Interview: Utah hip-hop musician Shahzad discusses “On My Own”

Interview: Utah hip-hop musician Shahzad discusses “On My Own”

By Tabinda Syed

Utah native and hip-hop artist Amin “Shahzad” Adibnazari is a musician with international reach. From working with producers and sound engineers across the states to producing music videos in Singapore, Shahzad is gunning to be the first major act from Utah to make it big in rap.

With lyrics that often revolve around chasing dreams and overcoming improbability, his music gets to the core of what it means to find purpose and achieve true happiness. And it’s that theme that is heard throughout his upcoming single and music video release, “On My Own.”

TABINDA: First off, let me ask about “Shahzad.” What does it mean, and why did you select it as your stage name?

SHAHZAD: Oh, God. This is one of those questions where I need to explain myself right after giving the answer. Otherwise, I’m going to seem like a total narcissist.

In Farsi, or Persian, it means “prince.” Now, here’s the prompt explanation to that: I didn’t choose it out of flashiness or to boost my own ego. I chose it because I have this view that this world is beautiful and almost royal in a way. Though most people aren’t of legitimate royal blood, I still think that we are all spectacular beings in our own right, and that’s something I want to represent in my music.

TABINDA: Wow. There’s quite a bit of depth to that name then.

SHAHZAD: Yeah, plus it’s got a nice ring to it — “Shahzad.”

TABINDA: So, speaking of your music. How long have you been at it and has it always been hip-hop?

SHAHZAD: Actually, I began with piano and saxophone at a really young age. I eventually dropped the piano after a few years and played classical and jazz saxophone until the end of high school. That’s when I inadvertently transitioned to hip-hop.

At around that time, I had just made a couple of really good friends in high school that I felt like, “yeah — these guys — I can hang with these guys.” After a little bit, one of them began learning to DJ and the other began breakdancing. I saw that they were both doing something really cool, so I felt like I needed to do something myself to keep up with them. So I woke up one morning and said, “I’m going to rap.”

TABINDA: That’s certainly a unique reason to start rapping. Are you still trying to keep up with them? Why have you decided to keep up with the music all this time and make it a full-time pursuit?

SHAHZAD: Well, with rap, there’s always been an aspect of being the coolest among others, but that’s not the reason why I do it anymore.

Growing up, I was formally trained in poetry by a PhD of English literature. So I had intensive studies on the composition and analysis of classic writings. When I began truly listening to hip-hop and rap, I realized that there was a familiarity to the art form. I began to see the parallel between rap and poetry. Those poetic devices I learned and grew to appreciate as a youngster are in this music. I thought it was pretty cool, so I wanted to take it more seriously.

TABINDA: Are there any particular artists that influenced you or your style early on?

SHAHZAD: I’ve always been most interested in the deeper, more conscious stuff, so I listened to quite a bit of Common and Black Thought. I always found their words so vivid, almost as if they were telling stories. And that’s what I’d categorize myself as — a storyteller more than a “rapper.”

Lupe Fiasco was and still is a major influence. Even as a kid, when I wasn’t listening to much of any genre of music, a couple of his tracks that my older brother played at the time have stuck with me through the years.

TABINDA: Perhaps a future collaboration with them.

SHAHZAD: Man, don’t even tease me. That’d be a dream.

TABINDA: So let’s talk about dreams. In your upcoming single and music video, you discuss your dreams and the obstacles you faced to make them a reality. What sorts of obstacles did you encounter?

SHAHZAD: You know, when one starts to chase their dream, they’re usually super motivated and ready to make things happen. But the inexperience usually comes with naivete, and that was definitely the case with me. In the time that I’ve been pushing my music forward, I’ve learned that there are some good people in the industry but a lot more not so good people. There are people that make promises but leave you dry. There are people that criticize everything you do. It really takes a toll, but they simply don’t care. So I took this track as an opportunity to stand tall in the faces of the industry fatheads and all those who said I wouldn’t make it anywhere.

TABINDA: Would you say that your pursuit has changed you?

SHAHZAD: Definitely. I can’t tell if it’s a good or a bad change, but I’ve changed. Thicker skin for sure. With all of the disappointment I’ve had, I’ve gained this superhuman ability to numb myself to the things that don’t work out.

TABINDA: It’s really easy to call it quits when that happens. In the song you mention your father and what he’s done to motivate you to keep going. Elaborate on that.

SHAHZAD: As emigrants from a country where, at the time, opportunity wasn’t as accessible as they were here, he came to the states to create a better life for his future family. He went through a lot. While I mention only my father in the track, both of my parents have sacrificed a great deal to give me the opportunity to do what I love. Because of that, I do this for them — oh, and my brothers. Shout out to the brothers.

TABINDA: What sort of message would you like listeners to take away from “On My Own?”

SHAHZAD: To not be afraid to chase your dreams. You will face adversity and your fair share of disappointment. But don’t give up, because if you have purpose and if you just keep pushing, you never know where it will take you. You might just find yourself at the top of your scene. And when you’re there, you’ll be able to look back and be proud of what you’ve done and who you’ve become. So just don’t give up.

“On My Own” will be released Feb. 21 and can be heard on all major streaming platforms. The music video will also premiere on YouTube. You can follow Shahzad’s journey on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and SoundCloud.

Articles related to “Interview: Utah hip-hop musician Shahzad discusses ‘On My Own'”

Album Review and Interview: Mandy Cook’s jazz-folk jewel, “See”

Vesica Piscis, featuring Indy album reviewer Jason Gottfried, releases ‘Twin Yang’

Interview: Teren Christensen (Mosstone) discusses new album, ‘Stutter’