Evans Y.Wallace commonly refered to as EZ, is far from what most of us might consider as just another rapper. Borned and raised in a country once plagued with a brutal 16yrs civil war, that resulted in over a million deaths, hundreds of thousands more as refugees around the world, as well as in the U.S. as also EZ. "It's jus really a blessing being alive again, though I don't really feel like I'm consciously alive". A former member of the notorious child brigade (S.B.U. small boys unit), that was one of the key components during the Liberian Civil War, loyal to former President Charles Taylor, they were living as savages."It's crazy, and even today it still haunts me". At the so young age of 11yrs old, he was initiated into one of the world's most notorious militia groups mostly known for their brutal violence and canablism acts. "It's not that we actually had a choice, most of my commrades had either watch their families get slaughter, burnt, kill execution style, or tied and later kill, so at that point, you cry until your tears run out, your fears run out, your conscious dies, and all that's left is hate, evil, and violence, and that's what drove us to do what we did". He being a once upon a time under-roll student before the crisis, young Evans, had a habit of always writing poetry, drawing pictures, participated in sports, as well as other school circulums, atlease until hell broke loose, and the war came. " It's funny because I hear rappers talk about hard times, guns, drugs, and gettin shot like its kool, and even sometimes brag about having bodies, and ,or being from the projects and going through hard times, and I'm like, these dudes are playing. To me, these projects are Heaven, I gat running water, electricity hosipitals and cops watching/protecting me, this is heaven for real. We were living like real savages, kill at will whoever we wanted to, when ever we wanted to, went to war high of pills and sometimes gunpowdered, and there was no law. Imagine a city with no electricity, running water, no food, nor hospitals, starvation at its all time highest, no police, feds or any form of law enforcement, and than picture almost every little kid carry an Ak-47, plus on drugs. If you can atlease picture that, than you're understand a bit where Im coming from, or grew up with". Surrounded by such calamity, young Evans managed to stay alive, having already being seperated from his Family, in his first encounter with death, that left his two cousins dead, and the opportunity to watch his own uncle's beheading."I think that's where my conscious and everything else died, a part of me was kill and never came back alive". Introduced to music at the early age of 7 by his Grandmom, a christian(Episcoplian), who also taught him to play the organ at such a young age, and made sure he was involved in sunday school choirs and church activities, he actually found it funny."I always taught i knew everything after the first time, I'll pretend I already knew what I was doing, but never really knew". Than came his first love with Hip Hop at age 8, listening to L.L Kool J's "I need love", and reciting almost the whole album line after line, but his biggest musical idol at that time was Michael Jackson. Fortunately, his break came and a chance to survive and get out of that kaos came, after he got hit in the back during a Bomb raid by the E.C.O.W.A.S Peace Keepers." I remember drifting in and out of consciousness, but no pain, and than too much pain, but at that time, you don't really feel nothin, nor understand what's going on, except you wanna get up, get your gun back, and be out, but than you can't feel your body" He was than taken behind safe lines where he rejoined his family, and travel to Nigeria with his Family, but even after recuperating, mentally he'd lost it. After traveling back and forth between other West African countries hussling, he finally landed in the U.S. still at a very young age, and through his Mom tried to reunite him with his long forgotten father who'd disowned him at birth upon returning home to the U.S., he still remain emotionally distant from everyone even himself."I grew a custom to being by myself and just listening to music, Lucky Dube to be precise, and than Alpha Blondy, both African reggae legends, but than had a special admiration for artist who pointed fingers at the wrongs cause by society and currupt governments, because I had just been victimized by one myself, and it was personal, so I Listen to Bob Marley, Fella, 2pac and Dead Prez, just to name a few". It was than that he felt he too could inspire others in his footsteps and around the world going through, or haven't share the same afflictions, and poverty, and in so doing, music was the channel through which he choose to furfilled that. Being a resident of Staten Island's than notorious Park Hill Projects in New York, he became a full hip hop student listening to nothing but Nas, and 2Pac, at the same time formulating his musical style and enhancing his writing abilities. On the the streets, he kept to little freestyle battles, in the subways, at the parks,and around Manhanttan but never made it official enough for 106& Park. After capturing his swag, flows, style and delivery from the Rotten Apple, He later move to Pennsylvania, and attended John Batram High School in South Philly, than to Alexandria V.A. and than D.C. and than back to New York."I was just hussling and that's what husslaz do, you always follow the money" He Later moved to Minnesota where he started having runs with the law, beat a rape case, an assault case, and a gun charge. In between doing little shows, and mixtapes, he however caught the attention of a few heads at Universal, and Atlantic, but again that came to a hault when he caught a Bank Robbery case that landed him a six months jail sentence, $12,000.00 fine, and a five years probation which he's currently on." I've made a lot of real big mistakes but I guess they were meant to be, sometimes I feel that my arrogance has kept me from success, but someone else told me sometimes mistakes brings displine that builds one to succeed, so I just embraced whatever comes my way" With the hip hop game in an awkward place and rappers vanishing as quick as they're emerging, EZ's one of the few you could say is not coming for the short run. With two non-exclusive distribution deals in place from Sonic, and Zoomousic, he is said to release his debut album self titled "3rd World Husslazs" in the summer of 08. "I feel like at this point of time, and for where hip hop is at right now, it's only realness that's going to prevail, because hip hop has grew from what it was 10 or 8yrs ago, and majority of hip hop consumers rather listen to something real than a bunch of gimmicks, because that's what the game is fill with today, and you've got these not selling records rappers mad, and pointing fingers at whatever they felt was responsible at the time for their record sales, but what they don't understand is, people actually became hip hop fans to understand it, and when they did, they realized it wasn't what they taught it was, the old movement was on track, but the young generation completely stray away, so they decided not to spend their money on the same old lame shit". It's more than clear that the journey in this man's life, the ups and downs, obstacles and troubles are far more than we can even imagine, and the fact that he came out of all that and is at this point, he's something more than a quitter, a one hit maker, or just another rapper. "My music is very real because Im a real person that deal with real life situations and is also making music for real life people" To prove it, the track "Blame Hip Hop" is a very controversary song in which he takes shots at politicians for blaming rappers, for making songs that promote violence, using the N word, calling women "Bitches" and lastly trying to fine and lock people up for saggin pants. The track "Keep the Crown" is also another classic where he addresses a&rs about their insecurities of wanting to sign him due to the fact that he sounded like Jay-Z, also to this day remains the primary reason Labels after Labels have turn him down. Despite the setbacks he face, there's no doubt about this young underdogg thirst for the top. Currently based between Minneapolis M.N., and Staten Island N.Y., he's been doing some last minute preparations for the album promotion wise, and has recently switch managements, due to poor performances, and is still seeking a suitable deal. WORD FROM EZ!!!! JUST WANNA SAY THANKS FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPORT, THAT'S WHAT KEEPS ME GOING STRONG, ALSO SPECIAL THANKS OUT TO THE HATERS FOR LOOKING OUT AND MAKING ME REALIZE THAT I NEED TO COME HARDER AND BETTER THAN EVER, TO THE FEW A&RS WHO'S MADE IT A DAILY ROUTINE TO CHECK OUT MY MUSIC AND COMPLIMENT ME ON IT BEING HOT, BUT ALSO REMINDING ME ABOUT WHO I SOUNDED LIKE, AND ALSO EVERYONE ELSE IN BETWEEN THAT'S JUST A FAN, FRIEND, OR FAMILY THAT'S BEEN THERE WHEN I NEEDED THEM...THANKS A LOT..AND MAY GOD BLESS.. HAPPY 2008 FROM EZ