Southeast Hip Hop Magazine sits down with rising Blazed Up Records artist C.U.J.O. the HellHusky for a closer look, in depth interview to discuss his past, present and future. Get into the mind of this versatile talented lyricist and well rounded recording artist!
Southeast Hip Hop Magazine: Hey C.U.J.O., how are you today?
C.U.J.O.: Well you already know the funk don't quit.
How did you get the name C.U.J.O. the HellHusky?
LMFAO my name is an acronym. My cousin Stephanie gave me that name because we were at one cookout and she saw me eat. Then we went to a cookout at her house and she offered me a plate of food and I took it so the name stands for Cuz U Just Offered. C.U.J.O.
How would you describe yourself as an artist?
I would describe myself as (in the words of Tech n9ne) "a clusterf**k" because there is so much that goes on with me. So much to the point sometimes I can't sleep. There is Portrait art, 3d graphic animation, voice-over acting and also music.
Who were some of your influences coming up?
That is a very loaded question. You have Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Busta Rhymes AKA The Godfather of Hip Hop and of course Tech N9ne!!
How would you describe the current state of hip hop?
It sucks. I came up during the time of Biggie, Tupac, Wu-Tang, groups and artists like that. Where music had substance there was a story behind what they were doing you can almost feel, see and taste what they are doing by just listening to their music. You listen to the music today you can feel what they're doing, as long as you're doing the same drugs that they're telling you to do. It's almost like it's cool to be a junkie now. I can't get with that. That's why I'm trying to bring the new state of hip-hop and merge it with the old state of hip-hop and still make great music.
If you could change anything in the world right now, what would it be?
I would change the need and want of power also racism, I will take them both out. You know that power that humans feel and want to exert over other humans. I want everyone to feel the same in the only reason why we don't and there are people who are racist is because they feel that they have more power than someone else.
Who are some of the artists you've worked with, and who would you like to work with in the future?
I worked with multiple artists. One huge artist like General P. We have two songs called "Fuck the police" and "Vicious". I've also worked with producers such as bendin Beatz and Trapp Beatz and my homie Panama the engineer. I had a team back in the day but we all grew in separate directions. Right now I got a new song with my homie Younga B and it's called "Battlefield." For the future I want to be able to work with anybody who wants to
work with me, but a real good look would be to do a song with Busta Rhymes then to do a song with Tech N9ne.
Aside from yourself as an artist, how would you describe yourself as a man? Who is the person behind the music?
This brother has a lot of soul just like James Brown. I'm a man of integrity and I'm allergic to incompetence. I know things can go right if everyone including myself pays attention. Straightforward is what I am there's no sugar-coating with me.
What has been two of your biggest accomplishments as an artist right now?
I'm still working there's more accomplishments that I'm looking forward to but one big one is being signed to BLAZED UP RECORDS!!
What were two of the biggest challenges you've faced being an indie artist and how did you learn from it or bounce back?
Two biggest challenges are being able to manage yourself and promote yourself, but if you have determination and you don't let anybody tell you no. Even though I have not came across too many people that will tell me no, I always bounce back with those two characteristics.
How did you hook up with Blazed Up Records?
Through my big homie General p. We did a song called Fuck the Police and he and I went to the Thirsty Goat in Waterbury Connecticut and perform that song at an open mic. For anyone that doesn't know about open mics you have a certain time and then you get off to let the next artist go. We rock that so hard the audience asked us for an encore and he got signed that night. I told him I wanted in as well and he hooked me up.
Is there anything else you would like to plug, any shout outs?
I'M LETTING ALL REAL HIP HOP HEADS KNOW!! Blazed up records is coming through the smash on this hip hop game!! Shout out to my squad shout out to my family shout out to my wife and my son and y'all stay funky and keep watching the Stars cuz we finna kill it!!
