DOF x Tradiio Interview: 21 Questions w/ Relz

Relz a talented emcee representing Virginia Beach, VA (Born in Brooklyn, NY) and co-founder and 1/4 of the label Covenant Government. Relz aspires to create music that appeals to a new generation while staying true to the art that he fell in love with as a child. His previous EP entitled "The Aurora" in association with Covenant Government was released to the masses in 2014. Look for the freshness coming in 2016, such as his EP "Life's a Beach" dropping in the middle of the year as well as the Covenant Government Compilation Project "From Me 2 U" on Valentines Day.  It's now time to check out the interview 21 Questions with Relz presented by DEFINITION OF FRESH and TRADIIO.

What's On TV:
Into the Badlands on AMC. I'm a Kung Fu fanatic, plus I just cant do the Walking Dead.

What's On My Playlist: 
King Push - Darkest Before Dawn (Pusha T)

Favorite Movie: 
Friday, classic. Know every line by heart.

Magazines/Books:
Right now I'm reading 'How Successful People Think' by John Maxwell.

Why do you "Love'' Hip Hop?

The freedom, the power, the innovation. Hip-hop in this generation gives you the freedom to be exactly who you are, the power to influence/impact people behind the mic, & it allows you to create. Not just create dope music, but create a legacy that will have people wanting to follow in your footsteps..or create an image that can change fashion trends for the next few years. Stuff like that. Come to think of it, that's the power of music in general. I just love music.

Favorite Emcee:
Nas

Favorite Group:
Little Brother

Favorite Producer:
Just Blaze

1st rap album you ever purchased? 
Nas - Illmatic: 10th Anniversary 

How old were you when you first spit your rhyme?
14

How did you come up with the name Relz? 
My name is Jorel, so I just took from it.

How would you describe your music?

Versatile. East coast is my heart..I was born in Brooklyn, but sometimes I come across a dope new school beat I gotta hop on, or sometimes I wanna sing. I can't sing, but I can hold a tune. Lol.

How has your life changed since becoming a rap artists?

I personally think writing music helped me express myself better in the long run. Also gave me confidence. I used to be the shy guy until somebody would ask me to spit something..then the reaction was always the same. Thrived off of the attention.

What are thoughts on the Hip-Hop scene in Virginia Beach and it's influence on the genre?

The Beach is unique to me. Every artist that came out of Virginia Beach was different, whether it was Timbaland & Magoo, Missy, or Pharrell & Clipse, each of them brought something new to Hip Hop as a whole. The same is happening now with the new artists coming out of the beach. I'm happy to see cats D.R.A.M coming out of the beach making noise because its still that innovative original sound that the pioneers were bringing. I went to high school with Gabe Niles & Max Fullard from his team RBLE, so I'm definitely happy to see those guys representing the city & doing their thing.

What are your influences? 
God, Love, & Dope music.

What process that birthed your project ""The Aurora""?

Well I was fresh out of a group at the time and wanted to put music out on my own. So what started as just doing songs turned into putting a project together. When i started looking for a title, I kept seeing the word "Aurora" literally everywhere I went. So I looked up the meaning to find out it means "The Dawn" in latin. So being that it was my first solo release, & that I don't believe in coincidence, I ran with it for the title & the rest is history.

What do you think is the most important thing you have yet to master to help your progress in the rap game?

Appearances, I'm sort of a hermit.

What’s your favorite thing about performing a live show? And your least favorite thing about performing a live show?

I love being able to control the energy of the audience, hate a lazy crowd.

Where do you see yourself as an artist in 5 years?

Established, with a self sustaining career. No more 9 to 5's! A major goal is to have our label Covenant Government be an Indie powerhouse.

What’s up next for Relz?

Look for my EP "Life's a Beach" towards the middle of the year. Dropping a single produced by VA's own Kino Beats early March and a Covenant Government Compilation Project "From Me 2 U" on Valentines Day.

Any Last Words?

Cop my labelmate Young Scoop's EP on iTunes!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/say-grace

Latest Project / Projects: