Rae Gets To Know Sgt Elz
Hi everyone, my name’s Rae and I am excited to be a new addition to the Guap team as a music writer. Il be introducing you to the best unsigned and recently signed developing artists.
Lets kick off with my first review..
Sgt Elz
6ft 2 and raising the bar, meet Sgt Elz.
A 29 year old melodic rapper hailing from East London, Sgt Elz is unequivocally a rising unsigned artist to observe. Speaking truths in art form over an array of RnB/Ambient Hip Hop instrumentation, Sgt Elz surely caters to the masses. Originally born in Coventry, he moved to East London aged 9, where Grime was still a popular underground movement. Aged 12, writing poems and stories, Sgt Elz recognised he had a flair for piecing lyrics and sound together and began writing songs. Inspired by Nasty Crew and 187 Crew, Elz went on to record his first track aged 15 at a friend’s home studio set up.
Sporadically in and out of incarceration from the ages 15-29 years old, Sgt Elz never allowed his circumstance to hinder his creative tendencies, using it as a progressive writing tool instead of seeing this as an impediment. Elz is candidly forthright in his lyrical content, I first met him at a studio in East London where he could be found sitting unobtrusively absorbing his surroundings and penning catchy hooks and heartfelt lyrics.
With a catalogue of over 200 songs unreleased Sgt Elz has undisputedly defined his style, memorable and melodious rap/singing containing lyrical themed content which indulges in the reality of what many males in London face on a daily basis. His personal plight of struggle, a broken relationship with the mother of his children, his paper chase, goals and ambitions is what you can expect to hear from this poetic sorcerer. With his songs “Unconditional Love, Daddy’s Here, Queen Elizabeth and I’m not a hater” recently consummated I caught up with Sgt Elz to find out what he will be doing next…
Rae: It’s evident in your tracks that you are a skilled songwriter, with catchy hooks and real raw lyrical, what inspires you ?
Sgt Elz: It’s a passion, I don’t have a particular inspiration, I love music, I’ve never been one to watch Tv, I just love music, from a young age I was making up poems and stories and realised I was most content when I was writing.
Rae: Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now ?
Sgt Elz: At the top
Rae: With the ever evolving music industry and scene what are your thoughts on the current state of the UK music industry ?
Sgt Elz: My opinion is that the industry aren’t showing enough love to new wave order. Just from what I’m seeing, I’m coming from the bottom so I’m not understanding everything, but the UK are repping right now, there’s a lot of talent going unnoticed but Giggs,
Stormzy, J Hus ,these guys are repping. You have to work to get yourself put in that category. They deserve to be there.
Rae: Would you sign to a major ?
Sgt Elz: If the deal is right for me and my career, yes I would.
Rae: What are your plans musically for the rest of the year?
Sgt Elz: il be working on my EP and the next three visuals il be releasing. Im also planning to film a Blackbox and Link Up Freestyle video. After that i’ll see what happens. I’m gonna ride the wave, go with the flow, then decide my next move depending on the outreach of my visuals and freestyles then working towards the release of my digital EP in early 2018.
- Rae: For now where can we find your music ?
Sgt Elz: Soundcloud
Instagram: @m0neymitchsi6
Facebook: Loz Sarge
We will catch up with Sgt Elz early next year and look forward to a cumulative update.