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KingMizoMadeIt
KingMizoMadeIt
KingMizoMadeIt (Photo: Supplied)

Interview: Q&A

KingMizoMadeIt discusses his new project & offers key crypto-related advice for independent artists

Photography by Sky Hayward

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you probably heard that Bitcoin (BTC) is reaching recording breaking highs in value. It’s exciting times in the crypto-space, which is becoming increasingly more integrated with day-to-day life, and in some cases even a vital need for survival.

Earlier in the year, we connected with Toronto recording artist and visionary, Unknown Mizery, who is an early adapter when it comes to using Blockchain technology to promote and sell music and art. Along with being well-versed in working with trading cryptocurrencies, he’s also one of the first Canadian artists to really embrace the tools that the Blockchain can provide independent creatives.  

KingMizoMadeIt

Mizo wraps up 2020 with the release of his new project King Mizo Made It: Best of 2020, as well as an official name change to KingMizoMadeIt moving forward.

There was a ton of interest in our previous convo with Mizo about Blockchain and the opportunities it brings, so we reached out to him to dive deeper into the subject and also take a closer look at his new release.

He also provides some links for people looking to get started with cryptocurrencies, and gives some insight on where he thinks cryptocurrencies are headed down the road.

Check it out below along with the 15-track King Mizo Made It: Best of 2020.

Q&A: KingMizoMadeIt

HipHopCanada: Congrats on a successful year and the release of King Mizo Made It. How would you describe the overall sound and vibe of the tape to someone just getting familiar with your music?

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KingMizoMadeIt: On this compilation, I chose my favourite songs that I recorded and released in 2020. I make music that captures the moment in history. When people look back at 2020, my music will be a blended time capsule of the trials and triumphs of my personal life and society. Music has always played an integral part of capturing history, this year, when we look back at the mainstream hits, we will think 2020 was about Wet Ass Pussy. I wanted to add a more honest narrative.

This album marks a moment where I drop the name “Unknown Mizery” for the name “KingMizoMadeIt.” A name I will be using for all my future work. For those interested in hearing one of my 2020 projects that I was extremely proud of, check out the “Choose your own ending album: The X-Perience”, which was produced by Gamja Beats.

Play the game and listen here.

HipHopCanada: Who do you have involved production wise and for guest features?

KMMI: I contacted my global family, Gamja Beats, Rex Seshunz, Nikos EFS, 542, Odessatrickmakers, King Diamond Tut, DJ Lethal Skillz and Dekonstruktionists for production in the making of this album. I enrolled Farsi rap legend, Kasseb for two songs, My fam Moicano MC from Italy and Cassidy for another song called “Forever.”

HipHopCanada: Despite the pandemic, you managed to take significant strides in pushing your plans forward. What do you feel are your biggest accomplishments of 2020?

KMMI: This year has been a good run. I’ve explored new paths with my music and business endeavours while finding the mirror that reflects the real me.

When you read the interview HHC gave me during the first quarter of 2020, you’ll notice that we (Guerrilla Music) have pioneered the audio NFT space in the crypto sphere. We curated the first VR shows of its kind. We created our Guerrilla Music token which we will launch publicly in 2021. Our $GRR token has a supply of 10 million tokens.

My proudest accomplishments for 2020 however, are my choices. My choices to find the true value in life, which is family and health. This is the first year since I was 13 that I stopped abusing my health, body, spirit, and mind, through confronting habits and breaking cycles. I stopped smoking completely and became more aware of what I put into my body. My cultural background is Ayurvedic and that is the approach I have taken on every level of my existence. Holistic.

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HipHopCanada: You recorded quite a bit of new music this year. What song do you think will be the most memorable 4-5 years from now? Why?

KMMI: “Space Man” or “I Was Only There” are two of the songs you can find on the King Mizo Made It album.

Both songs encapsulate the global collective feelings that 2020 brought us. The lyrics on these songs could be read in the future as a poetic history lesson from these trying times.

HipHopCanada: Ok, a bit of a New Year’s Resolution follow-up to the last question. What do you want to do differently in 2021 that you haven’t been doing this year?

KMMI: Focus. Don’t spread myself thin. Learn, get certificates, grow, and expand, read one book a month. Empower the mind. Lead by example. Live in my excellence and manifest, manifest, manifest.

KingMizoMadeIt

HipHopCanada: Can you speak on your plans for 2021?

KMMI: We’re working closely with Guap coin. We’re curating the NIFTY awards, where we will highlight NFT artists and especially Audio NFT’s that have been released.

Focus. Instead of recording a hundred songs, I’m working on a book called Love and Revolution. Here’s a synopsis of the book.

Love and Revolution is a book about how the fight for equality and freedom can span generations. We start the journey in India at the turn of the century. Historical characters such as Bagha Jatin, the nationalist-revolutionary whose motto was “Amra morbo, jagat jagbe” (“we shall die to awaken the nation”) and Abaninath Mukherji, the co-founder of the Indian Communist party, come to life in this family history. Our story in India ends with the authors own father fighting for his life and beliefs in the turbulent 1970’s.

Our love story begins with people from two different castes connected through a quest for equality and freedom. Their journey leads them to Canada where the author is born. Through a life of making revolutionary music and activism he continues the family legacy to this day.

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The book will be promoted through musical singles that will be dropped quarterly.

Oh yeah, all will be integrated with crypto.

The book will eventually grow into something bigger, but I plan to focus and create 4 songs in 2021. These 4 songs will be ones I take time to write and formulate, I will make the best 4 songs of my life. Usually, my writing process is finding a beat that resonates with my moment. I write from the heart and record it in the same breath, so I don’t lose the feeling in the delivery. A song for me has always been written in 30 mins to an hour and I usually record it the moment my cursor stops moving.

HipHopCanada: Let’s talk crypto for a bit…starting with cryptocurrency. Based on our previous conversations, I’m going to assume you weren’t really shocked to see Bitcoin’s value start to elevate again. Do you think the crypto market will take another huge plunge similar to the last time Bitcoin was over $20K?

KMMI: This is not professional advice, what you do with your research as a reader is up to you and I am not responsible for your investments. Always cross research.

I believe the predictions will be correct or at least close. This year Ethereum and BTC (Bitcoin) have both risen in value as predicted. When it comes to BTC, I would advise also purchasing Ethereum and other social tokens built on the blockchain, like $AKOIN, $Audio and $GRR. Social tokens have made people thousands in 2020 and with the rise of BTC and ETH, they are likely to rally high in value.

I feel BTC will moon at the start of 2021 as investors are waiting to end the fiscal year of 2020 without the numbers on their taxes. This will happen with Ethereum as well. When BTC rises, ETH rises. I believe the general predictions that BTC and ETH will moon high and then plunge during the 2nd or 3rd quarter of 2021. Then by 2023 Ethereum will rise to 25000 USD and BTC will rise by 2025 to 250,000$ USD to 500,000 USD.

Do your research and invest wisely.

HipHopCanada: What needs to be done for more independent artists to embrace Blockchain technology to promote and distribute their music?

KMMI: This is the easiest advice we can give you as a first step, you download a phone wallet which will let you buy and trade crypto directly from your bank account without any fees. Once you have this set up, you are well on your way. Download the wallet and we will make sure you receive 30$ CAD as a sign up bonus once you invest 100$ CAD. Most reliable and easy to use phone wallet, plus its a Canadian company.

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Download the phone wallet here.

We need more on boarding infrastructure. Currently we don’t have the capacity to give one on one courses to everyone, however, with the help of HHC, Guerrilla Music will provide tips through articles when we find the time. Until then, I would say email us directly at [email protected] and we can provide one on one on boarding sessions (2-hour sessions for $100). You will leave these sessions with a professional web wallet, your own Crypto Storefront, and a basic understanding of Audio NFTS.

Guerrilla Music is also ready to sign artists for single deals where we will release your single as an audio NFT across all the crypto platforms.

KingMizoMadeIt

HipHopCanada: There’s been a recent uptick of gun violence in your hometown. In your opinion, what needs to be done to give the next generations a brighter future?

KMMI: I’m lost when it comes to this topic. Lead by example is all I can do at this point. I can’t tell a young brother who’s lost his friend to violence not to seek revenge. That message is about as powerful as saying “Don’t do drugs kids, just say no.” That approach has never worked and has only driven the gap between the generations wider.

Politically, we need more funding for community initiatives and programs. We need to create programs that show the youth how to acquire wealth and not money. We need to value love, but that’s easy for me to say while I am no longer in touch with the streets at that level. It’s hard for the youth, they’re alone, they’re looking for a way out without even realizing it. This is a hard time for this young generation. All I can do is lead by example and ask the universe to guide them right. The streets are an addiction, stripes are the needles, and the circle of revenge is a product of survival.

HipHopCanada: How do you see the pandemic playing out from here? Do you think our lives will ever go back to the “normal” that we once knew?

KMMI: Our lives have never really been normal. I am grateful for all the memories I had with my friends, growing up, a life that the new kids will probably never completely know. However, let me say this, a generation with no bottled water had to adapt to bottled water being the norm. A generation born with masks will see that as normal. The rules we are given hardly make sense, yet we live with it because it becomes normal. Humans are highly adaptable beings.

I personally feel we are headed into a new time globally. Meditating, loving each other and not falling into the cycle of rhetoric and blame is the only way we can evolve in this ‘new’ abnormal.

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HipHopCanada: Last question, not including your own music, who do you think had the biggest release of 2020?

KMMI: If I stick to Canadian hip-hop, I have to say “Wish I Could” because of the numbers, the message, and the unity of the generations. I love the vibe of the song. It has the same energy as Point Blanks “Raised in the Ghetto” single. “Wish I Could” has that Toronto feeling. The message in the song is powerful and the emcees on the single bring it justice. J Dub really produced a classic and I would like to work with him in the future. I wish I could see my brother Repo again. I wish I could see all my lost ones again. I wish the youth can see love again and I wish my generation can help break the cycle, for once.

Artwork for King Mizo Made It

Artwork for King Mizo Made It

You can follow @UnknownMizery on Instagram.


Interview conducted by Jesse Plunkett for HipHopCanada
Photography by Sky Hayward

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