FVTV original artist interview ·
REEZE PLAYED SHOWS TO EMPTY ROOMS. HE KEPT GOING.
The Dallas artist talks about poetry competitions, building his name without a crowd, and making different music as life changed.
Reeze remembers playing approximately a year of shows when almost nobody came, including free gigs within walking distance of school. He started out in high-school poetry slams and began recording rap at Texas State.
In his October 19 interview with Shordy, the Dallas artist talked about losing a job shortly after his wife became pregnant and figuring out how to keep recording from a closet instead of a full studio.
The conversation stretches from Dallas dance culture and rap venue experiences to faith, fatherhood and the practical work of earning a living in music.
The empty room that still counted
At an early show in San Marcos, Reeze recalls wearing sunglasses because he was nervous about looking out into the room. The crowd, he said, consisted of the DJ, other artists and the bar staff. He did the set anyway.
He credits poetry competition with helping him develop his flow and the rhyme patterns that continue to shape his music.
If Not Me, Who is a question about responsibility
When Shordy asked about his project If Not Me, Who, Reeze said he wanted listeners to take responsibility for their own success. Waiting for a bigger platform to offer a break also leaves your progress in someone else's hands.
He said marriage and fatherhood changed how he thinks about lyrics, work and the examples he sets for younger listeners.
A Dallas dance record and a bigger conversation
Reeze said his track I Wish I Could Bend came from wanting to participate in a dance trend he connects to Dallas while acknowledging the age difference between himself and some younger dancers.
He also offered his own account of why some venues are wary of hip-hop events. His comments about safety and programming reflect personal experience, rather than verified findings about individual venues.
