24: Introduce yourself to everyone that doesn’t already know who you are.
Glendale S. Caztro: What’s family yall?! It’s Glendale S. Caztro from Bone Deep Family. I’m a 21 year old MC out of Aurora, Colorado who’s just trying to make a lane in this game for myself. I live and breath Hip-Hop and been trying to make this dream become reality since I was 10 years old. Support me, my music and the cause I do it for.
24: Before we get into your music, can you describe your history about how you got into and what inspired you?
Glendale S. Caztro: As funny and as corny as it sounds, Dr. Seuss inspired me to start rhyming (lol). When I was younger, I would always talk to my mother in rhymes everywhere we went, especially in long car rides. What inspired me to get into Hip-Hop would probably have to have been my big cousin. He always wanted me to hop into cyphers with him and freestyle & after every cypher, he would put me up on every rapper he listens to, which helped because I ended up looking into the deeper meaning of every rappers verses and songs. Every bar meant something to each artist and I felt everything in life is meaningful so why not take this on for myself? It was a great way to cope with all my troubles and problems too. Once I grasped the sound of hip-hop and understood what it meant, I took what I was already doing and applied it to how rap was back then. From there, I wrote my first rap at 10 years old and never glanced back. After I never looked back, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. At this point in time, nobody can tell me anything different about who I am and what I decide to say in my music. Everything is real, everything is authentic and everything comes from my heart. Im truly loyal to its art form and dedicated to my craft.
24: What was the Hip-Hop scene like for you growing up where you’re from?
Glendale S. Caztro: Being in the Aurora/Denver Rap scene coming up, it was very dull, to say the least and it kind of still is. Its gotten better, I’ll say that but its not to the point where you can blow up straight out of the state like you can with New York, Georgia or California. Most rappers go out of town to get their name up because they know Colorado has nothing legit to offer for rap, which is the same motive I’m on currently. I know if I just keep doing shows and keep trying to go hard with my grind out here, I’ll just be labeled as another “local rapper” to all these people and thats not what I want. I mean, its cool to start out to get a feel for what your “worth” in a sense but once you realize this local shit ain’t worth all your time, cash and effort, it’s time to move forward and get shit poppin’ elsewhere. Because when your “Fan Base” is all of your homies that you went to School with, from Elementary to College, theres a problem. But I also feel the only reason its dull in the first place is because nobody legitimately supports our hometown rappers. How can anyone with such extraordinary talent get heard when nobody’s willing to lend a ear exactly? Its frustrating. And at the same time, you can’t really blame them because just like every other city, everybody wants to be a rapper. Everybody wants the fame, everybody wants the easiest way out of here and if it means to be on some Waka Flocka or Soulja Boy bullshit then thats what they gonna do. Plus, I feel like one of the reasons Colorado ain’t put on like all these other states is because everyone sounds generic. Most these artists are just replicas of their favorite rapper, which makes them sound unoriginal. The thing about that is, nobody wants to hear another Drake, another Wayne, another Kanye or another 2 Chainz (Lord forbid that happens lol). In a end result, nobody wants to put forth the time to hear anyone out and it only gets the good rappers with GREAT music overlooked. Even the good rappers feel like their underrated because of all these wanna-be niggas taking up all the lanes. Its almost lose-lose situation. Its a tough predicament to be in and until something bigger gets in the works, we’re all kind of stuck here, for now.
24: What makes you Unique as a artist and different from other rappers out now?
Glendale S. Caztro: For one, I actually take into consideration what I say in my bars. ITS VERY ESSENTIAL TO ME. If you don’t have a message in you music, what are you giving to the world exactly? The fact I can give it so vivid over beats that are distinctive and different as well, it only stirs up more interest. But the things that really make me different is the thought process behind what I say and how I write it. Not many people have the kind of imagination I have, I blame Dr. Seuss for that too (lol). Not many people go so in depth about life how I do neither. The things I say are very philosophical and witty. I don’t think the world is quite ready for that. I can only imagine how the world would be if they started thinking the same way I did. I guess some of that curiosity makes me write what I write in the first place.
24: Tell us about what you are working on.
Glendale S. Caztro: Since I just released my first mixtape, I Walk Alone, I’m currently trying to promote and push the music from there to get my name around all these other places. While promoting that, Im also working on my second mixtape, which will be called “Glass Cazket”, a very metaphorical and very deep minded title. In Glass Cazket, you’ll hear a lot more of the street, grimey, hardbody side of me. With all the support and love from the I Walk Alone project, I hope I can go even farther and even stronger on this second mixtape. Maybe even get a chance to get signed or managed by someone who’s legitimately behind me and the cause I push for. Glass Cazket will be dropping in Novemeber 2013, all mixing by Tru Beatz Productions.
Glendale S. Caztro: So far, the producers I’ve worked with have been Tony M. Holla (In-House Producer for BDF, @HomicideHolla), DJ Russ P, Pealz Beatz (@PealzBeatz), Aaron Daniels and A.R. Yum (@FukYoProducer). They’re responsible for helping me getting a good start on my music career as an artist. I shall continue to have them on my future projects as well. I recommend any artist to contact them and purchase beats ASAP, they made my music BANGIN’! Definitely in my tops and plus, I feel they’re steals in the game. Nobody has a clean, different, distinctive sound like these guys do and I’m glad I’ve been doing business with them. A few people/names I’d like to work with next is “B-Beck Music”, he co-produced “Ayy Ladies” by Travis Porter and I heard he listened to my “I Walk Alone” Mixtape and liked it so why not get acquainted and do something ya kna? It’d be a pretty good look. I’d also like to get a beat from, or work with DJ Vudu Spellz sometime in the future, not sure if I’d get him involved on the “Glass Cazket” joint because I know how big he is but anytime ahead in life I’d be down to work with him if he’s feeling my music too. My engineer mentions him pretty frequent since they’ve worked together before and he sounds like a cool ass dude so why not? Aside from them, I’m down to work with any other artist who’s as serious as I am or as good as I am. Im pretty anal when it comes to work ethic and lyricism so be warned when you hit me up to do some music with me. And if the money’s right, we can get work poppin’ anytime.
24: Are you happy with the feedback you have been getting from people on material you have released?
Glendale S. Caztro: Yeah, I’m real happy with it. It’s always good to know that all your hard work and dedication is appreciated by people who actually takes time out their days to listen to you. When you get more positive feedback than negative, it always boosts your motivation to keep going farther and do better than the last song you wrote. Lets me know its all worth it and Im only getting closer to where I want to go.
24: In today’s free download age, what do you need to do to make yourself a household name?
Glendale S. Caztro: Honestly, its all about networking with more people at this point. I know I can make hits, I know I can spit real bars, I know how to handle business and be professional when I ain’t in these streets grinding. Its just a matter of who I know and who I can go to to make this music thing bigger for me. I can’t expand me nor my brand if theres nobody’s backing me up so if I get the right management or right promotion behind me, I’m sure me and my guys will take off here soon. After that, I’m sure all the downloads in the world will come out. I will say this too, even though this is a day and age where every things downloadable, I’ll never stop and forget about putting the word about my music on the streets either. Anybody can be a hit online, but if you actually get people rockin’ with you from you personally being out and about, they’ll be behind you even more.
24: How do you feel about the current state of the Hip-Hop scene?
Glendale S. Caztro: It’s either garbage or beautiful really (lol), that’s basically the yin and yang of Hip-Hop right now. I’ll listen to someone like Kendrick Lamar and be amazed at how good he is then hear someone like Future and be disgusted so I don’t know I feel about it honestly, I just go with the flow because when I want to go to the club and act a fool, I ain’t going to turn on no Nas shit and when I want to vibe out, I ain’t going to slap on Waka Flocka either. Music’s always been about emotion so as a deep emotional person, I play whatever I feel at the time and because of that, I’m pretty content at where the Hip-Hop scene is at right now.
24: Outside of the music, what else are you currently working on?
Glendale S. Caztro: I’m trying to go back to school here in the fall. I’ve been away from it for so long because of the music but I’m going to school for Audio Production at the Art Institute in Denver so I don’t think I’m doing anything outside of music honestly (lol).
24: Where do you see yourself going in 2013 and how do you plan to separate yourself from the other artist out today to get the recognition you feel you deserve?
Glendale S. Caztro: In 2013, I see myself at least having my first big plug on my mixtape, whether its a producer, artist or DJ hosting. Just within the month of January theres been some pretty crazy shit happening based off the feedback of I Walk Alone. I’m taking off so far so I plan on going even farther when I get the chance to, I’m going to make sure I’m ready for it when it comes too. To separate myself from everyone else? I feel I’m already distinctive enough, I don’t rap like anyone else and the thought concept behind all my lyrics is very different as well so I’m not worried about the artistry side of me. Its mainly the networking and publicity I need for the world to see how unique and great the music is. Once I gradually get to that point, every thing else will fall into place perfectly, trust me. A million of us want a rapper we ain’t ever seen and I DEFINITELY fit that.
24: How can fans go about contacting you?
Glendale S. Caztro: Follow me on Twitter (Twitter.com/GlendaleSCaztro), Add me on Facebook (Facebook.com/GlendaleS.Caztro
24: Thank you for providing 24HourHipHop with this exclusive interview, do you have any last words for your present and future fans?
Glendale S. Caztro: “I want all my haters to see me dead, give me a glass casket” – Glendale S. Caztro
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