Zazu Times Two | The Audio Artist

Zazu Times Two

Biomedical engineer by day, hip-hop lyricist by night; Zazu Times Two is somewhat of a musical Clark Kent. Hailing from Athens, Georgia, the 22-year old is reconstructing what we refer to as “hip-hop” through lyrical content and instrumentation. On September 10th, 2011, Zazu released his first solo album, Better Red Than Never. The album is a playfully spirited 15-track production featuring the song Gorgeous, which samples Phoenix’s 1901. Zazu is also a member of the duo Ace and Zaz whose album, Fancy Dress, was released in March of 2011. In addition to music, Zazu dabbles in video production, soccer, and spent a few summers as a medical photographer. What differentiates Zazu’s sound from other artists is his rhyme pattern and vocal quality.  His lyrics are a mix of free verse and spoken word as he incorporates successful storytelling as well as singing.  His vocal quality is also distinguishable from most southern artists, as it holds an articulation that sounds more conversational than persuasive. In short, Zazu sets himself apart from most emcees on and off the stage, reasserting the fact that he is not a rapper, but an “audio artist”.

 “I try to get a foundation in everything that I do so I don’t have to rely on other people… I want to be able to do everything I need to do myself so I don’t have to wait on other people or sacrifice what I have in my mind to fit what someone wants to do.” –Zazu Times Two

C.Since: So, how did you get started in music and how did you get your name?

Zazu: Well it was in middle school, with a guy that I’m friends with now. We started a project called Ace and Zaz and we did some acoustic stuff [and] played a couple shows. Then we had a little rap group—we did “comedy rap”. After we graduated, we started “Ace and Zaz” and I started “Zazu Times Two” which is just me.

The name- well, whenever I go somewhere different, I usually use a different name so I know who the person [I meet] is. So if they call me a certain name, I’ll know “Okay, I met this person when I was in Alabama because they called me ‘Monty’”. So, “Zaz” was the name I chose when I went to college in Atlanta and it kind of stuck because I realize people didn’t know that my real name was Robert so [haha] I just kept with it. Then I added the “Times Two” when I started making music with it ‘cause I rap and I do a lot of singing. 

My music is really based on a lot of alternative rock as opposed to hip hop and stuff. I never really listened to too much of that. I went straight from gospel to alternative rock and then hip hop. Oh, let me know if you want these to be like shorter answers [haha].

C.Since: No, you can expound. It’s all good [haha!] So, how would you describe your sound?

Zazu: Umm, definitely outside of the box. I mean, I do a lot of singing (more stuff than I put on my album actually). But, you heard my song “Fish in the Water” and then “New Town City” which are pure singing- there’s no rapping about that. I really enjoy the manipulating of the voice and it’s definitely a new school feel. One of my influences is Andre 3000- all the instruments and how he would sing sometimes and when he’d rap, it’d always blow your mind. I’d kind of put myself in that same category.

C.Since: So, what exactly inspired this first album and the name “Better Red than Never”?

Zazu: Well, I’m a bit of a class clown so I used to say random things in school to people. One year, I had to sign everybody’s yearbook, and I just said random things. And I actually got in trouble for saying ‘better red than never’ because my teacher thought I was talking about a girl’s period. I wrote that in my best friend’s yearbook and he always used to say it randomly, so I just decided to name it “Better Red than Never”.

C.Since:  That’s mad funny. [Haha] So…I was listening to your album, and every song seems like it has a different concept so I was wondering, what is your creative process when you’re writing?

Zazu: There’s like three different methods I use: One is: I’ll hear somebody else’s song and I’ll completely blackout what they’re saying and kind of rap over it in my head, then try to make a beat or find a beat that goes along with it. Second: If there’s a lot of things on my mind that are connected, then I can put ‘em all together and put my emotions out through the song. A couple of them are just freestyles. They were about whatever was going on at the time.

 C.Since: Awesome. So, what kind of music inspires you?

Zazu: A lot of influence from Gospel and I listen to a lot of British Pop. I’d say Hip-Hop would be about one-fifth of my iPod and I got a couple of Oldies. Then I got a bunch of Electronic…by listening to that it kind of expands your mind a little bit ‘cause Hip-Hop and some of that can get confined. But with Electronic music, they have crazy range and crazy instrumentals that no one else would use because it wouldn’t fit. But my influences are definitely Andre 3000, Kid Cudi– other rare rappers. Bands I like are: Artic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, Block Party, a band called Bombay Bicycle Club. Umm, as far as gospel, I always listened to a lot of Kirk Franklin when I was younger and The Winans Family. That kind of sums it up pretty good.

C.Since: Okay, so what projects are you currently working on?

Zazu: Right now I’m trying to memorize all my lyrics ‘cause my head gets filled up with all engineering stuff so I don’t have time to get a concrete memory of all my songs. I’m working with a drummer and a bassist on some alternative rock stuff we’re going to be doing. I’m collaborating with the Crossover Kidz They’re a hip-hop group out of Berkeley or Boston or wherever it is. And then I’m supposed to be getting up with Gary Samurai- sending him a beat. That’s all I got going so far.

C.Since: Who are some artists you’ve worked with in the past (either musicians or visual artists)?

Zazu: ‘Who have I worked with in the past?’ “Ace” from Ace and Zaz- I’ve done the most work with him. And then we have Max Kerning (I think that’s his last name) shot my album art for me. A friend of mine, Emily Langston, she did the first video we ever recorded, “Point N’ Pop It”, which was an Ace and Zaz song. Axiom, he’s a rapper out of Augusta. I did some collaborations with him. And then there’s the random people that will come in and lay down a guitar line or something for me to bounce some ideas off of.

C.Since: Who would you like to work with in the future?

Zazu: I would like to work with any and every one on my iPod. I think that would be awesome to work with the people I listen to everyday.  Childish Gambino’s got a show coming up in Athens. I’m goint to try to get back stage or something- pass off the mixtape, put it out there and see what he says. I’ll see if he wants to do a collaboration.

C.Since: So where do you see yourself ten years from now?

Zazu: Ten years from now?… I’ll be a wealthy man ten years from. If not from biomedicial engineering, then [from] music. But who knows; I think I have a better back-up plan than most with that so I’m not too worried with that. I’m going to try to keep making music and promote as best I can and make as many connects as I can and hopefully I can become a household name in ten years.

C.Since: Awesome. So, last question: Here at Common Since…we try to emphasize the relationship between art and music. Do you have any thoughts on the connection between the two?

Zazu: I would say they don’t have a connection because they’re one in the same. I mentioned I was an “audio artist” as opposed to being called a rapper. The cd is the medium and my voice is the painting, and that’s the art right there. I’d say they parallel one another as opposed to connect- it’s one in the same.

To listen to more of Zazu Times Two you can go to zazutimestwo.bandcamp.com or aceandzaz.com. To tell Zaz how much you love his work, you can stalk him on Twitter at @zazux2, as well as Tumblr at zazux2.tumblr.com

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