By Nancy Oben
noben@news-press.com
Lazaro Camejo, aka Bizzy Crook, is a 2010 Island Coast High School graduate who is pursuing a career in hip-hop.
The 19-year-old is looking to make it big in the music industry.
His single, "This is Me," off of his EP, "P.S. I'm Sorry," is gaining buzz for sampling Demi Lovato, a Disney starlet.
The song has a positive message. He wants listeners to know that you don't have to be what people expect you to be - just be content with who you are.
"I like to be different," he said. "I want to tell people you don't have to be someone else."
The artist wanted to sample Lovato because he likes the movie, "Camp Rock."
"I like Disney movies and musicals," he said. "I like music in general."
Many new fans heard about his music through Lovato, he said, but remain fans because they like his style.
"This is Me" has garnered about 20,000 plays on YouTube.
"I hope the 'This is Me' track will get me to where I want to be," he said. "That song is me. It represents the artist I want to be."
Jermaine "Romello" Smith, the artist's mentor and owner of Mellow Music Group, thinks "This is Me" has something special.
"I just think he created something that is different, that's a fresh sound," Smith said. "I think he's found his lane."
Camejo knew from a young age that he wanted to be a rapper.
"Since I was 6, I was always recording," he said. "Being a rapper, a musician, is the American dream."
Camejo's cousin Abigail Viera, 19, grew up with him.
"When we were little, he would record on his boom box with little cassette tapes," Viera said.
Camejo said he lived in the Cape for about four years. Camejo was raised in Miami and lives there now. He started off at Mariner High School but transferred to Island Coast his senior year.
"I didn't know too many people," he said. "I had a house studio where I stayed in and worked on my music."
He said he recorded every day, and also participated in rap battles in the lunch room and at football games. Viera said everyone knew about him.
Island Coast is still buzzing about Camejo. His sister, Linnette Camejo, 15, a junior, said all of her classmates come up to her asking about him.
"At first they didn't believe that he was my brother," she said. "They think it's cool."
Success, though, sprung from a hard road. Crook was offered an independent music contract after he graduated from high school but the deal fell through.
"Someone disagreed every time someone agreed," he said.
There was one bright side, though. He met Smith, who recognized his talent instantly.
"I heard his music almost on accident," Smith said. "Once I heard him I needed to meet him."
Smith signed him to his independent label, Mellow Music Group. The pair was introduced to Mona Scott-Young and Bizzy Crook recently signed with her company for management. Scott-Young represents some major clients, including Missy Elliott.
Camejo is now back in the studio working on his next mix tape. His EP, "P.S. I'm Sorry," will be released within the next two weeks on his website - bizzycrook.com.
The rapper's career appears to be gaining traction. After "P.S. I'm Sorry" releases, Camejo will fly to New York to meet with major record labels.
"His whole family is really behind him," Viera said. "We have the highest hopes for him. He's going to go far."
special to the news-press
Rapper Bizzy Crook is gaining buzz for his new single "This is Me." He is a 2010 graduate of Island Coast High School.
Want to know more?
- Website: bizzycrook.com
- Facebook: Bizzy Crook
- Twitter: @bizzycrook
- Youtube: bizzycrook
This article was published on July 28th in the Cape Life section of the News-Press, a Gannett paper located in Ft. Myers, FL.
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