Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Chuck Uzi:I Came Across It A Few Times On My Twitter Timeline Was Already intrigued to sign up then I actually got reached out to by someone from brand and the energy felt right so I went with it
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Chuck Uzi:for starters I Grew Up In Vanderveer Projects That’s In East Flatbush Brooklyn,Ny. That’s where i learned how To Read, Write,Ride My first bike,Had my first kiss,And Fight. A lot Of my values and principles come from seeing Life out there and growing up In the 90’s there was nuts. I Don’t really condone to taking things to violence first because i was taught there’s two sides to every story but out there there’s no room to talk. It was and somewhat still is shoot first ask questions later. I actually as a child woke up to blood and brain fragments on the front of my apartment your from someone who was murdered in front of it smh crazy. Being from Flatbush I have heavy west indian influences embedded in me i’m actually Guyanese on my father side and trini on my moms. My parents are who I get my passion and love for music from. My Dad literally listens to a wide range of music from hip-hop & R&B to calypso,jazz,and soca music 24/7 he never turns his radio off just down. I always listened to them all but my love for Hip-Hop manifested threw my older brother his close friend who i considered my cousin (R.I.P Kampane) is a stoute and is actually related to Hov and because of that my brother was fortunate to things like go on the roc the mic tour back in the day shit my sound like bullshit but I remember mase actually calling my house when i was a kid asking for my brother when I was a kid(didn’t actually speak to him my mom did of course lol) so see certain things like that always intrigued me to listen I started to gravitate cause i thought it was cool the flashy cars the women fly cloths big houses shit hearing my bro being around those people and seeing what I saw on tv a make any kid imagination run wild.When I was a teenager I moved upstate to Kingston,Ny where I started to rebel more like most adolescences do at that age I started gang banging skipping schools I actually left my parents roof at 16 and had my first child at 17. I was young reckless and thought I had all the answers lol around those times it was the power camp era in hip-hop G-Unit,D-block,Dipset,Rocafella,Badboy,etc. The list goes on but no camp and I mean literally camp cause jay-z is a big part in why I do what I do but the dips sheesh especially cam and jr writer them two are some more ingredients that makes this monster lol I actually was in a gang called dipset that’s how hard I went lol there whole persona from the lyrics productions swag level of independence I always wanted to replicate that but I wasn’t rapping yet. What made me start rapping I was 17 this was around the time where the game really started heading literally south lol everything was and still sound watered-down with lack of skill its like 50 said the problem with the game now is the simple fact that skill doesn’t matter none of these new comers lack artist development No one is critiquing themselves or their craft at all cause they feel they don’t have to why should I practice different vocal projections pick up a book actually analyze and see what’s happening in the world when I can make a catchy hook to a hard beat and get the same if not a larger check. This is how these guys think everyone chasing a dollar not a dream And This is why the game lack substance this why our generation doesn’t have much creators,pioneers,and innovators cause everyones trapping instead of being entrepreneurs. I just couldn’t take it anymore cause tho I wasn’t a rapper yet I still had a true passion for music and I was venting that one day to my homeboy bonez who is a artist himself he’s been rapping long before me I used to have him freestyle for me for entertainment. Like I said I was venting my point of view on the culture and he was just like why don’t you do music and change that I said to him and laughed what am I gonna talk about I listen I don’t rhyme that’s what you do. He kept pressing the issue and finally I said f*ck it so gimme a topic he was prepping a diss against my other bro AK they used to spar for practice so I said i’ll diss Rah that was AK right hand at the time I wrote it (Never release I lol) but It came out pretty damn good I impressed myself didn’t know I had it in me just came natural I actually still remember I think every true MC remembers there first verse that day I never looked back.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Chuck Uzi:I actually didn’t come up with the name Chuck Uzi it’s from the neighborhood. People call me chuck cause my real names Charles and most people with my name usually gets called chuck or Charlie for alternative. So where the Uzi comes from is my bro P from Harlem we was chillen all the bros smoking and sh*t regular and we where all talking bout our personality’s who’s the softy whos the pop artist(Quick to fight) who’s always on deck when drama etc lol and because ive always had a rapid responsive nature quick to go in someone sh*t if they violate no matter how much people you got broad day in the cafeteria between class change in the hallway lol slick talker quick with the tongue. when it got to me my man blizz said chuck a forever be kid kasa to me cause n*ggaz used to say I looked like un casa from dipset back in the day cause I wear glasses lol and P like most harlem cats smooth very creative with words they’ll happily make up there own vocabulary lol look at cam for instance. He Was like what? nah that’s the homie chuck uuuzzzzziiii lol dragged it just like that lmao we was all cracking up up then the next day in school the bros start calling me chuck uzi, chuck uz, or just uz and eventually the whole school then town started addressing me as chuck uzi cause like I said my names chuck anyways so I guess it just stuck that’s who I am and forever will be it has literally became my natural identity.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Chuck Uzi:I think online music sharing is a great and very useful tool it allows the artist to physically interact with they’re fans on a more personal level online music sharing made a lot of these current artists and its making me as we speak I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it wasn’t for online music sharing. As for giving my music for free hell yeah I do checks gonna come I decide what ima be worth when I die cause ima put in all the work necessary to do so. I don’t do this for a check I do it for the love the fulfillment it brings me it brings both me and the thoughts and emotions I have build up inside freedom with the limitless ways I can express my self thru it I want money like everyone else on this earth no one wants to be broke but I LOVE MUSIC.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Chuck Uzi:It would be my pleasure all of you guys/gals out there chasing your dreams keep doing it. At first you’ll have plenty of fear and trust its normal hell i’m still overcoming some myself but practice makes perfect consistency is key. You have to be patient and tho you may actually see some overnight successes before you don’t chase that YOU CAN’T RUSH GREATNESS and that’s what you should always aspire to be GREAT it’s first place or no place. Tell yourself if im not at first thought leave me at no thought don’t settle for nothing less than what you fell you truly deserve and don’t worry about those who don’t believe just do your thing and trust they’ll soon follow suit.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Chuck Uzi:I mean everyone makes mistakes and the person is lying if they say otherwise do I make mistakes often? not really I have a very strict pro-efficient nature when it comes to business I am a perfectionist one of my mottos is when you set up failure it comes. So I handle it like a true entertainer is supposed to what’s that old saying? the show must go on! lol
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Chuck Uzi:I would love to and wish I had something to share on this topic but those days are still dreams I haven’t toured yet.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Chuck Uzi: I actually don’t write I practice organized freestyle I try to write from time to time to keep that spitter essence in me but I got tired of verses getting deleted out my phone lol and the energy just wasn’t the same from when I wrote to when it was studio time unless I wrote while in the session and ima big spiritualist so having the right energy for things with me is important I can get inspired to do a song from practically anything my children family friends current situation my current situation a hot song a make me wanna go do my own(not remix) im literally like a energetic sponge I absorb everything and anything around me so when its time to create I go in basically combat mode lol like Michael Jordan said we friends but on the court ya’ll all dead lol and that’s how I am I completely close out to many things and practically go in a cave only friends is who im on a track with at the time and even them im tryna out do lol then after I drop my project or whatever i’m working on at the time finish I become more receptive to things I come out the cave.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Chuck Uzi: I don’t have my own site yet but I do have my own Pandora style radio station on jango.com I also use youtube,soundcloud,reverbnation,audiomack,and Datpiff You can google chuck uzi and all my links a come up I try and get in everywhere lol
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Chuck Uzi: lol sheesh that’s a long list honestly I listen to everything if I can tap my feet to it it’ll make the cut so that depends on whose looking lmao
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Chuck Uzi: Half a million is money but it not enough to fill my belly and the others I have to feed as well so I would honestly prolly just take my loved ones on a vacation to a few spots give em somethings to remember.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Chuck Uzi: Well I record and engineer myself so i’m always looking for upgrades. I currently use pro tools 10
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Chuck Uzi: I actually got hella experience in sales & marketing and a certificate in customer service so I’m naturally a people pleasure it’s always about the people cause the customer is always right so all my promoting is timed. a lot of opportunities just always fall in my lap.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Chuck Uzi: Of course being from Ny Selling Out The Garden Is On All of over checklist and artists I would to work with Biggie,Jay-z,fabolous,lil wayne,michael Jackson,bobby Womack,The Weekend, Whitney Houston,2 pac man the list goes on lol my love for music goes so deep and my hear stretches so far there’s so many great creators I would love to build with.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Chuck Uzi: I actually just dropped my new mixtape Lyrical Extortion Hosted By Cam’ron’s official DJ Moe Sticky Its A very Dynamic Project with many different sounds and influences if your a true fan of hip-hop you’ll love this there’s a song on there for everyone. So right now that’s my main focus right now videos and promo for the mixtape.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Chuck Uzi: Honestly if I wasn’t making it myself I wouldn’t still been involve cause I do other things in music besides record I engineer I graphic design I also have some artists I actually help develop their craft im about achieving greatness and encourage everyone around me to do the same.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Chuck Uzi: My first album I bought was jay-z dynasty roc la familia album that album from start to finish was crazy listening to it gave me a sense of independence it was filled with classics that represented power.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Chuck Uzi: It’s not easy trust being a young parent having two girls I lost my only son (R.I.P Justice) and have one on the way now as we speak it becomes stressful chasing a dream that’s not fully a reality yet especially when you got bills and all sorts of other responsibilities but that’s where determination comes from I practice the law of attraction so I believe the energy you give is what you get back so I just try and stay positive.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?
Chuck Uzi: Me making my premiere on the mainstream stage and raising a bar for these other MC’s Forcing them to do more simple as that.
