Hailing from the south – North Carolina, multifaceted artist O.Z The Hitmaker is going worldwide after making his name with multiple viral Facebook videos. After accumulating over 20 million views alone on Facebook with his “Walmart Freestyle” featuring Harvey J, he received recognition from legends such as Shaquille O’Neal.
Since childhood, O.Z has been perfecting his craft. At a tender age of 8, the hitmaker has already penned his first rhyme before entering his first studio at the age of 12. After leaving his childhood hometown of Newark, New Jersey, at 19 years old, O.Z relocated to Durham, North Carolina to pursue his music career.
After his transition, O.Z quickly generated buzz within the city after connecting with rap group, Earth Movers. After parting ways with Earth Movers to start his solo career, O.Z linked up with fellow rapper Harvey J., who he continues to work with today. Fast forward to today, he’s an artist with an expansive fan base garnering over 60 million views and 1 million streams and counting.
He is also the founder of record label & clothing brand, G.I.O.Y.O which stands for “get it on your own.” Since 2015, G.I.O.Y.O continues to grow and over the past 5 years O.Z has used his knowledge of the industry to benefit the growth of not only himself but his protégés as well.
O.Z’s is musically influenced by hip-hop trailblazers such as Tupac, DMX, Eminem, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar. He’s always had an affinity for lyricism. Inspiring his dedication to curate music that resonates with fans personally through his rhymes paired with uplifting beats that’ll keep you on your feet.
O.Z’s most recent release, Return of The King, comes as a follow up to his debut project, King. Within the 6-year hiatus between projects, O.Z kept fans’ attention with consistent releases of singles and EPs like Lovers Lane & O.Z Collabs. We saw the return of the king in 2020. Inspired by fellow lyricist, Joyner Lucas, O.Z realized that there was still a place for lyrically-driven rap and began putting together his newest release. He also used the time to study the game, noticing the rising popularity of melodic rap. Which influenced the display of his versatility and vocals on his latest project.
The 16-track project is a pinnacle of years made up of hard work. This 3-year process included back and forth travel between North Carolina and Atlanta with the guidance of fellow rapper Harvey J. Everything that O.Z has worked towards has led up to the production of this highly anticipated project. With the overwhelming positive feedback, Return of the King is already proving to be his best work to date. Within the first two days of its release, it accumulated over 1 million streams.
Listen to O.Z The Hitmaker’s most recent piece of art, Return Of The King, available now on all platforms.
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