We had the chance to sit down and chop it up with rising Florida rapper, Anonymuz, and talk about his come up, his fanbase, his influences, and more. A radical soul on the mic. A radical presence on the stage. A radical, yet intelligent artist at the same time. This all defines the man by the name of Anonymuz from Broward County, Florida, who has made his mark on the music world with a thrashing sound and staying true to himself. Anonymuz expresses himself through his music, which is released under Radical Records, a label he started with his team. From getting the crowd excited with his high-energy music, to working with the likes of Hi-Rez, Night Lovell, and many more, Anonymuz has only begun his conquest to the top. I had the pleasure of chopping it up with Anonymuz at his last show in Orlando, Florida. Check out our dope conversation below!
So my first question has to be, where did you get the name Anonymuz from?
It really came from rapping man, it came from the fact that anyone can be a radical. I’m anonymous, they’re anonymous.
Being from Broward County, how has that played a part in your life and music?
I think the biggest part Broward has played in my life and music is that it’s made me diverse since it’s such a melting pot. I listen to a bunch of different genres and I think it helps me visiualize things from other people’s perspectives.
You define yourself as a radical and leading Radical Records, what is your radical ideology behind all this? How did the radicalness start and also throwing up the “X”, what does that represent?
I got the radical war jacket on right now, I got that shit tatted on me. I always liked anime, video games, random shit growing up and I feel like people were always trying to talk shit about me or would misunderstand me. I felt like it kind of made me be something I’m not, so as I got older I was like man fuck that shit and wanted to be a outlier, a radical, I want to be myself. I know they’re kids and people that listen to me who follow that same kind of ideology, maybe they aren’t being who they really could be or not really living their truth. So it’s really about that. Be a radical, don’t be the same as everyone else, be different and live your truth. And the reason for throwing up the “X” is to block out whatever someone wants to portray you as, like we not accepting that.
So one of my favorite tracks and video is “Urameshi” and you mentioned that you grew up liking anime and what not. Tell me about the cultural influences of Asia that has intrigued you so much. How did you get into all that?
I always watched Tsunami as a jit, Cowboy Bebop, DBZ, shit like that. I always fucked with that suff and like I said, my whole thing is about living your truth. While I had a bunch of real shit going on, that was also a big part of my life. It’s not just anime, plenty of things I like, that people are going to see throughout my music as time goes on, get to really know me. I like foreign films my nigga, I like to travel. City Of God is one of my favorite foreign films, so check that out if you haven’t.
So on the topic of influences, what are some musical influences, or influences in general that have shaped you and your music?
Definitely growing up and not even the financial hardships that you always here about in Hip-Hop, but really just the mental hardships that people always don’t talk about. Were put in this society where it’s like you know as a man you can’t really show emotion or let shit get to you, especially as a black man. For me, it was like alright I just want to be real with myself. Talk about shit that I got through that I know all of us go through. It struggles with depression, it’s victory, it just really encompasses my life. Talk about things from a perspective people might not see, like a fan who really wants to be like me but doesn’t understand my own emotional trauma, my own shortcomings. So then it’s like I want to be able too speak to them, like nah your life is great too. I just want everyone to live their truth and be a radical, be yourself.
So you have this fan base/cult following that spreads worldwide and in today’s music world, these fan bases are here today and gone tomorrow. What does that mean to you having such a strong fan base since you’ve been doing music for a while and crushing it at that.
Yeah I’ve been writing forever, but I feel like I’m really just getting started. Last year, the year before to be honest. I was kind of bullshitting before that. The reason my fans really really love me is due to the fact that I actually give a fuck about them you know? I just don’t want to talk about anything, it’s not like oh let’s have fun and do this. Yeah, there’s a time and place for that which you’ll see tonight with the show, I love to go crazy and the show to look like a riot. At the same time i’ve had fans reach out and be like “yo, your music saved me from suicide” like crazy shit. When I read those messages, I can’t just go out and say anything. I really have to care, these are people who love me and connect with me. So how could I act like a rapper, ignore people and try to be cool. I pull up everywhere and dap everyone up, like yo I’m Anon, Anonymuz. This whole “oh you’re a rapper, I’m a rapper and we can’t talk” is wack as fuck.
Daily Chiefers: Speaking on your fans, you made A announcement on your YouTube letting everyone know a tour is coming. Can you talk more about that? Dates, cities, all that.
Anonymuz: I can’t say cities right now, but just know things are being worked on for everyone who fucks with me out of state.
You’ve had the pleasure to work with some great talents such as Night Lovell and Hi-Rez. How was working with those guys? Do you collab with artists a lot and/or producers?
Working with Rez was dope just because he was one of the first to reach out to me and I’ll always appreciate. Same with Lovell, I’ve always been greatful to him for letting me lace his production but honestly i don’t really like collaborating with other artists besides producers. Because usually rappers have Ego’s and I’m not a fan of that type of energy. I tend to make the best music when I work with producers because a great producer wants to make music with great artists & it’s rare to get a biased producer hating on an artists that’s on their beat.
❌❌❤️❤️❌❤️❌❤️❌ @denzelcurry @YesJulz @Anonymuzkilla ❤️❌❌ pic.twitter.com/4k5pLfGnvy
— RxdicalRecords (@RxdicalRecords) August 14, 2018
Recently on 1am Radio with YesJulz, Denzel Curry was on the air and shouted you out, saying you were the next to blow out of South Florida. How does that feel coming from a legend in the making? If not one already.
It was dope I didn’t expect that at all, it just lets me know that I’m doing something right so shout out to Denzel. We got something in the works. Stay tuned.
So what can we expect in the future from the Anonymuz, I know you’ve mentioned an upcoming EP There Is No Threat. What is that project going to be like?
Yes, There Is No Threat is the name of the next EP. I just want to tell people don’t go into it with any expectations. If you go into expecting Vice City, you’re going to be wrong. If you go into it expecting Urameshi, you’ll be wrong. Just understand I’m really making art. This is the first time that i’ve made a project where i’m producing a lot of the shit, i’m taking producing super super serious now. People are going to hear every fucking version of me. From the super hardcore, riot, war shit to the real like euro, the ride, melodic singing type shit. It’s going to be everything, it’s going to talk about my whole life. Talk about this past year cause the last year has been crazy and also what’s going on in the future, what has been up to this point.
A Daily Chiefer’s question, what’s your preferred way of smoking? Bong, blunts, joints, etc. Also have you been to any of the legal weed states like Cali or Colorado?
As I ask this question, Rackz God passes Anonymuz the blunt. S/o Rackz God!
*hits blunt* ok Rackz God! But yeah, I fuck with papers a lot. Ok so here’s the thing, I like smoking with people cause when I smoke alone I be getting into my head and shit. And yes, when I was out in Cali I smoked a moonrock blunt before my shoot for Motorola and I was just thinking to myself, I know why they made this shit illegal. *everyone laughs*
Thank you again to Anonymuz and his whole team! All photos were taken by Alex Grill (@pleasekillgrill).
