 Portland, Maine has been known as a fantastic place for artists to come and showcase their talent whether you're a painter a Sculptor an actor this place seems to have a magic and what I want to do is I want to explore the youth of Musicians here in Portland, Maine. I'm here today with some fantastic friends I got Zuko kick-ass and up and running Musician here in Portland, Maine and he brought some friends with us today. Is that correct? Yes? That's right. Yeah, okay. Yeah, okay. Paulo. How did you create this trifecta of fame? How did that happen? It was actually it's a perfect fit I've known Sato for a couple years through school, and he's always been on top of like videography he's always been on like he's been known for that for a while and Yo, Kai Apollo I met him through Sato when we met up to shoot a music video Then we just started realizing that we work really good together Just stick from there. So before you guys started working together Zuko you you were in a choir when you were younger That's kind of strange to go from choir to rap musician Like that's a big turn of events right there My parents got divorced when I was little and my dad remarried to a musician a piano teacher when I was five I was in choirs. I actually did find enjoyment in it actually and Choirs have helped me learn to sing and be able to do vocals. I've been able to learn like breath control a lot easier It's helped me significantly recording music. And so Really, I've always liked to rap and I can't say that I've necessarily enjoyed choir music But I do it because I knew I was improving my skills of what I wanted to use later So when it comes to your guys approach One thing you have talked about is non-conformity. What is it specifically about whether you're video making or you're beat making? Or your lyrics? What makes you guys non-conformist for me at least it's not that non-conformity. It's just I've always been different I'm African-American growing up in one of the whitest states Been that black kid in all the classes So it's really just being myself, which was always me just not conforming I just don't want to be another person. I just I don't want to have to make up Excuses to try to be like somebody else when I can just be myself I feel like conformity is just everybody trying to be the same like it's you can just be yourself for real Like it's not that hard just be yourself. If people don't like it. They don't like you How do you do that with film? I feel a lot the same just the way I grown up, you know, I don't fit in. I'm Japanese I'm American and a lot of the way that I got judged here was unfair So it forced me to think outside the box try different things and I was gonna get scrutinized anyway So might as well try something different. Yeah, um, obviously I'm white, so We'll try to not hold that against you, I don't have any struggle racially I've always had a deep love for hip-hop because Growing up I had a lot of struggles with my parents Getting divorced and my mom moving away always was like super hyper Didn't have many friends ever I have to be on like medication for anxiety and I like, you know I'm just a super anxious guy and I never really quite fit in exactly so like I guess it's just kind of naturally What happened and I just Got I was able to be comfortable on my own skin and I've realized that that's the most valuable thing You couldn't help it. You had to become a nominee. Yeah when you think about Portland as a city What do you think? is needed most here in order to support local musicians diversity 100% not just like When people think of diversity, they usually think like racial diversity That also but also like most people in Maine are older So I feel like more young people. Um, I'd say studio space We need some studio space. It is extremely hard in Portland to find a place where you can rent out a studio So when you say Space recording space recording venues. I mean, there are multiple recording venues. I could I could name Is it the price of to rent a studio space? Is it do they not have the appropriate equipment? Is it they they don't they're not supporting you? I've been in like, I'm gonna just keep it real I've been in the majority of like the studio spaces and a lot of them. It's not that they don't like rap music or They're just they don't want to give their space to the public They kind of want to pick and choose Who they want to be in their studio like as in hip-hop as a hip-hop artist like I've gotten a lot of Denial in places. I didn't think I would when I'm offering to pay a full price because I've heard of other artists that I've done like pop music And same group of people same crowd like estimation and they'll charge us like 200 dollars more Because of damage costs. There's been like a bad reputation with hip-hop artists And aren't being like that genre because certain artists have like destroyed venues So it puts a bad representation on us. I mean you you're walking in here with a moral combat shirt I mean that that is pure damage and destruction. This is one thing. I I love asking most people this question is Let's say you make no money. You're still doing it. Aren't you exactly why I love it. It's like I get to be creative every day. I am constantly hustling I'm I like working hard. I get to make music and that like Doesn't matter what day the week it is doesn't matter what I have coming up. I always have music no matter what It's like a therapist. It's like you're talking It's like it's like you're bringing the deepest darkest stuff from your soul and talking to the mic And letting other people know that you're not alone I've kind of gone back and forth on types of therapy on you know creatively, you know Everything I do creatively is therapy for me. It helps me cope with life. There's no boredom for me That's just all I gotta say. There's no moment where I'm bored when it's open It's like that's how I cope Just live life make beats You know make music videos have more ideas and execute All right, so I'm super happy you guys could be here. You can find everything you want to know about Uh, Zuko kickass. He's on apple music itunes spotify YouTube he's got instagram. Do you got a twitter account as well? Um, I should hop on it I should hop on the twitter. Wow, but thank you guys so much. I'm excited to hear about this magazine I'd love to learn more about it. I'd love to see your own EP. Let's let's make that big too, my man You can also find me on all the platforms your compound. Just search that up. Absolutely. I'm there