Artist Spotlight: MidaZ The Beast Interview


A rapper like MidaZ the Beast simply shouldn't exist today. In a game populated by artists who lack either character, talent, or some combination of the two, the Orlando emcee is both a seasoned writer and charismatic personality on the microphone. Mixing the intricate wordplay of DOOM, lyrical ferocity of Nas, and stylistic swagger of Raekwon, MidaZ has a knack for leaving a memorable impression on listeners through songs from his own catalog as well as on show-stealing guest spots. After years of developing his craft (as heard on acclaimed mixtapes like "MidaZ Vs. Pete Rock", "MidaZ Vs. Muggs", the "El MidaZ Affair" and "LOOPS"), the Doxside Music Group artist has begun his ascent into the circle of Hip Hop’s elite. Producers Alchemist, Oh No, and Marco Polo have all personally reached out to MidaZ for his trademark beast-like bars on their recent projects. With the August 2013 release of his official debut album "AU" on HiPNOTT, more of the world is about to learn what so many have already recognized – there are few rappers that exist who can even hold a candle to MidaZ the Beast. 




OK-Tho:
So your name used to be GoldenChild, why did you change it?

MidaZ:
I was GoldenChild waaaay back in HS. I mainly just changed it because I started running into different cats named golden child. I just felt like it wasn't too original I guess. 

OK-Tho:
Youv'e been in the game for a minute now, dropping projects back in 2006. Would you say your thought process and intuition to rap has changed since you started or is it the same?

MidaZ:
It has to change with the times for sure, but the basic premise is still the same. I rhyme hard. Put time into the pen, and make sure everything is on point. That hasn't changed one bit. So while some stuff changes, a lot remains the same. 

OK-Tho:
Who were your influences to pursue becoming an artist?

MidaZ:
My uncle was rapping. That's the main reason. My uncles were into hip hop, and I wanted to do whatever they were doing. They introduced me to Wu, Nas, Mobb and that whole 90’s era when I was a kid and it just swelled up for me.

OK-Tho:
Florida seems to be more of a commercial scene for rappers, especially nowadays. What was the local scene like when you first got into recording and spitting?

MidaZ:
When I first came into the Florida scene it was popping! A lot of battling, and a whole slew of super talented unsung heroes were out here wrecking shop. I mean back then even Pit Bull was rhyming hard out in MIA lol. But you had cats like Asamov, and Sollilaquists of sound, and War hedz and a million others. Cats had a healthy respect for the craft back then. There's still a lot of cats like that too out here, but the scene is def smaller for the kind of hip hop we do. I'll put my Orlando’s top 3-4 against any other city tho on the real. We got spitters.

OK-Tho:
Bet. Was underground Hip Hop big in Orlando or any other city in Florida?

MidaZ:
Yeah. Big in Orlando, big in Jacksonville, big in Gainesville, big in Tampa, big in Miami. We have our own little Floridian chitlin circuit out here.

OK-Tho:
You released "DJ Muggs vs Midaz" and "Pete Rock Vs. MidaZ", did you ever get contacted from either of the two after the release and got praise and what not?

MidaZ:
Nah but I did get a chance to play the whole Muggs joint for GZA on the WU tourbus. That was wild. Me, GZA, Young Justice, Kinetic 9, Power and Ghostface. WILD.



OK-Tho:
That's dope!! What would you say was one of your most important releases of your catalog that got you a good amount of recognition in the start of your career?

MidaZ:
HMM...Id say "El MidaZ Affair". I think that was the project where cats was like “Ok, this dude is for real”. I got a ton of positive feedback off of that project for sure, and more recently “LOOPS” did the same thing for me. 

OK:
Whats your affiliation with Doxside Music?

MidaZ:
Thats the team. My brothers. My family in this music thing and outside of it really. IMAKEMADBEATS, TZARIZM, and SYNOPSE are best friends of mine, and everybody else in the team is super talented guys that we’ve be affiliated with forever. YEARS and YEARS. And we are just getting started. A lot to pop off from the squad in the coming year. Next up actually is “Via Satellite”, the new LP from TzariZM and Planet Asia. Thats dropping on the 29th. CRAZY!

OK:
Name 5 of your top albums of all time?

MidaZ:
D’angelo - Voodoo
Raekwon - OB4CL
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Roc Marciano - Reloaded
2pac - All Eyez On Me

OK:
IMAKEMADBEATS seemed to have been there pretty much from the beginning with you, whether producing or engineering, were there any other producers and or artists that have been with you from the jump?

MidaZ:
Um, nah not really. TzariZM. That would be it. IMAKEMADBEATS and TzariZM. I linked up with Beretta 9 of Killarmy really early on and he has remained a close friend. 

OK:
How did you link with Killarmy and Sunz Of Man?

MidaZ:
I was at a RZA concert and ended up battling members of Black Knights in the crowd. Afterwards they took me to meet RZA and Beretta 9. Beretta and I became close. He would actually come out to Orlando pretty regularly in those days and we would link. He kinda pulled me under his wing a bit. He’s my conduit to the WU. From there I was introduced to Shyheim, 4th Disciple, Shogun, and 9th Prince and just started linking up with cats and doing music. Lots of ill unreleased stuff in the vaults there. 

OK:
Word that's peace. The Alchemist recruited a list of heavy hitters including Royce, Evidence, Sean P and more for the "Chinatown Wars" joint on Grand Theft Auto. How did you become a part of that?

MidaZ:
I had just gotten off of a tour with Oh No, and we had been talking about working. So ever since then, he’s reached out when he’s been working on stuff. That was just Oh reaching out right there.


OK:
Your 2013 mixtape "AU: Another Universe" had you working with big name artists and producers like Marco Polo, Roc Marciano, Oh No, Blueprint and Planet Asia. What was the process and experience like during the making of that project?

MidaZ:
Minus Planet Asia’s contribution everything was done via file sharing so it wasn't too crazy. But fat shout to all of those artists for participating. It was an honor to work with those guys. They are all legends in the game to me. 



OK:
Explain how you and Hip Nott Records came together?

MidaZ:
Kevin Nottingham is fam. He stays out in MIA so that's that FLA connection working. We met at an event and realized we had similar admiration for each others work and decided to link up and do work together. Shout out my big bro Kevin Nottingham and the whole HipNott!!

OK:
Your New 52 series cover artworks are done by Gift Revolver and Benjamin Goraj, are you a comic book fan?

MidaZ:
A huge comic book fan. Huge. And those guys are ILL with the illustrations and even better, just genuinely cool brothers. So they will always be a part of anything i'm working on for sure. Growing up I was a big Marvel guy, but of late I’ve def, been leaning toward DC. I think I just like their universe better for my taste.

OK:
I got a friend who works for DC actually, I'll try and get you some free stuff if I can. If you could move to any other state, where would you go and why?

MidaZ:
Maybe Cali. I got a lot of fam out in Cali and there's work to be done out there. Other than that option. I'm exactly where I want to be location wise.

OK:
What up and coming artists do you find yourself liking?

MidaZ:
HMM..The last dude I really got into was Freddie Gibbs. And Dom Kennedy. Outside of those dudes I haven't really been up on anybody really. 

OK:
Give me your take on the state of Hip Hop today?

MidaZ:
Hip hop is hip hop. It ebbs and flows. What I think is dope about hip hop nowadays is that its super cool to just do the music the way you would do it. The new rules are that there are no rules, so you can kinda just do your thing. That’s dope. And commercial radio isn't even too bad at the moment. There’s some dope music on that side out as well. Certainly not as bad as it was in like 04-07. I would say there isn't that much super memorable material being dropped on the indie scene to me tho. That's gotta change. but other than that, hip hop is healthy man. There's always gonna be spitters. 

OK:
For the artists of today you have blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube etc. What would you say is the most important factor in getting a buzz, besides having great material?

MidaZ:
Being in the right place at the right time. Which translates to being everywhere all of the time haha. Nothing makes up for good old fashioned face to face meetings.



OK:
If you could work with 5 producers for your next project, who would you pick?

MidaZ:
IMAKEMADBEATS
TZariZM
Alchemist
Madlib
The guys who do Drakes beats. The last gang of joints he’s put of have had great production.

OK:
Between all the projects and singles you've dropped throughout your career, how do you stay inspired and influenced to make newer material?

MidaZ:
Its always been about writing the next great verse to me. Writing something I think is dope. So my inspiration just comes from wanting to impress myself. And making something I’d like to listen to.

OK:
You still have your New 52 series dropping for the rest of 2014, what else can fans expect from you this year and the future?

MidaZ:
Actually we decided to put a freeze indefinitely on the NEW 52. Only reason being we have the "IMAKEMAD-BEAST" LP on deck and I didn't wanna spoil it by putting too many joints out there. But I could've done two years straight with no stoppage. My catalog is DEEP.

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