Updated: Mar 4, 2021
1. What city are you / Where are you based now?
I am from Cleveland, Ohio, and I am still based in Cleveland. I produce for a label called Cloud9 Entertainment out in New Jersey.
2. What is your artist name? What is your real name? How did you get your artist name?My artist name is G Rhodz, my real name is Grant Zarrinmakan. I got my artist name from a combination of my initials and the Rhodes piano because I played piano all of my life. Rhodes Piano + Initials = G Rhodz, just replaced the es with Z
3. At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music?
As a freshmen in college, I began producing as a side hobby. Junior year, I started pursuing music production professionally. However, I had always been in music, I played violin and piano for 18 years.
4. Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
My upbringing has absolutely had an impact on defining my sound today. My father is middle eastern and my mother is Irish and Canadian. I had a very diverse upbringing, experiencing a plethora of different cultures which influences my taste in food, music, and fashion.
5. How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
For those not familiar to me, I would describe my sound as powerful. I do not just make music for fun, I make music that contains hidden messages, deeper meaning. For example, my track “Black” with Aris Ray was about Aris and I coming together with one common goal, which was to make a statement on Black Power, Black Excellence, and Racial Equality.
6. What ultimately inspired you to dedicate yourself to a music career?
Wanting something more than a typical corporate 9-5 job has ultimately driven me to a career in music. I want to pursue my passion, regardless of the monetary output. I’m someone who believes, if you pursue your passion and outwork everyone around you, the money will follow
7. What’s one reason you are passionate about music and what inspires you?
I am passionate about music because it has played such a big role in my life. Through injuries in sports, working out, experiencing heart break, everything you could imagine, music has been my escape. At some point throughout college, I told myself I could make better music than what was on the market then. That’s the moment when I took this very seriously.
8. Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
Nowadays, I do not do much outside of finishing up school and music production. However, a couple of years ago, you would’ve seen me playing baseball, playing the violin and piano, playing football, attempting to play basketball, etc. When I’m with friends I also like learning about photography and painting as well because my close friends are very artistic.
9. Who are some of your main musical influences?
I am passionate about music because it has played such a big role in my life. Through injuries in sports, working out, experiencing heart break, everything you could imagine, music has been my escape. At some point throughout college, I told myself I could make better music than what was on the market then. That’s the moment when I took this very seriously.
10. What are some of your music career goals for the future?
My main musical influences are the following:
Artists:
Travis Scott
Young Thug
Juice Wrld
Lil Wayne
Kid Cudi
Trippie Redd
Producers:
Metro Boomin
Molly Raw
Zaytoven
Ronny J
808 Mafia
Wheezy
11. What are some of your career goals for the future?
I want to become one of the biggest producers in the industry, eventually expanding into other fields such as movie sound design/engineering, broadway, anything that involves musical engineering/production. However, with that being said, I want to produce in the music industry for a majority of my life.
12. Tell us about the project or something that you are promoting. What is it about Also, what is the name of the last thing thing you released?
On 4.20, I am dropping a 2 part EP called Solstice. Volume 1 will contain a more chill and positive vibe where as Volume 2 will contain harder music. If I were to compare the EPs, the first EP would possess sounds similar to Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Tory Lanez, and artists like that while volume two would possess sounds similar to T Grizzley, Meek Mill, Playboi Carti, Nba Youngboy, NLE Choppa, etc.
13. What has the response been to the last thing you promoted?
The project has yet to be released so there hasn’t been any public response yet. However, from meetings with industry executives, I can tell you that these tracks are the greatest tracks I’ve ever released to date, and I would be genuinely surprised if they didn’t make any noise in the industry.
14. What are some things you’ve done in the past that you are most proud of and why?
In the past, I have two individual albums as a producer with Steven Cannon, Aris Ray, and Lil Saint (previously known as Lil Satan). The first album is called No Pulse and the most recent album is Lost In Love. Although I am proud of those two projects, the amount of growth I’ve had over the past year will be evident with these two EPs. It will be night and day compared to my previous work.
15. What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming things we should be on the lookout for? Include some dates if you have them.
What’s next for me is making my first trip to LA to meet with industry executives. On March 26th, I will be flying to Los Angeles to meet with labels to present both of my EPs, with the hopes of securing some sort of deal/connection within the industry. You should be on the lookout for the two EPs dropping on 4.20, because the outcome of those meetings could result in a larger population of people seeing the projects.
16. What message do you hope people take away from what you do?
This is a question I’ve done a lot of thinking on and I think I finally have the correct way to describe my music. My music comes from the pain I’ve experienced in my life. All of my anger, frustration, and negativity, I channel into my music. I want my fans to feel the energy of my music, the raw emotion of the sounds and the lyrics being used. If the song is angry, I want the fans to get angry and hype, if the song is chill and laid back, I want my audience to spark up and enjoy the vibes.
17. Where can we follow you on social media?
Instagram.com/prodbygrhodz
Twitter.com/G_rhodz
Instagram: @g_rhodz
Twitter: @prodbygrhodz
Tiktok: @g_rhodz
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBS1B-hp1Yo6pgfNnCj61FQ
Music Video Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-9ksf3_7JE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22qPkvZlETc
BLACK MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON THIS WEEK
Is there anything else you want people to know?
Peace and Blessings to everyone in 2021. I truly hope everyone accomplishes their hopes and dreams. Anything I can do to help you, never hesitate to reach out. People know me to be genuine and real through and through. I am not fake, I’m very humble, down to earth, and selfless. Stay blessed.