As we near our first birthday of iridescent waving (wow!), it feels so good to spotlight a talented Black LGBT artist who has given the web3 music space quality contributions in such a short time. I’ve been a fan of Fri3za (he/him) since I first heard “Top Guy” back in the summertime. Getting to know him more via Twitter spaces and now this interview has revealed a warm, generous, and focused artist behind the mask.
Speaking of which!, no face reveal for Fri3za just yet! You have to follow along this drop for what is sure to be an exciting few portraits from this professional photographer (casually).
What is most surprising to me is that Fri3za has only been making music for like, a year! What?! A listen of “Honeydew” presents an artist with a strong hold on what makes a great hook over a great beat, and his energy + performance is at the level of people who’ve been out here for years. Respect.
Lyrically and flow-wise, Fri3za talks his shit on tracks so satisfyingly — you hear the Nicki influence, but his style and personality is all his. Fri3za doesn’t shy away from poking fun at the web3 music space, either, but it comes off more playful than hostile. We need more of this energy in the space IMO!
Over the past year, I’ve seen Fri3za establish his own regular open mic (that attracts great talent, btw), release music consistently, build a sick website, and plan + plot around this first big drop with the heavy promotion necessary these days. Gotta love web3 for inspiring artists to push themselves to new heights! I love the energy, music, and ambition, and I’m hoping people take notice. Join the Fri3za Force to stay in the loop, and see you on March 3rd (TODAY!)!
Artist Statement of the Moment: What’s your story?
I started creating music a little over a year ago. It was always something I wanted to try, but I was nervous and didn’t know exactly where to start. So I randomly decided to book some studio time, gather a few beats, write a couple tracks and just see how it went. I had SO much fun and decided I couldn’t stop. So now here we are. For me, it’s all about having fun and just enjoying the process. If I ever stop having fun making music, then that will be a sign to hang it up. At this point, I’ve been in web3 for exactly one year and felt like it was time to drop my first web3 project – The Fri3za Force Pass.
How are you feeling now?
My first music NFT drop is [this] afternoon. I’m extremely excited, but also hella nervous haha. There aren’t many black LGBTQ artists in web3 at this point. So for me, I’m really curious to see what the support will be like. I wanted this drop to be big just to show that there’s space for us to be successful.
What does success mean to you?
Success for me when it comes to music really just comes down to people enjoying my music. Like I said, I like to have fun. My goal with my records is to get you moving ya hips, putting a smile on your face, making you laugh, or dropping your jaw like “did he just say that?”
What work of yours has you excited & inspired right now?
I’m super excited for this drop and I’m currently wrapping up a mixtape, as well as an EP. I have a couple.. “spicy” tracks that I can’t wait to release and shake things up in web3.
What does web3 mean to you, and what excites you about it?
For me web3 is a means for an individual artist to really thrive. We’ve all heard how big label deals tend to go. This space really feels like an opportunity for me to bring in enough revenue to be my own label. I don’t think a lot of artists are treating it that way, but that’s what excites me. I want to bring in money and then pump it back into the music. If everything works out, my first music video will be CRAZY!
What artists/creators are inspiring you right now & why?
Nicki Minaj – since she came out she’s always been my favorite rapper, period. Male or Female. I don’t think anybody is touching her. Her lyricism, creativity, attitude, visuals, and everything is literally just on another level. She came into the game being herself, talking her shit, and flexing from the get go and I love every minute of it. She paved the way for female rap to be what it is today and has given so many girls an opportunity to shine. I want to do that for gay artists in hip hop. Mainstream hasn’t given us the spotlight we deserve yet, and it’s time for that to change.
Fill in the blank: I wish the web3 music world was more ___________________.
competitive. Specifically in hip-hop. Don’t get me wrong, I love the community aspect of web3, but I love the more “old school” competitive side of hip-hop, where everyone was forcing each other to really push their pen and step it up. When people were really wanting to be seen as the best of the best or at least in the running, ya know?
Describe yourself in one word!?
Authentic
What question do you wish more people asked you?
Do you want to collab on this song?
What message do you have for fans/supporters?
Get ready to be entertained! 2023 will be full of bops and fun surprises.
How do you stay grounded in the VERY online world of web3?
I take breaks. I think there are a lot of people moving at a pace that’s not sustainable. It’s easy to get burned out with the constant Twitter Spaces or social media posting/scrolling. It’s ok to step away and just breath. I like to take time to just create and not worry about socials or spaces. My goal is to build a fanbase and a community that is still there after I take a much needed break.
Any other comments/questions?
Thank you for the opportunity! This was my first interview so I’m super excited to have this out in the world for people to get to know me better.
xo C