Prize: I love every song that I’ve dropped for a different reason but one of my favorite verses that’s out is the outro on my first EP light tape called “LIGHTS OUT”. The song focuses on a time period in my life where I was coping with depression and heavy drinking and me beating it and I think everyone needs music that pulls them out of a dark place.
QUESTION: What projects can we look forward to in the near future?
William Prize: I am actually finishing up my 2nd major project “MIND GAMES”. I started working on it a week after my last project dropped. It has stories of my life that I feel can help others in theirs. It hits on relationships, happiness, life, the good and bad times. I wanted it to sound like their perfect cross between hiphop & neo soul. No release date yet but it will be out before the end of the year
QUESTION: How do you generate new ideas for your music?
William Prize: My creative process is ever changing. I always have a direction that I start with, after that, however the beat makes me feel takes over from that point forward.
QUESTION: What motivates you and how do you define success?
William Prize: There is an old saying that goes if you find a job you love you’ll never have to work again a day in your life. I’m motivated to do what I love! I’m chasing a lot of the things that people usually associate with success but the main thing I’m After is happiness, self love and things of that nature. I’ve had big money, I have a nice car, and neither of those made me completely happy so that’s not how I define success.
QUESTION: How do you describe your music to people?
William Prize: An old school feel with a new school vibe. I’m a lyricist and an empath, I want to make the listener feel something or recall back to a certain time.
QUESTION: Who is your greatest inspiration?
William Prize: J.Cole has been inspiring me since the 10th grade. Knowing that somebody from my city with his style not only made it but is an icon makes me feel like it’s possible for me as well with the work ethic!
QUESTION: In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?
William Prize: I’d have to say Jay-z just knowing about where he came from and seeing where he made it to.
QUESTION: Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?
William Prize: Saddness, not to say that my music is sad but in my music from sadness comes the want for happiness and a passion for betterment. I was down and out about a lot of things then music came into play and gave me an outlet.
QUESTION: What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?
William Prize: Mostly financial sacrifices, I invest in my craft more than I can take care of my own business sometimes but it comes with the territory.
QUESTION: What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?
William Prize: Hearing the finished product of a dope idea after its mixed mastered dressed and ready to go most deff. And most discouraging would be whenever I catch writers block or I can’t cook up a fire beat, I be feeling like everything is off when I’m lacking in both departments.
QUESTION: Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?
William Prize: in 10 years I see myself with about 4 successful albums out, traveling the world maybe even dabbling in acting I see my music being a vibe to listen to and it will take you back to a feeling or vibe, so I guess I can say I can see my music being timeless in 10 years.
QUESTION: What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?
William Prize: Don’t be intimidated by what’s “popular” do what feels right to you when it comes to your style. Grow as an artist naturally and stay consistent with it all.
QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like people to know about you or your music?
William Prize: Nothing but just too be on the look out for my tape mind games ! It’s Prize season !!!
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