Chaz-O, born Chad Newton, was raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut. A once thriving city that succumbed to industrial flight and suburbanization in the 1970-80’s along with Baltimore, Detroit and other rustbelt cities. Raised in a struggling city, Chaz-O found solace in poetry and music which shaped his progression into an artist that exposes an organic form of lyricism.

Chaz-O tells a story which vividly paints a picture enabling listeners to encounter and/or relate to living in an environment like Bridgeport. Chaz-O depicts his story directly as well as indirectly musically. The mood, tone and maturity of his music is en-sync with his life experiences and situations.

Hip hop has been overly consumed with flashiness and catchy singles of today’s faddish society. The majority of emcees today have the tendency to mistakenly follow this as a blueprint to easy success. Chaz-O pledges “music is my passion, I do it for the love and respect before the money”.

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]