International Reach: 1st Stop Serbia – Janzoo “The Social Rapper”
Since Hip-Hop was birthed here in America, we often tend to overlook the huge impact that it has had on
the rest of the world. The U.S. media traditionally focuses only on American artists and thus consequently ignores the huge and increasingly thriving foreign Hip-Hop market. HHLO.net has made it their mission to correct that problem and become the new beacon of light that shines on rappers abroad…
HHLO’s Brittany Graham interviews Janzoo, the Serbian rapper and producer who describes his style of rapping as “social rap” and simply calls it as he’s sees it.
HHLO: Sup Janzoo. How did your name originate?
Janzoo: Well, when I was a kid, I was a basketball player and my friends were always telling me that I was tireless like an animal, plus I’m a big fan of Wu-Tang Clan so all that BK Zoo stuff inspired me to add Zoo (as an animal and because of Wu) to my real name Jan. It’s a stupid kid’s thing, but I left it like that. Lately I’ve tried to represent myself just as Jan, but people still call me JanZoo or Zoo so I just let stay like that.
HHLO: What country are you from?
I’m from Serbia, ex Yugoslavia.
HHLO: So how would you best describe your music?
Janzoo: Well, my music is mostly inspired by U.S. east coast rap… My rap is social rap, I rap about people, problems on the street, problems of the people in my country, world problems, and how I’m about changing the world for the better, etc…
HHLO: And how would describe yourself in 3 words?
Janzoo: Artistic, Sharp, Hot
HHLO: Who or what would you say inspired you to rap?
Janzoo: Well, no one and nothing special. When I was a kid my father played a lot of Jazz, Blues, Soul, and Funk music and I liked that vibe. I found something similar in Hip-Hop and I have a lot of things to say so I started to rap. After I started to rap, I needed beats so I started to produce, and after I started to produce a passion for audio engineering was born inside me…
HHLO: Did the neighborhood where you grew up influence your rapping style in any way?
Janzoo: Not at all, but maybe I’ve made a rhyme about someone from the neighborhood unconsciously…
HHLO: What originality do you bring to Hip-Hop that fans can’t get from other rappers and how do you separate yourself from other Hip-Hop artists?
Janzoo: Well, first of all, for the fans that don’t speak my language, I’m bringing them my hot production and high-quality sound as a sound engineer. I’m also working with a lot of artists as a producer and engineer, and with my rap, I’m bringing them a deep voice with nice, slow flow. For the people that understand my language, they can hear my deep, artistic lyrics besides everything I already mentioned.
HHLO: Are you signed to a major or independent label? If so, which one?
Janzoo: I own an Indie label named “Inflame Beatz” and we’ve released two official albums and one unofficial album on it, but right now my group, 5. Stepen (like 5th Degree in English), and I are looking for a major contract because we need good managers… we can’t do everything on our own.
HHLO: Have you ever visited the U.S.?
Janzoo: No I haven’t but I plan to! It’s really hard for people from Serbia, which is economically blocked and not in good relations with the U.S. government, to visit the U.S. But right now lot of people go to the U.S. to work and travel, so I’ll come soon…
HHLO: Do you have any U.S. artists that inspired you to do Hip-Hop? If so, which ones?
Janzoo: Of course! Wu Tang Clan is in first place, Gangstarr, MOP, Dilated Peoples, Mobb Deep, Kool G Rap, Busta Rhymes, and Dr. Dre.
HHLO: If you could collaborate with any 3 artists from anywhere in the world who would they be?
Janzoo: Well, I’d definitely like to work on production with RZA. I’d like to collaborate with Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and with Gangstarr (Primo or Guru, whatever)…
HHLO: So Zoo, have you developed a web presence? Do you have a blog or do you offer fans exclusive, new songs for download online?
Janzoo: Well, I communicate with my fans and artists that I work with through Myspace, Facebook, etc… Sometimes my group and I will put up new songs for free download too. We put up a whole mixtape for free download some time ago… You could put it up on your website if you want to too…
HHLO: Do you have a website and/ or a Myspace page? If so, what’s the URL?
Janzoo: www.myspace.com/janinflame
HHLO: Would you ever do a reality show?
Janzoo: Yes, why not.
HHLO: What’s your favorite line/ bar from one of your songs?
Janzoo: “Now you’re staying in front of the scene, and please listen to my “Thanks”,
Thanks because I know who is just an attempt of man,
Thanks because I don’t know when my last heartbeat will be,
So I’m living this life peacefully till I don’t go to Heaven”
That’s a rough translation from Serbian language to English…
HHLO: Out of all the songs you’ve created, what’s your favorite song that you’ve ever made?
Janzoo: I don’t have a particular one, but “Video Sam” (”I Saw” in English) is my favorite because we made a beautiful video for it.
HHLO: What else would you like for you fans to know about you?
Janzoo: I want to tell them that my group’s album is in the final stage, it will be out soon, and I hope that it will be available for ordering worldwide. I also want them to know that they can reach me on my Myspace page, myspace.com/janinflame, and that’s it for now. Look out for 5. Stepen! Look out for my brother from East NY, Victorious, and look out for my productions!
