San Francisco’s Ozer has been nurturing his lyrical gift since the age of six when he first began using music as his sanctum and escape from the challenges in his life. When he was first introduced to J.Cole he was initially connected to Hip-Hop, inspired by J.cole’s execution and flow. Another artist who impacted Ozer is Kendrick Lamar. After years of cultivating his craft as an emcee, and persevering through the travails of life, Sam Ozer has evolved into a formidable force. He is equipped with an impeccable gift of extracting from the quintessence of life, transforming into a prolific composer and penetrating one's conscience with truth and eloquence that rivals the legends. He released his single “Waves” featuring artists such as MC-coy, and Ysmg. “Waves” begins with a wavy, quiet and laid-back background instrumental. Ozer’s distinctive rap flow stayed correctly on beat without missing a rhythm at all. He flows fluently and rides the wave of the song with authentic lyrics personable to him. “If you ain't talking about money then what you saying” the hook says. What I took from this song is that it showcases the dedication and determination Ozer has for success and becoming a great like his inspirations. I like subtle rap because you don’t have to do the most in order to fabricate a hit single. Ozer proved that with “Waves”.
Listen to Ozer's new song "Waves" and check out our exclusive interview.
Hi Ozer! Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Ozer, I’m 23 years old and I’m an independent hip-hop artist out of San Francisco, CA.
In what ways has writing music impacted you?
Writing music has impacted me a lot. It’s definitely helped me discover more things about myself and it’s been an outlet for any emotion that might be feeling. I started taking music seriously after I had a deep talk with my pops and he started crying mid conversation. Mind you, I was only like 16 so I didn’t know how to feel or how to even talk about what had occurred. With me feeling like that, I turned to music to help me tell his story and express my feelings.
How has it been growing up in San Francisco ? has the environment out there inspired your artistry?
San Francisco is a great city. I’ve lived here my entire life and I wouldn’t trade that experience at all. I’ve seen a lot of good and I’ve seen a lot of bad within my city, but that’s what helped shape into the man and the artist that I am today. Lol it’s also really small, so everybody knows each other. It has a lot of great artists out here that I’ve been able to work with and they’ve inspired me in many ways. A lot of artists out here just want to build and create which is great. We’re always trying to throw events out here to bring everyone together and celebrate the underground music scene.
What was the initial vision for your record “Waves”?
I was in a hustler’s mindset when I made that joint. I just wanted people to have a record that not only they could vibe to but something that motivated them as well.
Can you tell us about the creation process of "Waves"?
That process was pretty organic, truthfully. I go on the internet and listen to beats everyday and I just so happened to come across the instrumental on YouTube. It took me about a week to write to it and then the other artists just naturally gravitated towards the sound once I played it for them.
Which artist besides J.Cole are you a big fan of and why?
I’m a huge Kendrick and Nipsey Hussle fan. I’ve been listening to them and Cole consistently for like 9-10 years. If I had to stay on this earth and only listen to those three, I’d be good.
What’s your take on the current status of hip-hop in the music industry?
I think hip-hop is in a great space. I think artists and fans are starting to realize that there’s not just one way to create “Hip-Hop” music. There’s so many ways to do it now, it’s sort of overwhelming lol. For instance you have an artist like Ski Mask The Slumped God who differs vastly from an artist like Bas, but they’re both still making dope ass music that you can vibe to.
What's next for you in 2019?
2019 I’m definitely dropping a lot more visuals and focusing on gearing up for my next project, “Lost In Translation”. I’m ending 2018 with a good amount of momentum, so I’m just trying to keep that going.
Connect with Ozer on social media:
Instagram: @OzerSF
Twitter: @OzerSF
Youtube: OzerSF