'I am not a typical product of my environment... I represent people from all walks of life. I am a melting pot.' —Stickz Greenz
New York, NY (PRWEB) July 03, 2014
After years of ups and downs, including living several years on the streets, the multi-talented lyricist Stickz Greenz is ready to introduce his debut EP, The Addiction, to the masses. The making of this EP inspired Stickz to reflect on his past struggles and to focus his energy on what he is most passionate about-- making music, writing lyrics and performing on stage. The Addiction will be available digitally in the fall with the single, “Life With Me” now available on SoundCloud.
This eight-song EP covers topics ranging from addiction, abandonment, empowerment, love and passion. Stand-out tracks include “Fly Away” featuring guitar riffs influenced by Jimi Hendrix, the high intensity “Gone” and soulful “Life with Me,” which Greenz described as a song about feeling so self-deprecating that you feel it is impossible for someone to love you. "Sometimes people feel more like what they hate about themselves as opposed to what it is that makes them great. At times of depression or hardship, we often identify with and acknowledge the worst in us.” Stickz added, “We project our inner most fears and insecurities on to the people we love most. We also become self-destructive.”
Greenz defies all genres by fusing rap, rock, pop and alternative music together to express himself with a unique style he likes to call “Street Rock”. Stickz explained, “My style is definitely unique. I’m an individual who’s a true individual, not only in my music, but my personality.” He went on to say, “I feel most people are to a certain extent, but they don’t express it because they feel they have to be the gangster conscious or backpack rapper to belong. If you limit yourself to one genre or one stereotype, you’re kind of depriving your fans of your evolution.”
Born Tony Quarless in Brooklyn, NY, Stickz began writing songs at the age of seven and rapidly progressed into a talented songwriter in his teenage years. As a budding songwriter, his musical influences included an eclectic mix ranging from Bob Marley, Sade, Biggie, The Lox, Black Eyed Peas, Fleetwood Mac, Jewel, and among others. At age 16, Stickz felt creatively stifled and decided to leave his home and family in pursuit of like-minded people and the independence he felt was necessary to obtain his own personal and professional goals.
When asked how he came about the name Stickz Greenz, he replied, “The name Stickz came from a lifestyle. I was given that name on the streets.” Although Greenz is a private person, he revealed a bit more about his past, “I was kind of rough and doing some things that I am not especially proud of. I made some bad decisions because I was young and immature. I was homeless and scared. The bad decisions were not of wanting to, but needing to do what I thought it took to survive. Or at least that is how I felt at the time.”
Despite early hardships, Stickz never gave up on the dream of becoming a performer. He attended many organized “Battle Rap” events and performed at every freestyle battle on street corners across the city. Stickz continued to win every battle he entered, further cementing that he was on the right path. Stickz commented, “There were times where God and music kept my sanity. I didn’t have anything to go home to because I didn’t have a home. If everything was going awry that day, if nothing went right, if I felt like nothing was going my way, I could always depend on music.”
Now with his debut EP, The Addiction, and his band Same Town in tow, there is no stopping Stickz Greenz. He feels grounded and ready to take on the world, one song at a time.
For more information please visit http://stickzgreenz.com/#/home.
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