Carolina All Day catches up wit one of the most prolific artists representing the Carolinas. Raleigh native, Lava Izzo, has hit the hip hop scene with a blast. From smashing singles to award nominations, he has signed his name as one for the best this great state has to offer. Enjoy.




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CAD: Where are you from?

LAVA: I WAS BORN IN RALEIGH, NC... WAKE MED. BABY AS THE HOMIE BLACK JERUZ WOULD SAY..RAISED IN GARNER 5 MINUTE OUTSIDE OF RALEIGH, NC

CAD: Who were some of your early influences?

LAVA: SOME OF MY EARLY INFLUENCES WERE GROUPS LIKE SOUL 2 SOUL, KID N' PLAY, ABC, DAS EFX, DIGITAL UNDERGROUND, ETC. GROUPS FROM THE LATE 80'S, AND THEN IN THE 90'S STRAIGHT BIGGIE, MOBB DEEP, CAM'RON..STRAIGHT NY SHIT, THE SOUTH REALLY WONT ESTBLISHED YET.

CAD: How did your childhood influence your music?

LAVA: WHEN I WAS YOUNG I WOULD GO IN THE LIVING ROOM AND JUST PLAY MY MOM'S PIANO, NEVER KNEW NOTES, JUST WOULD PLAY BY EAR, SONGS I HEARD ON 107.1, NEVER KNOWING THAT I WOULD FALL IN LOVE WITH MUSIC BACK THEN...I WAS JUST BULLSHITIN. I PLAYED FOOTBALL AND RAN TRACK SINCE I WAS 5 YRS OLD, SO I TRAVELED A LOT, WHICH HELP ME STAY OUT OF A LOT OF TROUBLE AROUND THE WAY. I WAS THE DUDE IN THE IN THE HOOD THAT ALL THE BIG HOMIES THOUGHT WOULD MAKE IT, SO THEY KEEP ME STRAIGHT AND WOULDNT LET NOBODY FUCK WIT ME. SO I SEEN A LOT, AND LEARN ALOT FROM WATCHING OTHER PPLS MISTAKES.

CAD: Tell us about Big Game Productions.

LAVA: BIG GAME PRODUCTIONS IS A MUSIC COMPANY I (LAVA IZZO) STARTED IN 1997, BASED OUT OF RALEIGH, NC. I GOT BEATS, GRAPHICS, ENGINEERING STUDIO, PROMO PACKAGES ETC. WHEN ALL MY HOMIES GOT CAUGHT UP IN A ARMOUR TRUCK ROBBERY, AND GOT SENT TO PRISON, IT STARTED OUT AS ME JUST FUCKING AROUND WITH THE BEATS WITH SOME OF MY PEOPLE FROM IDLEWOOD IN SOUTH EAST RALEIGH. SO WE WOULD MAKE MUSIC ON OUR KEYBOARDS, WRITE AND RECORD OURSELVES, WAY BEFORE ITS WAS JUST THE COOL THING TO DO, FROM THAT I NOTICE THAT I WAS VERY TALENTED IN THE ART OF MUSIC, SO I BEGAN TAKING IT A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS. WHEN I TURN 19 IN 2000 I APPLIED FOR A CREDIT CARD, AND WENT AND MAX IT OUT ON MUSIC EQUIPMENT. BY THAT TIME I HAD WHEN TO COLLEGE IN KANSAS FOR FOOTBALL FOR A COUPLE YRS. AND CAME BK TO GO TO FAYETTEVILLE STATE WHERE FOOTBALL ENDED FOR ME AND MUSIC REALLY BEGAN.

NORTH CAROLINA IS AN HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN OPEN MARKET FOR MUSIC SO IN 2005 I PICK UP AND COUPLE HOMIES I KNEW FROM SCHOOL FOR MY STREET TEAM AND STARTED PUTTING TOGEATHER SHOWCASES, PRODUCER BATTLES, OPEN MICS, ETC. AS A FORM OF PROMOTIONS TO GET THE NAME BIG GAME OUT TO THE PUBLIC. VICE VERSA PUTTIN OTHER ARTIST ON STAGE TO DO THERE THANG, AND IN TURN BUILDING UP THE MUSIC SCENCE IN RALEIGH. BECAUSE BEFORE BIG GAME IT WASNT BUT A HAND FULL OF NAMES OUT THAT WERE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING ON THE MUSIC SCENE LIKE 9DEUCE & 21ST RECORDS. 5 YEARS LATER, 1000 MORE HATERS, 100+ MUSIC SHOWCASES, 4 CAR, TRUCK, AND BIKE SHOWS, 4 ALBUMS, 2 NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS CREDITS 2 NCUMA 09' NOMINTATIONS, 1 MOVIE FEAT. LAVA IZZO IS STILL HERE CONTINUING TO BUILDING THE MUSIC SCENE IN CAROLINA.

CAD: What other Carolina artists have you collaborated with?

LAVA: ON THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THING I HAVE DELT WITH MAJORITY OF THE ARTIST IN CAROLINA ON THE SHOWCASE END OF THING. 85-90% OF THE ARTIST BUZZING IN CAROLINA HAVE OR PERFORMED AT A BIG GAME SHOW. MUSICALLY ME AS A ARTIST, I HAVE WORKED WITH, SHELLY B, TEF KALUMINOTI, BLACKSTORM, J. BULLY, ED. E RUGER, LA-U, JOEZEEMO, TAMARA, MADISON JAY AND MANY MORE PRODUCTION WISE, I HAVE WORKED WITH BLACK JERUZ, MARSHALL LAW, BIG GAME, LIL MARC, AND DJ BIG PROBLEMZ

CAD: Do you have any advice for young artists & producers in the Carolinas?

LAVA: MY ADVICE FOR YOUNG ARTIST AND PRODUCERS IS IT IS MORE THINGS TO DO IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY THAN JUST RAP OR PRODUCE. THOSE ARE THE TWO LEAST PAYING JOBS IN MUSIC UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF THE CHOOSEN FEW TO MAKE IT BIG. WHAT WE NEED MORE IN CAROLINA IS VIDEO ENGINEERS, PROMOTIONAL COMPANIES LIKE www.carolinaALLDAY.com, MANAGERS, PUBLICIST AND PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENE. THAT’S WHT MAKES AN ARTIST POP, THE PPL BEHIND THEM. GET YOUR MONEY FIRST, WITH OUT MONEY YOUR MUSIC WILL GO UNHEARD DONT BE AFRAID TO INVEST IN YOURSELF, JUST MAKE SURE ITS FOR THE GOOD. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY KEEP YOUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS TIGHT. WATCH OUT FOR THE SNAKES IN THE GRASS. AND THE GRIND DONT STOP PROMOTIONS IS KEY. LITTLE WORDS BUT I SAID ALOT. REAL RAP

. CAD: Do you feel the Internet has hurt or helped your music career?

LAVA: LAVA IZZO WAS MADE OFF OF THE INTERNET AS FAR AS REACHING PPL I COULDNT SEE IN THE STREETS. WE ARE IN THE INTERNET AGE, SO EVERYTHING IS ONLINE. WHILE I WAS STILL IN THE STREETS WITH FLYER AN INFO, PPL CHECK THERE EMAILS, FACEBOOKS, AND TWITTERS MAY TIMES DAILY. THE NET IS HOW I CAN GET A COLLAB OR A BEAT FROM AN ARTIST IN CALI OR V.A. THATS HOW WE CAN BE INDEPENDANT ARTIST AND SELL OUR MUSIC ON ITUNES, OR AMAZON. IT HAS DEF. HELPED ME OUT AS A ARTIST AND BUSINESSMAN

CAD: What projects are you currently working on?

LAVA: CURRENTLY I AM WORKING ON MY 4TH SOLO ALBUM ENTITLED "THE MOST RELEVANT 2" LOOKING TO DROP THIS SUMMER. YOU CAN PICK UP THE MOST RELEVANT 1 ON ITUNES, RHAPSODY, AMAZON.COM. MY FIRST SINGLE OFF OF TMR2 IS "FRESH OFF HATE-CATION" PRODUCED BY DJ BIG PROBLEMZ AVAILIBLE ON (MY FACEBOOK PAGE LINK BELOW). ALSO I AM WORKING ON 2 MIXTAPES, A INDEPENDANT MOVIE, AND 4 VIDEOS ALL COMING SOON IN 2010. STAY TUNED

CAD: Where can people keep up with your career online?

LAVA: www.facebook.com/chad.laws
www.twitter.com/LavaIzzo
www.myspace.com/biggameproductions
Shout outs...TO THE WHOLE CAROLINA MOVT. AND ME LAVA IZZO FOR MY PART IN IT!