Meet MeccaGodZilla | Music Producer, MC, & Light Warrior

We had the good fortune of connecting with MeccaGodZilla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi MeccaGodZilla, how do you think about risk?
Such an amazing question. My entire adult life has revolved around going with my intuition, following my gut feelings, going against the grain, and quite literally leaping off cliffs—taking risks. I firmly believe that, even if I crash, there’s immense value in the experience, and I will simply reinvent 起死回生-style, like the phoenix!

Throughout my life, I’ve encountered people telling me what I am not capable of, so it’s been a constant and persistent journey of positive self-talk and investing in myself. With that mindset, years ago, I took a risk against the wishes of my family and close friends’ circle when I decided to go to Japan. The concept was hard for them to digest—me just packing my bags and heading to Tokyo for a ‘Lost In Translation’ style adventure (shouts to Bill Murray!). Back then, Tokyo and Japan overall didn’t has as many foreigners as it has now and it was highly uncommon for artists to fund their own trips for creative exploration and self-discovery. This happened 19 years ago and resulted in me eventually living in Japan for a short time. During this period of reinvention, I embraced roles as an MC (thanks Budamunky, 5lack, Issugi, OYG, and Gapper), music producer, and model (huge thanks to Applebum – cannot thank the team enough for believing in me – I owe you guys so much!).

Risk-taking is everything to me. It’s totally okay to play it safe in life, but, to me, you’ll never truly have the chance to live life to its fullest by playing it safe. Not to mention, risk-taking not only tests mettle but also reinforces and builds your mettle. This journey of life has taught me that through challenges and risk-taking, we learn valuable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and the boundless possibilities that unfold when we step out of our comfort zones and literally leap off cliffs after our dreams and goals.

If I could offer any advice to artists, make sure your risk-taking does not affect how you gain consistent access to the basics of life, which are food, clothing, and shelter. Please don’t risk it all to where you lose your base. Build up a strong base so that you have food, clothing, and shelter always taken care of, and then take small risks from there. Before you can even begin to take risks, you have to really know and understand why you are about to take the risk. Understand that regardless of the outcome, you will grow from what you’re about to leap after. You really need to think through what it is you’re about to do when leaping off a cliff. No risk, no reward. Go for it!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I proudly consider myself a Hip Hop practitioner, specializing in the creation of underground Hip Hop music. While my primary focus is within this genre, my love for electronic, ambient, experimental, pop, and soul music drives me to experiment and create across diverse musical landscapes. What sets me apart is my unique ability to seamlessly transition from the underground scene to crafting music with a broader appeal, drawing inspiration from top 40 artists such as Pharrell, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, and Hit Boy. What’s exciting about this facet of my work is not only collaborating with fellow artists but also participating in the Next Level USA initiative, where I serve as a mentor to young artists worldwide, helping them amplify and evolve their creative skill sets. It’s incredibly rewarding to be a global ambassador for Hip Hop, guiding and learning from the talented younger artists I engage with.

Despite conventional advice to stick to a single path, I embrace my multidimensional nature as an artist. My creative process involves delving into the ether for inspiration, allowing me to channel feelings and vibes into my music. Whether working on projects or personal compositions, my music is a direct result of this ethereal connection.

Passion fuels my music production, aiming to leave listeners in a proverbial neck brace. I’m equally passionate about crafting disruptive lyrics that evoke laughter yet prompt a mental double take. In my artistic journey, I’m not seeking friendship through my music. Rather, I challenge stereotypes, particularly those imposed on the demographic of men I represent. My brand as MeccaGodZilla serves as a counter-narrative, amplifying the voice, presence, and fight for all (Black) men who defy societal expectations. Grounded in principles of family, community building, and resistance against systems that exploit our planet and humanity at scale, I strive to be fully self-expressed. If this ends up being a force for positive change, so be it. What I know is my gut feeling is picking up a lot of negative dark energy in the world, so I am standing as a light warrior and will speak truth to power through music and action to try and balance the tide. My album schedule for summer 2024 encompasses the aforementioned energy to the fullest – stay tuned for “SYNTAX ERROARS”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Summer in New York City is truly unparalleled. We’d have to start the day fasted with a 60-90 minute calisthenics workout on the bars at my favorite park in Brooklyn, Herbert Von King Park. Post-workout, a refreshing plant-based smoothie from Brooklyn Blend adds the perfect touch.

As the day unfolds, Long Beach in Long Island becomes a tempting destination for a relaxed beach experience. The vibe there is incredibly chill. It’s super important to ground our vibes in nature at some point in the day so if it’s not the beach, we can hit the park and build for a bit.

For meals, I’d recommend trying Luanne’s Wild Ginger in Brooklyn, particularly their Franklin Avenue location – it’s the best! Other venues that I frequent are PeaceFood’s near Union Square, Samurai Papa and Momo which are both Japanese restaurants in Brooklyn (with plant-based options).

And when the sun sets, the nightlife in NYC gets crazy! There’s a ton of parties with the best DJs and familiar faces. Whether it’s one of DJ Boogie Blind’s parties, one of DJ SUCE’s gatherings, The Legendary Cyphers freestyle event at Union Square every Friday night, the music producer showcases by Lord Nez, the Donut Lounge music producer event or the A List Showcase hosted by Life Long, Respect the God, and Poet – the options are diverse, ensuring a night filled with rhythm and excitement. Not to mention all summer long, NYC has SummerStage which is an event series that brings the best of the best artists and close to 80 concerts to NYC ever summer for FREE!!! There’s no shortage of things to do – I didn’t even touch upon the niche style dance parties, meditation/spiritual events, live art, or gallery events. I still love this city a ton for the fact that no matter what day you go outside, you can go on a different adventure each and every time

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes! I dedicate this shoutout to COMA-CHI. She debuted in Japan as the first woman MC to truly have a massive impact as a rapper. From excelling in an MC battle to releasing her debut and showcasing her skills as both an MC and singer, COMA-CHI remains my favorite artist from Japan to date. Influenced by Lauryn Hill and other artists, my spirit picks up Queen Latifah and MC Lyte vibes from COMA-CHI. She’s very unique to me—classy and talented. These days, she is very spiritual, and all of her music reflects a deep sense of spiritual integrity and purpose.

Lastly, I have to shout out Next Level USA. Next Level is an international Hip Hop residency program that enables multiple teams of 5 Hip Hop artists from the USA to promote understanding and conflict transformation in various communities all over the world. We work to support the professional development of artists in those communities. I had the chance to participate in Next Level Uzbekistan and Next Level Nepal in the past, and it was the most rewarding and transformative experience. The founder, Mark Katz, director Junious Brickhouse, associate director Kane Smego, and the rest of the team at Meridian International Center have all been such a pleasure to work with.

Website: http://www.meccagodzilla.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meccagodzilla/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeccaGodZilla

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheMeccaGodZilla

Youtube: https://youtube.com/manafestvision

Image Credits
photos courtesy of MeccaGodZilla, Tiffany, Chin, and Ronique