Jo'zzy Interview
SVN: I read on your website, Dope By Accident when you were five years old your brother was incarcerated, which left a void in your life, so was he your inspiration to become an artist?
Jo’zzy: Yes, hands down. It was a void of him being locked up because he wasn’t physically around. But, I felt like music did not fill the void it just brought us together more because my brother played a big part of my music. He has so much respect in the streets, but not only that he had so many tapes in his room. I was very enlightened about the tapes that he had such as Scarface, UGK and Three Six Mafia. I snuck these tapes in my room and begin to write my own.
SVN: Who are the most influential people in your life and career?
Jo’zzy: If it was not for Missy Elliot I would not be an artist. I stayed with her for a month working on her album and I was just going to stay a songwriter. Missy addressed me, “What’s wrong with you? Yo, you look like a rapper, you wear sneakers, you look like you skateboard and you sing R&B. That’s a shock value.” She put it to me in black and white telling me I need to do R&B because people will listen to you. Diddy is a big influence on me because what he did with R&B, he killed it in the 90’s. In addition to, Total and Aaliyah as well.
SVN: I know everyone wants to have their own identity and you get compared to Missy Elliot, &but how are you different from Missy Elliot?
Jo’zzy: I’m of today and Missy was from a golden era.
SVN: Explain.
Jo.zzy: Missy Elliot was of a time where hip-hop was very golden. People of open arms would listen to it because that is all they had. Within today’s music there is so much ratchet and horrible stuff out that people don’t really hear my music. But, the people who hear it remember it, feel good and love it.
SVN: How did you link up with Wizz, who is now your producer?
Jo’zzy: We’re both from Memphis, but when I was was in school, I was the little sister to all his homeboys. At the time.
SVN: How did you link up with Timbaland.
Jo'zzy: Wizz was working with Timbaland and Timbaland asked about me. Then he flew me out to work on this Agnes project in Miami. I was only supposed to stay for a week, but ended up staying in Miami for four years.
SVN: So, did Timbaland know that you were a songwriter instead of an artist.
Jo’zzy: Timbaland just thought I was a songwriter for the first weeks while working with him. I let him hear my music and he said, “Oh, she dope!” Then I went to VA with him to work on Missy album for four months. Later, within that time he starting seeing me as an artist.
SVN: Did Timbaland hear a certain song that he liked, which made him sign you as an artist?
Jo'zzy: The first song I think he heard was I Lay It Down, which is on the Twenty 90’s album. He heard it, he wanted it for Missy because it was really for Missy. But, at the time I was just getting my legs in the door and people really did not know what I could do. So, I kept it for myself.
SVN: How did you feel at the moment when Timbaland introduced you as his new artist in Miami?
Jo'zzy: Well, Timbaland had a big show in Miami and he called Wiz and I on stage. He told the crowd, “This the new Timb and Missy.” It was one of those things where Timb was working with Justin Timberlake and others, so he could not give us the full attention we wanted. But, the fact that he let the world know we were his artists felt good to me.
SVN: I was informed by your website, DopeByAccident that you wrote for many well-known artists such as, Justin Timberlake and Indonesian artist, Monica Agnez. So, what made you want to transition into being an artist rather than just a songwriter ?
Jo'zzy: Most of the time it’s like I rather be the artist when I write for other artists because you look at these artists and think they have it together. Honestly, if they did not have a dope beat and a good song they would not be the artist that they are. You have to give them your style, not all of them, but just some of them.
SVN: What do you love about being a songwriter ?
Jo'zzy: You can be whoever you want to be. I can be someone different. If I write for a Pop artist, I can be happy, go lucky chick. If I write for a girl who is going through something I can be that depressed, I just broke up with my boo. If I’m writing for a guy, I can say freaky stuff that chicks want to hear.
SVN: When you make your own music, who do you make your music for?
Jo'zzy: I make my music universal for everyone. My music is black and white. However, it has elements of nostalgia. It’s still of the 90’s and of today where people can relate.
SVN: What exactly is the “Twenty 90’s” ?
Jo'zzy: “Twenty 90’s” is nothing but the 2000’s mixed with the 90’s. Wizz is the “Twenty” and I’m the “90’s.” He brings the today beat of the 2000’s, I bring the 90’s melodies and harmonies that is how we come together.
SVN: Your latest single Trynna Wife, which is a dope song that includes Timbaland and Mase how did that come about?
Jo'zzy: It was easy to get Timb because I was in LA while he was working in LA at the time. He was in a good mood, he came in and heard the song. He got in the booth and did what he does best. A guy a named, Mike Daddy, contacted Mase in Detroit. Mike Daddy let him hear the song and he recorded on it the same day.
SVN: What is the purpose of your music?
Jo'zzy: The purpose of my music is to bring back a sound with my producer Wizz, which Timb and Missy bought in the 90’s. I feel like we can bring that sound back and we will.
SVN: If you had a chance to do a collaboration who would it be with?
Jo'zzy: I’m praying to do a song with Drake as well as Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliot.
SVN: So, you’re in ATL for the A3C festival, how was your performance at the SoundTable?
Jo'zzy: It was amazing. I was the only R&B artist there, but it was so much crowd participation. People did not know the lyrics, but once they caught on you could hear them singing.
SVN: What should your fans expect from you in these upcoming months?
Jo'zzy: My new first single Go Hard is coming out at the end of October. After that, I’m going to drop a song every other week until my new album comes out. I plan on releasing Twenty 90’s II in mid November.
