Regazzi

After school info: Didn't pursue tertiary education. Wanted to focus on music but started getting into trouble instead when the lure of fast money became too much to resist. After seeing some of his close friends who also lived "the hustler's life" either arrested or killed, 'Gazzi gave up the corner, opting to walk the straight and narrow path and again devote his time to his 1st love - music.

How did you first start get into music?: Hip-hop 1st got my attention in the mid to late 80's, when I heard songs like Rapping Duke's "DaHa" and Kool Moe Dee's "Wild Wild West", however, access to hip-hop music in Trinidad was very limited around that time. When my cousin from North Carolina visited for the Christmas and summer holidays he would bring his RUN DMC albums and we would memorise the songs and try to outrap each other. Then in 1992, by which time local radio and tv started airing a lot more American music, a series of interesting events led to me trying my hand at song-writing. First, a teenaged duo named Kriss Kross and their chart-topping songs made me believe I could be a rapper as they were not much older than me yet were capable of producing music and performances both the young and old enjoyed. Then, during a visit to North Carolina that summer, I saw how much Americans really loved hip-hop and this made me want to be a part of it. Finally, after hearing the debut albums from Black Sheep (Wolf In Sheep's Clothing) and Pete Rock & CL Smooth (Mecca & the Soul Brother), I was hooked.

Who influenced your musical style?: Rakim, Nas, Snoop, Biggie......all the MCs that came before me and believed in being original.

Favourite musical influences/artistes?: Nas, Ice Cube, Madonna, Michael Jackson, LL Cool J, Sting.

How did you break onto the local scene?: I was part of a four-man group, which enjoyed a decent amount of airplay on local radio. Creative differences lead to me pursuing a solo career. In 2007, New York mixtape heavyweight DJ Kool Kid picked one of my offerings from among thousands of entries to appear on an unsigned hype mixtape named The A&R Handbook Pt.1. Then I released a song named "Do It Like That" during the summer, which received heavy rotation in T&T and a few other Caribbean islands.What are your plans/hope for the future?: I plan to be the 1st ever artiste straight out of Trinidad to get signed and to go platinum. Also, I hope to one day own my own label and release artistes primarily from the Caribbean as the region is loaded with talented individuals who either don't have an outlet or just get overlooked because of where they are from.