Urban Vault caught up with Queens, New York City-based multifaceted Hip Hop artist Jeziah Duckett to ask him some questions about his recent album MASKED UP & more…

Hailing from the thriving musical hub of Queens in New York, Jeziah Duckett is a multifaceted Hip Hop artist and rapper who has been enthralled by the music industry since his childhood. Jeziah first started making music at the tender age of 14 where he was enchanted by the love, passion, and creativity poured into all aspects of Hip Hop. His new album entitled ‘Masked Up‘, has 15 tracks of hard-hitting bars, profound lyricism, and incessant melodies which will stick with you for days on end.

What is your name?

My name is Hai-Lin Jeziah Duckett, but my stage name is Jeziah Duckett.

How old are you?

I’m 18 years old.

How long have you been making music?

Well, I’ve been writing music for about 6 years now, but I’ve been fully making songs for a little over a year.

How many songs/albums have you released to date?

I’ve released 7 singles, 1 EP, and 1 album.

Can you tell us about your new album ‘Masked Up‘, the background, and the inspirations behind it?

The whole album’s concept of multiple lives and finding love to take you out of it has been explored a million times, but the straight inspiration for feeling ‘Masked Up’ came strictly from Spiderman Across the Spiderverse. I related most to Miles Morales in that movie, so I tied in a lot of that.

How did you end up in the music industry?

Well, I’m not even really too sure. I am trying to make a name that I can benefit from, and I have yet to do that. But for me just starting, I have a couple of thousand monthly listeners, so things are going quite well.

What do you think of the music industry?

I feel it is probably the hardest industry to venture into because there are so many trying to do it. The industry being what it is, can only take in a few. So, I feel it is frustrating to have a clear entrance to it. The effort makes it a fun thing to get involved in.

What do you have planned for the rest of 2023?

On October 10th, my birthday, I will be releasing my final project of the year, ‘Unmasked’, which will be an album featuring my best tracks of the year so far, with some scraps from ‘Masked Up’ included.

What inspires you when you make your music?

New sounds. It’s the exploration of creativity that captures me. I think about how far out of the realm I can take this, and it makes me happy thinking about it because that’s what the art is for. Then listening to others; music adds more ideas to develop a sound. So, everything inspires me, man. I wake up to music, I think about music; everything to me is music.

Who have you collaborated with so far in your career?

I have collaborated with a lot of people since my journey started. First off, my mentor JML. He's a great producer and an experienced musician. I have also collaborated with a fantastic producer named M4R1 The One, who’s young and up-and-coming like I am. His versatility and his ability with samples and sound are phenomenal. I’ve worked with a great mixer named Code Prod, who mixed my entire album ‘Masked Up’ and as you can see, he’s done a fantastic job. I’ve worked with a fantastic singer as well, Linnsy. I’ve featured her on tracks such as ‘POP Out’, ‘Night Owl’, and ‘Sakura’, and she has a beautiful voice. My collaborations are always expanding, so we’ll see how long this list will grow.

Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?

I would love to collaborate with the big names, obviously, but a collaboration I will always look forward to is J Cole. I feel he is the best artist in terms of the art of rap from the talent pool when I was growing up. He is just a fantastic artist as well. I also look forward to keeping the work New York-centered, with artists like Joey Bada$$, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky, Nas, and the list goes on. I would always love to collaborate with those who made me explore my creativity, such as Kanye West and Travis Scott, but that’s for when I’ve earned it.

What’s your favorite track at the moment?

In general, I don't really have a favorite track because all types of music are beautiful. I can say my favorite record is Metro’s ‘Heroes and Villains’ album. The sounds and the landscape of moods that the album creates are ridiculously fantastic. I can say my favorite track from the album is ‘Raindrops’.

What do you do when you’re not making music?

Well, I love movies and a lot of the arts. I try to see everything as art, so I watch a lot of sports, movies, and concerts simply to give me an idea of beautiful skills. I hate sitting around doing nothing, besides playing video games. Video games require skill and creativity, so there’s a little line, I guess.

Which do you prefer, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram?

Instagram.

In a few words, sum up your thoughts about Urban Vault and what we’re trying to do.

Creating a platform for upcoming artists. How can you dislike Urban Vault? I haven’t received these types of things simply because I’m not streamed enough, so for Urban Vault to give me some light, I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your time, and may you carry on making dope, fresh music…

Jeziah Duckett – Masked Up via Spotify

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