Get to know Zak North, the North Carolina artist with a unique appearance and sound. Check out his full interview below and be sure to follow Jukebox Culture on Instagram.
Where are you from? I’m from North Carolina.
What was life like growing up? Life growing up was hard. We was poor; I don’t mean just a little bit of money. I mean, when it rained, it leaked into my bedroom and my shoes and clothes used to float in the water and shit. Snakes, crickets, mice, all kind of shit lived in my home with me except roaches. My mama was clean as hell but we was just poor. I used to shake rat shit off my clothes in the morning where the mice would sleep on my shit but I aint ever complain because my mama was doing the best she could do, you feel me? I would wear my clothes multiple times before I washed them to save on the water bill. We ate canned food. My daddy wasn’t in my life until I was pretty much a teenager or right before so I spent a lot of time with my grandparents in the country. Playing outside barefoot, riding horses with no saddle and shit. She used to sit a gallon of water outside with me and my cousins and lock the door and say “when it’s gone, it aint nothing else.” So I learned the value of team early in the game. My daddy got locked up, he was really on some street shit real heavy and then he got saved while he was in there and started preaching when he got out. So I mean – I almost want to say, “Typical American Black Boy” story but mine is different even though its close. The base of my story the same though.
What inspired you to start your career? Honestly, my dad and his side of the family. Music was an outlet for me at first. I hated that nigga with a passion but it was just pain. I was hurting. My first song was called “I Hate You” and I was 11 and it was about my dad. Then I visited some family in DC in high school and recorded my first song in a studio and never looked back really.
What was the first event or experience that really boosted your career? Meeting Steelo. I had done some shit before that was pretty dope but Steelo was really the first person to come along and actually believe in what my vision was. He aint try to change it or nothing. He just saw it. Really before I even met him. He heard the music and called me back immediately and was like look – I can get DaBaby manager to listen to this shit with me because no cap, I’m new to this management shit too. I respected that move so heavy that I knew he was gon manage me. It was the rawness and truth. Steelo done became family to me. So we about to rock all the way to the top and all the way around the world. This shit big.
How did you get your name? Zak is my name forreal. North is where I’m from – many ways over *smirk*. My pops told me that I had to always answer 4 questions to be successful – “Who are you, where you from, where you going, and how you going to get there?” – So right now, I’m in the “how” phase and once we get that concrete – its up.
Who is your biggest inspiration? Inspiration? Shit, my family. My mama, my kids, their mama, my siblings, my cousins, my niggas. That’s who inspires me! I’m driven by legacy and nothing else. I don’t care too much about luxury. I’m gon have it but lol, it doesn’t drive me. My “why” is immaculate. Nobody else in my immediate circle gon have to grow up with non pets in the crib they don’t want. My family huge so I can’t save everybody but if you know you know.
Most expensive piece of jewelry? Most expensive piece of jewelry I have is a gold necklace with some stones in it. I’m not gon drop the tag on it because people lurking – but it cost me something nice
Why should people want to listen to Zak North? People should want to listen to me because I have a story to tell. I do it creatively. I’m not just some youtube rapper without wordplay. I’m an entire machine from production to lyrics to melody etc. At this point in the game, it’s hard to reinvent the wheel but I hope to do it in a manner that does the game justice. When it’s said and done – I want to be the absolute best.Â
What has been the most difficult part of developing your career? Creating the budget to actually make it. The days of someone discovering you on the corner rapping with your friends is over. Labels and fans want you to come packaged up. You need a team before you get the team if that makes sense. Secondly it would be getting people to realize that I’m not just a “niche” artist but that I’m an artist period. That’s being the most frustrating part. They called Kanye and Drake and Jay-Z “niche” artists when they first came out and now – they are just considered greats. You show me a goat and I’ll show you a niche artist. That’s disrespectful
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 5 years? At least 2 albums in, a multi-millionaire and on the cover of Rolling Stone & GQ – I have a love for fashion and music…and women, so lol – those are the goals.
If you could collaborate with a celebrity, who would it be? It would be Drake – let’s be honest, that collaboration would be timeless and not just timeless because it’s Drake but timeless because you would have two vulnerable and raw artist in the studio together with witty wordplay and taste.
What advice would you give to young artists that want to have a career in music? Bet on yourself! Period. That’s the advice. I’m in no place to give a blueprint and never will be – there is no blueprint or everyone else would “make it” – whatever that means?
