Lanz
What if a young woman could storm the rap world with a fresh sound and a hard-hitting message? What if her songs were so catchy and thought-provoking they had your feet fighting your brain for dominance? What if she proved the cynics wrong, and created her dream from nothing – her way and against all the odds?
What if becomes a reality when you’re talking about 17-year-old Lanz. The young female rapper is quite simply a force of nature; so powerful and magnetic that all you can do is follow in awe, in the wake of her tough searching lyrics. Lanz has never been about creating chaos without reason or anger without direction. Her petite frame houses a resounding voice – a voice for today’s youth. “Generation Young & Restless”, a phrase Lanz has coined to represent herself and her generation.
“It embodies who I am. I have always lived on the edge of my seat. From an early age I have been moving – and I’ve never stopped since. “
Strong words, backed up with an iron will forged by her rollercoaster childhood and teenage struggles on the streets of New York. Restless is a feeling that Lanz has known since early childhood. Born Alana Michelle Josephs, Lanz, an only child, was six when the home she knew was torn apart by her parents’ acrimonious divorce. The young girl was forced to remain with her father. Shuffling around endlessly, the pair would stay with strangers and host families from New York to Washington to Boston, and everywhere in between.
Separated from her daughter, Lanz’s mother called on all her resources to make a new home for them, at times living in her car to save money. After two heart-breaking years of being away from each other, Lanz and her mother were reunited, the two “best friends” began living together again. But the blissful reunion was soon shattered by the ordeal of her mother’s viciously volatile relationship with a new man. Witnessing his often drug-induced behavior coupled with her father’s absence left a painful mark on the growing girl, which can be heard in the traumatic “Daddy” and the turbulent “Grow Up”.
Searching for strong male role models, the then 11-year-old found them in Hip Hop. She closely identified with the lyrics of rappers like Tupac, Eminem, DMX and Nas, burying herself in this new world, where she finally felt like she belonged. With her headphones ever-present, the words of her icons became the soundtrack to her young life. Inspired by them, Lanz’s childhood poetry progressed into raps, the seeds of which have become the powerfully honest songs of today. Love songs like “Have You Ever” which lays her heart open, raw and bleeding, and “Happy Home”, which will undoubtedly become the anthem of every dispossessed child.
For a while the lunch room became her stage as she spit for an awed crowd, but traditional education was fast becoming an issue for the young and restless teen. Lanz struggled to conform, but by the end of 9 th grade, it became clear her attention and her focus were far beyond the pages of her text books. Feeling trapped and frustrated, Lanz started acting out, desperately trying to make her mother see that she needed to leave school to follow her dreams. After many teary fights and drawn out arguments, and despite intervention by the school, Lanz finally got her way and dropped out.
“Walking home that day after signing my release papers, I felt freedom, but there was also a huge sense of responsibility. I grew up in a second right there.”
Lanz’s journey to the top of the music scene began when she hit local music stores to find producers to collaborate with. But, despite working with some amateur producers in the South Bronx – whose studios consisted of a mic and a mixer in their bedroom – the young teen knew she had to take her efforts to the next level. In 2003, pretending to be 20, a 14-year-old Lanz placed cold calls to the renowned Quad Studios, trying for any kind of unpaid position. Without a high school diploma, she was met with constant and frequent rejection. Undeterred, Lanz presented herself, unannounced, in person to the manager of the midtown NYC studio.
“I told him I would work harder than anyone, put in more hours than anyone. Hell, I’d fucking scrub the floors better than anyone else he could hire.”
Her persuasive argument, so impressed the manager he gave her a job as a lowly intern. Her first task was scrubbing the toilets in the studio. Although it was far from the glamour and success she dreamed of, Lanz was doing it; following her dreams in New York, the home of Hip Hop. A BMI contact, impressed by the youngster, referred her to Club Downtime, which became her entry to the underground rap scene. Through endless nights of grinding away, Lanz quickly made a name for herself, rapping and battling across New York City. Every night of the week she performed at a different club from Pyramid to Speed, The Remote Lounge, Rare – never relenting, never taking no for an answer.
“Getting into the clubs was always an arduous task because I was underage, even with a fake ID, but I knew I had to. This was my life. I’d given up everything for it. I’d wait on lines with 50 to 100 other MCs with the same dream, sign my name on a list and just hope for that one chance to get on stage. When I was turned away at the door, I’d stand outside and spit, drawing in a cipher of other MCs until the club owner would come out to see who attracting all the attention.”
A cap covering her long blond hair, the lyricist would rap with ravenous energy at the audience, at producers, at anyone who would listen, demanding their respect. Any dismissal of this tiny girl soon changed when she opened her mouth. She became accepted on the circuit, her skills and her tenacity admired. The buzz started to build as she began to storm more and more stages. Riding the subways home alone at 2am, Lanz sometimes found herself questioning the many risks she had taken, wondering whether she was being courageous or just naïve.
“I didn’t always know how I was it was going to make it happen or what my next step was and damn, the world felt dark to me sometimes. It was the love of the music that kept me going. I knew failure was not an option.”
Lanz continued recording demos and rapping on the underground scene, where one night, despite being unsigned, she was singled out by DJs from Sirius Satellite Radio for a 30-minute special on her. Lanz’s achievements also included battling to victory at Columbia University. With all the growing interest, and being the instinctive business woman that she is, Lanz knew she needed expert guidance developing her career. So she built a team around her consisting of some of the industry’s most highly regarded professionals. Meanwhile, record label interest grew and Lanz found herself in negotiations with a major label.
While in Los Angeles during negotiations, Lanz heard that her powerful songs had reached the ears of Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine. In an ironic twist to a long-held dream, A&R Mark Williams threw Interscope’s check book into the ring to bid for the then 16-year-old. Lanz had long fantasized about signing to the same label that boasts a superstar roster of Tupac, Eminem and 50 cent among its artists. Being invited to Jimmy Iovine’s house for that first meeting represented the mark of recognition she had fought so hard for.
“As we pulled up to Jimmy’s home, the size of which I’ve never seen before, I remember stepping out of the car and looking up at the stars, thinking “ok God, it’s all in your hands now.”
Lanz signed with Interscope in February 2006 and, after blowing away an unsuspecting crowd at Lollapalooza on the BMI showcase stage, she took her writing skills into the studio to record her debut album. With her hard incisive lyrics and soft catchy melodies, Lanz has attracted collaborations with some of the most respected producers in the business. She has laid down tracks with producers like Three 6 Mafia, Focus, Stargate, JR Rotem, Organized Noize, Emile and Syience.
“When you’re creating waves in uncharted waters there’s always going to be haters who try to sink your float. No matter how many times they try to stop me, I’ve kept right on my beautiful struggle. I’ve felt both the pain and the love so I speak for the kid always pushed on. I show them how to shove back. I’m not just trying to make it, I’m trying to be one of the best to ever do it.”
The message is simple: never underestimate Lanz. She’ll raise the bar and then push herself, and everyone else, higher.
Fittingly one of Lanz’s favorite caps says “UNSTOPPABLE” on the brim, underneath are the words “LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL”. The young and restless generation has found its voice – and it’s unstoppable
