MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.

What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?

• Rice: I started making music at age 18 or 19 but I did not start taking it seriously until my brother M-Ezy the co’owner of Hustle work grind records started working on music when I was 22 or 23 because we did our first show Coast to Coast Live in April of 2017.

MuzicNotez: Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?

• Rice: Jay-Z. J Cole have influenced me by their lyricism and the authenticity of their lyrics. It may have not attracted all audiences, but it was something that audiences gravitate towards. Kendrick lamar is also an influence because he turns his lyricism into pop music.

MuzicNotez: What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?

• Rice: The meaning for me is you choose your destiny. With the ends justifying the means “What means will you go to get what you call the juice” for some people its money, for some its power and others its love. Will you succumb to your vices to get to your ultimate prize? Or Will you stay the route. Trust that by living a morally encompassed lifestyle which is what is moral for oneself will get you to where you need to be or want to be which is the Juice. This is my perception of the movie Juice.

MuzicNotez: What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?

• Rice: The Apache club in Atlanta at Exposure open mic because there were so many talented individuals on the card coming from different states. It was different watching the diversity in one building. Even when the power went out there were two individuals who played instruments a saxophonist and guitarist and everyone just joined in to welcoming the sound they produced. It was just a dope vibe that just cannot be replicated it was just a once in a lifetime moment in time.

MuzicNotez: You’re latest release is the single ‘Juice’, what does this song mean to you and what inspired it?

• Rice: What inspired me to make the song Juice is the beat and the vibe, and I made a hook and left the song alone for a few months. I saw the movie Juice and it inspired me to listen to the beat again and change up the hook and devote the song to the movie Juice. There were all these people going after “juice” or power but not everyone even wants the Juice its other people’s perception. I compare to Q about the movie in comparing it to my life because beyond the fact the both the character and I are pursuing music as a dream, but just like Q in the movie there can be outside distractions, but we never craved the Juice but happen to fall into it.

MuzicNotez: You’ve been part of the ongoing effort to fight social injustice, what has that journey been like for you as an artist?

• Rice: Its hard. Being a part of a solution when it seems so impossible even with setting up protests, sit ins or even standing in front of town hall, walking with the police it just seemed like we are so far from solving the social injustices that we faced. Although we organized a protest that brought together 1000 people it seems insignificant in comparison to the social injustice problems we still face.

MuzicNotez: The pandemic has had a big effect on the entertainment industry, how has it effected you? How have you adapted to it?

• Rice: The pandemic has given me the time I needed to sit down reflect and work harder on my craft. This was well needed time for me to revamp, re=energize and come out stronger than ever and set the new tone for how I should be “consistently in your face”. Because of where I am located demographically there are not a lot of opportunities to perform, so it gave me time to develop a better system for marketing, promoting, and releasing my music. This was also an opportunity to build upon and expand my network.

MuzicNotez: What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?

• Rice: I am working on doing more shows. I have a few new songs that I’m working on Juice a new version which will be released on all platforms June 16th. I also have new music with J_Muzique No Brady as well as “Still My Wave” which is M-Ezy ft Rice and Lorenzo. My hope is to release “Ridin with Blindfolds by the end of the year which should include 4-5 songs. I am also working with a new engineer by the name Sauce Sinatra of the Atlanta Record Factory. I knew that I was meant to work with this engineer because he shows how much he cares about my sound and developing it fully to bring out the best in my music.

MuzicNotez: Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?

• Rice: If coming out this week then tune in this Saturday to the event Black Excellence which will be streaming on Hip hop Weekly IG live, as well as Juice will be airing on the Indie network Radio show Saturday at 130 YouTube Fire TV, and Apple TV. I have events coming up in March and if you follow me at the real_arroz or Rice Official book, you will see what we have coming up.