Inquiring hip-hop fans all over the globe are itching to know, “Burnz, who is this guy?†Born and raised in Phoenix, AZ this 26-year-old MC has a vision that extends beyond trying to make a catchy radio single, and pulls his music inspiration from a wide variety of artists ranging from: Redman and Nas, all the way to John Coltrane and Billie Holiday. Burnz displays an honest, skillful and eager rap style, as he fortunately lacks the overused material braggadocio technique that most rappers lean on to help increase their fan base. His swag and rhyme flow are quite refreshing and unlike most rappers, he is blessed with the ability to take his life experiences and perspective on different subjects and transform them into a song; in which his pain, drive and his lessons learned can all be heard and absorbed by listeners.
His roots go back to the origin of The Zone’s Hip-Hop scene in the notorious stomping grounds of, Maryvale-one of West Phoenix’s grittiest neighborhoods. He was fortunate enough to be introduced to the culture at a young age through his older brother/mentor, Pound (R.I.P.), one of The Zone’s first producers whom along with other veteran emcees helped establish the local urban scene in the late 1980’s-early 90’s. Soon he found himself jotting down rhymes on “hall passes,†and battling fellow MCs during recess. But with his father out of the picture, and his single mother left all alone to raise her family, he turned to the streets for guidance.
After getting kicked out of his mother’s house and roaming the streets of Phoenix for several of years, Burnz packed up his bags, and was able to voyage across the country at a young age allowing him to experience places like: Virginia when the Clipse and Pharrell began to make their moves, and Sacramento during the height of the hyphy movement. The journeys across the country made Burnz grow as an MC, and the outcome left him with an even more diverse rhyme scheme.
When listening to Burnz’s music, his grittiness and his swift lyrical word-play easily standout, giving him the upper-hand against his competitors. While some MCs are limited to one category or rhyme style, Burnz restricts himself from all limits, as he displays his versatility in his music. At times he may exploit the streets through his eyes; in other cases he may spit a story or serve listeners with his “thug- revolutionary†anthems. “My music is like ghetto poetry, anyone hustling, banging, or that just loves hip hop will enjoy it,†he says confidently of his talent.
In the midst of the “Hip-Hop is dead†speculation, Burnz prefers to think of Hip-Hop as a relationship between a man and a woman. “When you think everything is going real bad, something happens that surprises you. And when you think everything is going good, something happens that makes you say ‘Man, this is horrible!†Nevertheless, Burnz remains on the path to improve himself and his music. “It doesn’t take a genius to make money. I just keep on trying to better my music. In 2007 going into 2008, Hip-Hop is about artists that are in love with it.†His debut, Who Is This Guy is coming real soon!