UZ

Innovative electronic/hip-hop producer UZ emerged wearing a cloak of mystery in 2012, operating out of unknown locations, concealing his identity, and only appearing in photos wearing masks that completely obscured any facial features. Where UZ’s back story was obscured and safeguarded, the music that came from this shadowy figure was more straightforward, and in a short time, UZ made dark, intense bass-driven tracks that many looked to as the roots of what would become the trap movement. Along with releasing a consistent string of original tracks online, his reputation grew quickly enough that big name artists like Ice Cube, DJ Shadow, Flosstradamus, and many others commissioned official remixes of their songs bearing UZ’s signature sound. A heavy touring schedule took UZ to stages and festivals all over the world, and in 2016 he launched his own label, Quality Good Records, focusing on collaborative releases with other up-and-coming artists. Launching first with the Magellen EP that same year, UZ returned in 2017 with his first full-length release, Layers, which featured collaborations with a variety of artists like Gia, Kevin Flum, and Two Fresh. Following a remixed version of Layers, he offered up 2018's The Rebirth, an overall less guest-heavy album than its predecessor. ~ Fred Thomas