As many local fans are aware, Florida has one of the most overlooked Hip Hop circuits, not only in the region, but the entire country. While it can be tough for local creatives to break out from the scene, Citrus Rap makes strides to continue to uplift the Floridians who are on their way up. Said creatives, seen all over Citrus Rap, can be found making moves statewide— some even venturing out of state. Still there are several unanswered questions for these rising stars, so we went ahead and formulated a questionnaire to clear the air. This is a new interview series we call “Florida’s Natural,” so that fans can gain insight on the individuals who we believe have the juice.
List your current Alias(es):
Croosh (Bandicoot), Vegetable Lasagna (Producer Name) These are just current.
Where do you reside; what’s your hometown?
I stay deep in the woods in an underwater sea cavern somewhere in South Florida. Boston, Massachusetts is the hometown.
Why do you produce/rap?
I do it for the fame, respect, and riches but most of all, I do it for the copious amounts of bitches. Hahah, I’m playing. I am a musician who makes music for the culture. I am trying to spread positive vibes and make music that people can relate to. I make music because it’s therapeutic and 2nd nature to me. I do it for the vine. I do it for all the Sharks & Sharkettes, cloaked out or not. Making music is my life.
Who do you look up to?
I wouldn’t say I look up to anyone, rather I look to the god that resides within each of us. Some of my biggest inspirations in Hip Hop include MF DOOM, Blu, Oddisee, Shad, Homeboy Sandman, Ghostface Killah, GZA, Nas, The Doppelgangaz, and Earl Sweatshirt. My biggest inspiration in my life is my mother though, may she be blessed for many moons.
How old are you now and how old were you when you first released your music on the internet?
“How old are you now?, How old are you now?“ I’m currently at an age of reevaluation some refer to it as a quarter century but like The Doppelgangaz say “Who says you’re making it to see a buck?” I had recorded my first few songs in high school but I put out my first music on the internet when I was 18, right after I graduated and had just started venturing into college life. I released 3 songs on a local compilation project entitled The Golden Tape.
What 3 albums of 3 different genres shaped you as an artist?
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (1971)
Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced (1967)
MF DOOM – MM… FOOD (2004)
What do you consistently bring into all of your production that captivates?
Production wise I bring hard knocking drums and snares that slap. I usually manipulate eerie sounds and pan them. As far as my raps are concerned I try to captivate my audience with a very articulated lyric heavy flavor. I use a lot of metaphors, similes, bars, and reversal that usually goes over a lot of heads but some of it is blatant for people to catch.
How do you portray your personality in your music?
I do my best to come off as charismatic and interpersonal. I bring a vibrant essence of humor and raw grit. I’m a perfectionist who strives hard, so you can hear and feel the dedication buried deep inside my raps.
Do you care about social media?
Of course. I use it to connect with so many friends and my family. It has helped me tremendously with connecting on a personal level with fans, especially globally. I have built a fan base on social media and have been discovered for shows, albums, and collaborations through it. Social media has helped me make money, it’s a powerful tool when used correctly. If I wasn’t a musician, I probably wouldn’t use it. I’d be in the mountains chopping down trees and eating flapjacks (pancakes) as a lumberjack.
Is it ever difficult to express yourself?
When I get writers block, hell yeah. There is nothing worse than having your creativity blocked mentally. Nowadays, I try to finish reading novels and that seems to help substantially with inspiring me to write or produce an instrumental. Currently my mind is in an innovative and artistic state. A lot of tragedy, pain, and stupid mishaps have occurred in the past year so I have a good amount of material to work off of.
What song describes your current mood?
3 Songs off of The Roots’ How I Got Over album: “Radio Daze” – (Feat. Blu, Greg P.O.R.N. & Dice Raw), “Now Or Never” (Feat. Phonte & Dice Raw), and “The Day” (Feat. Blu, Phonte & Patty Crash). My current mood based on my own songs would have to include Croosh x Sean Buck – “Evil Hours” (Prod. By Danny Dee) & Croosh x Sean Buck – “Work Out Dez Plans” (Prod. By ShowOffBeats).
When can people expect your next release/placement?
Well I’m always releasing singles as little appetizers for my fans but this year you can expect my first full length EP I’m producing for Mass Hollow entitled (ad)vice. That should drop in December and we have the god Unkle Luc doing the front & back covers for the album as well as a video for a song we have called “99 Bottles.” There will be a mixtape called One Fine Day that I did with my homies Jus Marx & Saint Tellah from Gainesville releasing on cassette through Everydejavu.com either in December or January.
Other than that, next year I’m releasing the Luftmensch EP, produced entirely by Rederf (formerly known as Fredrick Elliot). There’s a couple of real cool features on that. I’m dropping Fresh With Some Zipped Socks, a sequel to my 1st solo project Fresh From The Ziploc. I’m releasing Don’t Sequel, a remix album of Don’t Squeal (Produced by The Doppelgangaz), entirely produced by Dr. LaFlow. That will be coming out on a limited edition cassette release as well through EveryDejavu. The project I’m most excited for is my EP produced by the O.G. J57 titled Knuckle Up. This is my best work to date and it will be released through Soulspazm Records. There are literally 100 other projects in the works but these are on the forefront and/or are almost done. Keep your eyes peeled.
Anything else to add?
Peace to everyone who holds me down and supports me—especially musically. I love ya’ll! Get at me on Twitter or Instagram. Give your boy a like on Facebook. Lastly, follow me on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/croosh & https://soundcloud.com/
