Painting pictures of street struggles through clear-eyed narratives about his checkered past, Sacramento’s Mozzy is one of rap’s most respected raconteurs.
Today, the Sacramento king takes a long look inward, contemplating his legacy on the poignant new video single “If I Die Right Now,” with single artwork that pays tribute to those Mozzy has lost over the years.
Over a soulful instrumental, the Oak Park native reflects on his come-up–starting from his early days rapping as Lil Tim–and all the hardships he endured, from family and friends passing away (“Granny died on the same couch I use to sleep on“) to his struggle with substances (“Overdosin’ ain’t that far off it’s relatable”).
Despite all the tribulations and trust issues, Mozzy finds solace in his craft and in the love of his fans: “If I die right now is any the n****s I called bruddas gon’ miss me the way the fans would.” In the video, Mozzy spotlights the citizens of his Oak Park, Sacramento community, who have dealt with similar travails as the star rapper and are still standing.
Mozzy is currently hard at work on the full-length follow-up to 2022’s Survivor’s Guilt, his first album released in partnership with CMG/Interscope Records. Coming this fall, Mozzy’s next album continues his run as one of the most acclaimed and popular street rappers of his generation.