Interview: phz-sicks + d.o.f. + dunn deal promotions

Woodbridge, VA rap artist PHZ-Sicks (pronounced ‘physics’) presents the Raw Footage Cinema-directed music video for “The Constant”, the Best Kept Secret-produced song featuring DMV rapper Rob Regal from The Moment, his new album featuring Detroit rapper/singer Scolla, singer Alison Carney and fellow Triple S crew member Seanny Greggs as well as production from Stompboxx Music, Epik the Dawn, Kriss Liss and Kajmir Royale. PHZ has performed at festivals such as NXNE, MadeInTheDMV, 35 Denton, has opened for Wale and J. Cole, and 2DopeBoyz gave The Moment honorable mention for best mixtapes in 2013. The clip for “The Constant” comes on the heels of the videos for previous Moment singles “Black Women” (watch) and “Coming Down” (watch). “‘The Constant’ was written in early 2013 when Stop and Frisk, Sandy Hook and the news story of Henry Louis Gates false arrest for walking into his own home constantly played in my head,” PHZ-Sicks says. “The song became one of my best-known songs once the project dropped and over time took a life of its own when rampant police shootings of unarmed black men constantly occurred. Due to this, I wanted to create a video that showed how power could be misused when given to those that don’t see themselves as part of the community they’ve sworn to protect.”

The Moment obviously has a higher degree of professionalism than your average mixtape. How did you achieve that?

I’ve always been a fan of orchestral music and I wanted to bring that musicality to The Moment. I wanted it to be dynamic and for it to always keep you on your toes, so for this project, production-wise, I was very hands-on it with my engineer, Mr. Wise. It’s the reason why you see our names on the co-production for a majority of the project. I think that and the meticulousness of a year and a half of searching for the production and six months of writing also helped out. I take breaks from writing after a project. I feel you must live life before going in the studio and laying down what should be your opus. It’s the slow process, the musicality, the awareness of what you want and hunger that makes The Moment its own thing.

Which has proven to be your favorite song from the project and why?

It would probably be “Brim Low”. The John Carpenter-esque production, the hard-hitting live drums, the nod to Nina Simone, meaningful lyrics peppered with pop culture and literary references basically encompasses me. The movie and TV buff, the music buff, the emotion, the passion, the want, the fear. It’s who I am as an artist and also one of my favorite songs to perform.

What’s the deepest thing a fan has said to you or done for you regarding your music?

It’s not one thing but that the music has helped them either personally in their lives or opens them up to be more sociopolitical. I’m not trying to beat people over the head with my views but to just get them to think and question things, even me. Open dialogue is a beautiful thing and just having these conversations with people who enjoy my music means the world to me. Music has helped me through dark periods and if I could do the same for one else, then my mission as an artist is accomplished.

How do you feel your next project will differ?

There were a lot of live drums on my last project and with this one I have in mind, live composition will be throughout. The majority will be live instrumentation. Think of it as The Moment on steroids. You won’t know what sounds you’ll hear next but you’re going to love it, have fun, dance, and think at the same time.

What’s a life motto you try to live by and why?

A little saying I came up with: “good day, greater tomorrow.” Any day I wake up is a good day. I get to live my life and take in the beauty around me, but in the end, it’s up to me make sure I have a greater tomorrow for me and those I could affect with my actions. We’re all connected and if I can leave this world a better place with each tomorrow I’m given, then I lived a great life.