The iconic Andre Benjamin (aka Andre 300) once stated, "Your verses are like windows into who you are as a rapper." For many artists, music helps them cope with the hard times in their lives.
Today, we look into the life of Atlanta, GA-based musician and songwriter Zay Doe. While he was recording his new single "Easy," I had the chance to sit down with Zay in his bedroom studio to learn more about his journey to becoming the creative musician he is today.
At the tender age of 9, Zay wrote his very first album. At an early age, he recognized that one of the purposes of his life was to cultivate the planet through music and his immersive lyrical writing. Since elementary school, Zay could recall being the type of student in literature class who considered writing therapeutic rather than punishment, as many of his peers did. Zay recalled that while he was in middle school, he would make music to get through some of the difficult times in his life, such as being bullied and filling the void of not having friends he could relate to. He found solace in music. At 16, Zay recorded "Are You Real," his first official studio song. Now, at 23 years old, he has the same purpose and drive for composing music as he did when he was 16 to help his listeners overcome the emotional and physical challenges they face.
After sitting down with Zay and listening to his extensive collection of released and unreleased tracks, it's simple to say that Zay can't be put in a box due to the wide range of creativity reflected in his music. Zay talked about how he's been impacted by a diverse group of genres and artists ever since he was young, checking the Billboard Charts daily to discover new rising artists at the age of 10. He’s inspired by a variety of great musicians, including Pink Floyd, Nas, Outkast, and SZA. The gritty yet insightful lyrical content of Zay's style, according to him, is reminiscent of early 2000s rap. When asked where he sees himself in the future, Zay stated that he intends to mentally grow as an artist and to continue to positively impact the lives of people globally through his work.
