Omar Azizi has been rapidly climbing the success ladder in the hip-hop industry lately. Originally born and brought up in California, he is popularly known as ‘Big Oz’ due to his huge and muscular framework. His height is 6 foot 6 while his weight is around 300 pounds. Even as a baby, he weighed around 12 pounds.
Azizi’s father, who fled from Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion, was also a passionate musician who loved playing accordion. However, he did not wish his son to lead the same life. He wanted him to venture into the political world. When Azizi was a child, he used to love writing poetry. In fact, he was introduced to the famous 13th century poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi by his father. While living in the Bay area, he started composing rhymes and this is also the time he got into rapping. “It was a remix of the Luniz’s ‘I Got Five On It’ that attracted me,” Azizi can be quoted as saying. He often used to get scolded for his unflinching passion towards rap music. However, his family soon recognized and accepted his talent in this field.
Azizi’s journey truly started when he moved to Orange County at the age of seventeen. He, along with his friends, were hanging out at Coconuts when they started calling him in front of the mic. “When I began freestyling, everything changed”, he said. After two years, he formed a local recording group called Xtort Clan with Aliso Black. However, a series of tragic events completely uprooted Azizi’s life. His group mate Bassin Chmait was shot by Homeland Security agent Doughlas Bates and he died in Azizi’s hands. It was also during this time that Azizi’s older brother passed away. “The first few months were filled with depression and I almost couldn’t handle it. Fortunately I learnt to channel that energy into a positive outlook”, he elaborates.
Azizi has come a long way since his initiation. He has collaborated with well-known rappers such as Juicy J, Mos Def, Nas, E40, The Game, Talib Kweli and Wu Tang. There is good news for all Big Oz fans as he will be releasing his next album called ‘Grizzly State’ on 1st June 2022 on all streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple music and so on. Moreover, he will be doing multiple city tours in California, New York as well as Canada this year.
Omar is one of the most talented pioneers in the music industry. His music is a perfect amalgamation of Dari, his mother language and contemporary English rap. This, combined with his deep and profound lyrical composition makes his tracks even more memorable and timeless. He wishes to travel all around the world and perform in front of different audiences. On being asked about his future plans, Azizi replied that he would want to start his own record label sometime and work with similar artists who can create unique and timeless music pieces. We wish him the best of luck for all his future endeavors.
