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1. Written by Photos by
Paul Andrews, Grace Farrow
After spending a weekend with Big Z and a short interview, I understand why he is called 'Big' Z. Arriving at Canary Wharf
station at 9:00 PM, I was approached by one of Big Z's associates which I assumed was rather a bodyguard. He was my
escort to Big Z's apartment which was a bit too much but already, I felt intimidated by his influence. Arriving at the apartment I
was approached by several security guards which had me considering the level of operations Big Z had going on throughout
the apartment alone. Entering the apartment, I was welcomed by a wave of strawberry fragrance as the young Scarlett
Johansson look-alike opened the door. She was glowing and mesmerising with long blonde-hair and deep entrancing eyes.
The layout of the apartment was as I expected, contemporary high-end sofas and furniture with sandy-white marble stone
floors and a constant theme of black throughout. Several people were scattered around the apartment, some at the bar, few
watching the TV and some relaxed. The ratio of females to males were 4:1 and by this point I had grasped Big Z's lifestyle.
With several security guards posted at every pillar of the apartment, I had an uneasy feeling of insecurity although they were
there for security. 11:30 PM and I had settled down whilst waiting for Big Z to appear for his interview but in the meantime I
had been well catered for by the private chef and endless arrangements of Ciroc and Cognac bottles at most of the tables in
the living room. I had noticed stairs to a floor above us which I assumed was where Big Z is and where the constant sound of
a deep bass was echoing from. Clearly the studio was on the floor above us and I had grown eagerly impatient to meet him.
At 1:35 AM, the echoing bass stopped and I heard a door unlock. Everyone in the apartment suddenly stopped what they
were doing and seemed to prepare themselves, especially the girls. The sound of slow and heavy footsteps came from the
stairs and slowly the figure of Big Z took shape. He was finally here and had me waiting for hours, how improper. He's
appearance had everyone on edge but very eager to see him. He had a burning but subtle gaze with heavy eyelids as though
waking up from a deep sleep. He ignored everyone around him and approached me and asked if I was ready to begin the
interview. His voice was unmistakably the one from his music tracks. He sat down in the long arm chair which had a sinister
feel to it. I sat directly opposite him a few metres away on the Sofa. We were offered beverages and I accepted but he subtly
waved it away with his left hand without making eye-contact with the server. His attention was concentrated on me. His arms
were tatted up and on each hand were several different rings, I felt his overwhelming presence.
BIG Z: ‘IM AHEAD
AMBITION - TALENT - SUCCESS - RESPECT - POWER - LOYALTY -
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2. OF THE INDUSTRY’
During the interview, he provided expressive answers. The impact of his wide range of vocabulary suggested his level of intelligence
which contradicted my initial idea of him - simple and straightforward. During the interview, the entire apartment's atmosphere had
changed with his presence. It was far more quiet as though the people in the room were listening to him, eventually I was more
interested in his answers to my own questions. He had a sense of charm and care that I hadn't prepared myself for and his constant
focus on me made me also feel important. Throughout the interview, his demeanour was settled and collected without any hesitancy he
answered each question clearly as though he knew the questions I was asking. Of course, some questions and answers stood out for
me than others, they are:
"so why do you call yourself Big Z?" and he answered "isn't it obvious, I'm a big guy with big desires. But it's not just my
appearance that I choose to call myself 'Big Z', everything that I've done to get to where I am with millions of record sales and
fans screaming out my name, I believe in thinking big and from there I got the name of 'Big Z'.
"Critics have said that your content is too violent and needs to be brought down a few tones" "It's their job to culminate a
view that contradicts or balances out something which doesn't agree to them and certainly to what they assume the public
would want to hear. No, my music is a voice for the people that can relate and believe in what I rap and the lyrics are a tool to
express those emotions. If anything, the content of my music will become more potent with time. My music isn't only made to
make money, it's made to raise awareness of the depth of my struggles and battles to success and the determination needed
to stick to that hustle, that record label and the people who try to bring you down."
"If you had a message for you listeners and fans, what would it be" "I already gave them my message. It's in my music. My
voice goes out to every single one of my fans and if they can hear my message in the lyrics, then they know where I'm coming
from. My audiences don't just want to hear about the struggle because they go through the struggle themselves, they don't
need reminding. What they need a solution and I hope my lyrics can provide them that form of support which can get them to
the right solution. What I represent is not just a record label or a bad person trying to turn-around their life. I represent
something more for my fans.
Kanye + Drake's
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"Sorry, It's not too clear for me. What exactly do you represent for your fans?" "I am proof for
my fans. Living proof that although you make the wrong decisions early on in your life, you do
have a choice to change that lifestyle and exceed in the good life you intended to have whatever
your hustle. To you I'm just an eccentric rap/hip-hop artist that's trying to get more sales from
my music but for my fans I'm a symbol of achievement no matter their environment or
situation."
The interview ended on that note. Indeed, I was surprised by the degree of Big Z's understanding
and the care he showed for his fans. The man I assumed to interview turned out to be a 'big'
assumption. This was an eye-opener for me and hopefully for the readers of this article who can
view Big Z for something more than what you assumed.
AMBITION - TALENT - SUCCESS - RESPECT - POWER - LOYALTY -