BlackZeusX
My name is Mandella Eskia aka BlackZeusX and I am a rapper/songwriter from Harlem NYC. I have been performing and creating music seriously for the past six years and just released a project titled Bar Supply in the past month.
Q: Was music always a big part of your life?
Yes, before I could rap I used to want to sing but did not have the strongest singing voice early on. As a kid, my mother and father would play jazz and blues music and ask me to identify the singers by their voices. My brothers would also expose me to rap and R&B very early on.
Q: How does it feel to be part of interviews and podcasts?
It feels very good, I love to be able to express my viewpoint on music and music-related things to people. I am kind of a nerd in that aspect.
Q: What got you into making TikToks? What is your favorite Tik Tok trend?
I kept hearing about it and kept seeing my friends do duets on there and so I made an account. It took a while before I started to take it seriously but once I did it started to really take off once I got the hang of it. I am currently at 20k followers and counting which is cool. I try not to pay too much to the trends because my favorite content on there is the original content but my favorite is probably the Butter Fly In The Sky reading Rainbow one.
Q: Would you or have you made a TikTok for one of your songs?
Yes, I do that sometimes but not usually. Still working on how to do that and make it cool.
Q: What are three things you would like people to know about your music?
That is it is personal, honest, serious, fun, and lyrical ALL AT THE SAME TIME. Check it out.
Would you like to be featured?
Q: Where did the name Blackzeusx come from?
BlackZeusX came to me in a dream actually. I dreamt that I was on a huge stage and people kept yelling it out and so as soon as I woke up yelled it out in order to remember it.
Q: What would you want your fans to know about Kente Bandana?
That it is a song that is heavily connected to the Kente my father made me wear growing up and although it is a lyrical song it is really about cultural pride. Also, the video was sponsored by DIOP and they made some unique Bandanas and masks
Q: What kind of merchandise do you sell?
T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and long sleeves (hats and long sleeves are on the way) just for little ole me so shout out to them.
Q: How would you want to expand your career and business?
Good question, I am really interested in building the fashion brand and also taking hip-hop education into schools with the We The Gods brand. Also very interested in songwriting and helping to develop younger artists which is one of the reasons I teach rap and songwriting in schools.
Q: What made you want to perform for Hudson Yards, last September? What did you like about performing there?
A friend asked me to do it and I am almost always down for public outdoors so that is why I did it. I liked the audience and ambiance.