ZOO RASS
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StreamLINE had the pleasure of catching up with dynamic reggae dancehall artist Zoo Rass. He provided some excellent insight into his career, latest projects and the state of the music industry.

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Welcome! Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. We really appreciate it! Please tell us a bit about your background, where you’re from etc.  

I am from Brooklyn, NY with a Jamaican and Guyanese background.  I started making music back in 2011 when I was just 17 years old. 

I am now 25 so you can definitely say I have some years under my belt within this industry. 

What were your early music influences?

Buju Banton, Red Rat, Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Konshens, Baby Cham. I can go on and on.

How would you describe your sound? How has it evolved over the years?

My sound is something different for sure.  I use different and catchy lyrics, flows, and melodies while dipping into different genres and still keeping that authentic dancehall feel into it at the same time. 

My style has elevated tremendously over the years.  I think I used to be boxed in and very one dimensional when I first started out.  A lot of this was due to the fact of my preference of Caribbean music only at the time. 

Fast forward to 2020, I take a lot of pride in being versatile when it comes to my music.  Any projects or even a set of singles that I release throughout a year you probably won’t find any that sound the same.

Music Projects

Please tell us about your latest single “Oh Nah Nah”. How did it develop? Linking up with the feature artists?

When I first heard Afrobeats I instantly fell in love with the sound.  I always wanted to do an Afrobeats song but I had to wait until the time was right. 

My producer Willis Love sent me the beat with a hook referenced on it so I began shopping it around to a few artist trying to find someone who can send back the best version of the hook. 

Alhaji Currency sent me back his version of the song and I thought that was the best one.  Initially we were ready to move forward with the track but a few days later Hero sent me his version as well.  I liked both of them out of everybody that submitted their versions so the team and I decided it was best to drop it with all three of us. 

The song is such a great vibe because it is the perfect blend of Dancehall and Afrobeats.  You get to hear the sounds mesh together to create something special from both a musical and cultural perspective.  

Please tell us about your upcoming EP release in May. What can we expect from it musically?

So I have a project coming out entitled “Mood Swings.”  It’s a small project only going with four (maybe five) tracks on it.  The project will of course bring a versatile sound but it will also be a mini story of Zoo Rass going through different emotions during his career. 

How was the recording process on the project?

The recording process was dope.  Just getting in my zone how I always do and going in the booth and tackling the tracks the right way.

What’s a Zoo Rass live performance like? Describe the vibe.  What has been your most memorable show in your career so far?

A Zoo Rass performance is a good vibe and great experience.  It will always be interactive no matter if it is 5 or 500 people in the crowd.  The vibe is always positive, full of energy and exciting. 

I have opened up for a good number of established artists such as Konshens, Charly Blacks, and Kranium just to name a few.  I have also performed in front of crowds of 500-800 people at a time before. 

Those are all great experiences but I think my most memorable show will have to be my inaugural “Zoo Rass & Friends” concert in June 2019.  We brought out close to 200 people, sold a good number of merchandise as well as bringing out other artists to showcase their talent. 

This was such a good feeling because this wasn’t just another show I was booked for.  It was something that I spent months planning and to see it pulled off in that fashion was phenomenal.    

Thoughts and Insight

Do you think the streaming era is a positive or negative for the indie recording artist?

I think the streaming era more of a positive than it is a negative for the indie recording artist.  Of course you’ll run into your difficulties along the way but there are so many outlets and resources to help an indie artist increase the streams organically. 

I’ve also experienced being an indie artist pre-streaming era so I know how it is a big difference in today’s game.  Back then I will go to shows and hand out CD’s at the end of it with all my music on it. 

Around 2013/2014 it was a difficult situation for me because not a lot of people were really buying music from digital outlets but not a lot of people were using CDs either so I was kind of caught in the middle. 

Now a days you can literally interact with someone in person, give them your song info, and let them add it to their library on the spot. Also everyone now a days has some kind of streaming service so the access is always there. 

You also have different data that is gathered by these platforms about where your music is getting streamed.  You can use these demographics to your advantage when it comes to marketing and setting up tours.  

If you could have a conversation with any musician, living or not, who would it be and why?        

There are many artists but if I can pick just one I will probably have to say Sean Paul.  I say Sean Paul because growing up I looked up to him a lot.  During the early 2000s he brought dancehall to a mainstream light and was an artist that was on top. 

He then branched out to so many different genres while still keeping his sound.  I would love to sit down and just pick his brain to see what his process is like.  I also know that at a time there were people saying that an artist like Sean Paul couldn’t make it in the mainstream light or he wouldn’t survive in it but he beat those odds. 

One major problem I seem to have is that I’m too American for the Caribbeans and too Caribbean for the Americans.  Even though I have come to embrace this and keep on striving I will love to hear SP’s outlook and how he adjusts to challenges as such. 

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Zoo Rass Social Media Platforms

   


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Platinum Music Magazine

The Platinum Music Magazine brings you a wide range of topics your way as it relates to the music industry. The Platinum Music Magazine posts artist spotlights, interviews, tips and guidance, music industry related articles and helpful resources, videos and MORE! Please remember to subscribe to The Platinum Music Magazine newsletter and we will update you directly whenever new content is posted.
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The Platinum Music Magazine brings you a wide range of topics your way as it relates to the music industry.

The Platinum Music Magazine posts artist spotlights, interviews, tips and guidance, music industry related articles and helpful resources, videos and MORE!

Please remember to subscribe to The Platinum Music Magazine newsletter and we will update you directly whenever new content is posted.

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