Bizzy Crook finds solace in living for the moment. His new album From Me, to You covers a medley of introspective strains that examine love, money and delayed gratification.

Life is all about self-discovery, like a game of trial and error in trying to identify what works best. For Bizzy, growing up was all about finding balance. “As a child I was just super quiet and to myself,” he shares. “I just remember discovering poetry and using that to express how I felt.” Naturally, he has always had this tendency to cling towards a creative psyche for relief. Art is therapeutic; art is comfort — and for Bizzy Crook, art is a safe haven.

Bizzy’s soundscape is filled with personal accounts of success that stem from his tireless grind. He’s resilient in efforts to always bounce back, amplifying perspective when it comes to rising above the bullshit. But interestingly enough, it hasn’t always been this easy.

On record, Bizzy’s self-assured hubris comes off slightly aggressive, but what do you expect from a former poet who eventually transitioned into a battle rapper. “The battle rapping gave me the ability to be more aggressive and tap into my masculine energy.”

From suicidal doors for all those times he contemplated ending it all, to making monthly deposits into his daughter’s savings account, Bizzy Crook’s come-up has allowed him to shift focus and exhibit growth holistically.

A man of integrity, our conversation follows below.

What made you decide to pursue a career as a professional recording artist?

As a child, I was just super quiet and to myself. I just remember discovering poetry and using that to express how I felt. From poetry, it transitioned to rap, and then I actually started battle rapping for a couple of years. And from that, everything just kind of unraveled. 

Do you feel more equipped as an artist by getting experience in those different areas of music?

Yeah, absolutely. I almost feel like the poetry allows me to be vulnerable. The battle rapping gave me the ability to be more aggressive and tap into my masculine energy. 

From Me, to You seems like a statement project. In terms of artistic growth, what has been the toughest part about your come up?

The hardest part about my come up was transitioning from chasing validation to trying to build fans and just being myself. I think for a larger part of my life, I felt like I wasn’t comfortable in my skin. Just because of my background; growing up, I never really fit in, but I would try to. Just living a bunch of years with social anxiety and getting into the music industry. Going to events and managers saying, “yo, you gotta network, you gotta go talk to this person,” – me knowing inside I don’t really wanna talk to nobody and forcing myself – up ‘till now and it’s like, I really don’t give a fuck. I’m unapologetically myself, and that’s just why I’m not afraid to be vulnerable on shit, because I’ve been wearing a mask for too long. The music, this is the one place where I’ma tell you how I feel. Some days you’ll like it, some days you won’t; you might agree, you might disagree, but fuck it, it is what it is. 

When you’re in the booth, how often do you revisit the past for inspiration?

Man, every single time. I feel like 90%, actually 50% of my music is revisiting the past, and then the other 50% is creating the future. 

That’s interesting. So, how do you find that balance; living in the now, while also ordering your steps to align with future plans?

Sometimes it has a lot to do with the production. I use my voice as an instrument, so if the production is more somber, or if I feel like I gotta revisit something back there, then I go there. If it’s the opposite, then I might just be like I’ma use this right there to manifest, because bro — sometimes I go in the booth, and I manifest, and then it happens — good and bad. As I got older, I started paying more attention to that and that’s why I say the other 50% is manifesting. Shit, about two weeks ago I rapped about a GLE Benz that I didn’t have, and now I have a GLE Benz two weeks later. I’m aware of the energy in that moment, in the booth. I’m aware of what’s manifesting. 

How does spirituality play a role in your ethos as an artist? 

It’s almost a guide. If something goes wrong; if something doesn’t work out; if I’m not where I wanna be, I gotta look at my spirit, and I gotta say — okay, this is what I’m doing wrong, or this is why it happened — and I gotta take ownership of the fault, and I gotta correct it. Same thing when blessings are coming down; I gotta stand back, I gotta be aware — okay, I’m living in harmony; what kind of thoughts am I putting out. It’s really just being aware. 

In a past interview, I read that you consider yourself an introvert. With this in mind, how do you identify with your listeners while maintaining a reserved disposition? 

One thing that really helped is realizing that it was okay to be an introvert in music. The reality is, everyone is not outspoken like Cardi [Cardi B]. Everybody’s not that comfortable. When I became one with that reality, I was just like yo, I’m going to speak for everyone that has social anxiety; speak for those people that be battling these demons and depression, but they want more or want to say something, but they don’t know how to say it — I’ma speak for them. It’s a lot of us. 

How does it feel to overcome the internalized struggles you were dealing with a few years back and what advice do you have for anyone dealing with the same issues?

It’s the most rewarding and beautiful feeling in the world. Bruh, I done felt every type of fucking… — from growing up — my dad was on steroids, so he used to lash out on us to the point where we were scared of him. I hated my father for the majority of my life; I’ve abused drugs at different points in my life; I’ve been homeless chasing this thing [music]. Tying it back to manifestation, the one thing I changed in the course of all these dark times, is when my daughter was born, I was just like I’m gonna change my thoughts.

When my daughter was born, I was about to commit suicide. I couldn’t even take care of myself, how am I gonna take care of my daughter. I was just like you know what, my daughter doesn’t deserve for her father to be a failure, somebody who just gave up, so I’ma try one last thing. And bro, my boy put me on this affirmation, “life is good and generous”, and I started saying it every morning and noticed my life started changing. I started getting into that frequency that I wanted to live in and man — shit just started changing, a full 360 right before my eyes. So, my advice is this, match that frequency. If it’s somebody you aspire to be, watch how they live; study what they read, their daily routine, and try to copy that. 

Life is more than suffering. Life just made a whole 360 in the last 2 years. I just got into real estate, two businesses that took off in the last 14 months. 2 years ago, I would’ve never thought this was possible. I was an alcoholic, taking ecstasy every day and just…giving up. 

What impact do you want to make on the music industry? 

I wanna be the poster child for never giving up. I wanna be the kid that did this for 10 years, nobody paid him attention, they started to count him out — and then that 11th year came, and he became the greatest. I want people to never be ashamed of their past or where they came from. Independence; DIY (Do It Yourself), it’s something that I believe in. Using your resources and just being great. 

With “Dios Mio” gaining traction on social media, do you see any benefits that arise from having a TikTok-ready single at your disposal?

Yeah bro. Everyday I go on TikTok and I check, there are 20-30 different kids all over the world making new videos. I didn’t understand the power of TikTok until now. TikTok can break records. There’s this little girl who has probably made over 9 videos and she lives in Pakistan — and I know she doesn’t understand what I’m talking about or what I’m saying — but she’s trying her hardest to recite the lyrics and do the dance. And it’s just like bro, that shit is crazy.

What does love mean to Bizzy Crook?

I’m not sure I know the answer yet. I know the love my daughter gave me, which is purpose. Just wanting the best; it’s just like this ball of energy. I guess that’s my definition of love. That’s the only love I know at the moment.