Everybody who listens to hip-hop knows how poppin’ the Detroit rap scene is. From Eminem to Big Sean to Royce Da 5’9″, it seems the city continues to bear fruit to endless legends.
FMB DZ, who is next to rise out of the underground scene, showcases hard-hitting punchlines, gritty bars, and exquisite storytelling in his rhymes.
In describing himself, FMB DZ states, “[I’m] the biggest ape in America. Hungry! That’s what I’m pushing. If you ain’t got the heart of the ape, you ain’t nothing. No snakes, no nothing else. Only the apes. When I’m in the zoo, I go visit the apes. Spend time with the apes.”
Speaking his truth with each release, FMB DZ exploded onto the scene with his breakout mixtape titled I Ain’t Gonna Lie. The project hailed standout features from Sada Baby, Babyface Ray, BandGang Lonnie Bands, and more, showcasing strength in unity when it comes to putting on for the city. If there’s one thing you can count on from DZ, it’s that he’ll take care of his people.
Fast forward to today, the rising star unleashes his brand new project titled Back On Track, giving fans his newest effort after taking 6 months off from rapping. Released via EMPIRE/Fast Money Boyz Entertainment, the 16-track project is spearheaded by lead singles “FMB DZ 2k22” and “Letter From Vegas,” with features from Sada Baby, Louie Ray, Skilla Baby, and more.
AllHipHop: What does Detroit mean to you?
FMB DZ: Detroit means everything to me. Detroit made me, Detroit is everything to me.
AllHipHop: What makes you stand out?
FMB DZ: What’s most unique about me is I’m a sit around and speak on some s### that’s really occurring at the moment. That’s what’s really unique with me. I don’t rap about the fairytale, I really rap about s### that’s really occurring in real life: in my life and people’s around me lives. That’s what makes me unique, it makes me stand out.
AllHipHop: When did you think you could do music for a living?
FMB DZ: Probably 2015, when I first got my lil $500 for a show. It felt good. I felt like I could put some money in my pocket, and I was doing something I like to do. I said if I keep going, this $500 gon’ turn into something else. So that’s what I did.
AllHipHop: What were you doing before music?
FMB DZ: I had a few jobs, I was doing the regular s### that ay n*gga would do tryna get money. I had a couple jobs, sold a lil weed. You know how that s### go. But other than that, I was rapping.
AllHipHop: “I Ain’t Gone Lie” was a big moment for you, debut mixtape. What’d it do for your career?
FMB DZ: Aw nah, see I Ain’t Gone Lie was everything to me. I Ain’t Gon Lie really put me where I needed to be as far as a rapper. When I dropped I Ain’t Gone Lie, when me and my team put that together, it really made me feel like a rapper. S###, I’m a rapper now! I have a whole tape out. I have copies of CDs I’m passing out in the hood. It was over with, you couldn’t tell me s###. I felt like Master P.
AllHipHop: Obviously, Master P did it independently…
FMB DZ: Exactly.
AllHipHop: How does it feel to be doing this on your own?
FMB DZ: That’s cool. I think the people respect the grind more, when they feel like they’re growing with you and they understand where you’re coming from. That’s what it is.
AllHipHop: I’m sure you’ve had labels calling.
FMB DZ: Most definitely. Shout out to EMPIRE. I got a lot of s### getting distributed through them. As far as the label stuff, we’ve talked to a few people a while back. But I don’t really be tripping on that, I just be working.
AllHipHop: You had Sada Baby on the first tape, you have him on the project Back On Track.
FMB DZ: S###, that’s my brother. He’s on that tape, he was on the tape before that. He’s gonna be on the tape after that, after that one.
AllHipHop: How’d you guys meet?
FMB DZ: Me and bro, we got together — I record on the East side. Studio 17. We both had to record in there so at the end of the day, if you working in the same building as the n#### daily, y’all gon’ eventually build chemistry. That’s just how It was. Me and bro locked in off rip. We were in there every day, chasing the same s###. That’s how it happened, we were elevating at the same time.
AllHipHop: How did it feel to see his career go up?
FMB DZ: That s### felt good. If you ain’t happy for your dawg, I don’t know what you doing. It felt good seeing that s###, no cap.
AllHipHop: How did “The Whoop Family” come about?
FMB DZ: I sent that song to him. Really, Barry (manager) sent that to him. Barry really be doing that. I’ll send Barry some s### and he’ll send me that b#### back with all types of verses on that m###########. That’s how this s### go.
AllHipHop: Did you know you wanted Sada on it?
FMB DZ: You know B, he be in his own zone. He’ll hear him on there already and he’ll send it to them like “aye bro, do this verse for me.” Bro put the b#### on there. He’s gon’ do it anyways, but B knows I don’t think about that type of s###. He’ll think about that type of s###. That’s how it goes.
AllHipHop: You just dropped Back On Track!
FMB DZ: Back On Track, hottest s### in the streets right now! Go get that s###. I’m back on track. I took a m############ ride down I don’t know what type of lane I was on, but s### I’m back now. In the zone, we back baby.
AllHipHop: How long were you out for?
FMB DZ: I was chillin’ for about 6 months to a year, but it felt like forever.
AllHipHop: Was there any reason? Pandemic?
FMB DZ: Yeah, the pandemic. I was chillin’ through Covid, in the house getting fat. Wasn’t s### going on, what the tf I’m about to be talking about. I’m in the house chillin, eating, getting fat, trying to learn to play Call Of Duty. Learning how to drown myself on the music. Getting into art, all types of different s###. I was really like “s###, I’ll get to rap in a minute.”
But I like pleasing the fans too though, that’s what made me really get back on it. They’re like “damn, you don’t f### with us anymore?” Let me drop something for y’all to let y’all know I still f### with y’all. But I be in all types of s###, I have fun with my life. Just because I wasn’t rapping for 6 months, doesn’t mean I was under a rock. I was doing all types of s###, I just wasn’t thinking of rapping. I got a whole studio in my house, I just wasn’t rapping.
AllHipHop: The whole 6 months, you weren’t motivated to rap at all?
FMB DZ: Hell nah. I was in that b#### watching TV series, all types of s### you can think of. The Bumpy Johnson series “Godfather of Harlem”, all the “Powers.” I watched all the “Powers,” all the “Kanan” s###. I was watching everything.
AllHipHop: What inspired you to pick back up all of a sudden?
FMB DZ: My fans were on some give us new music or we gon’ go listen to these n#####’ music. We don’t want to listen to these n#####’ music, but then you gon’ make me listen because you ain’t dropping your music.
AllHipHop: You be playing Call Of Duty?
FMB DZ: Bruh, I’m weak as hell. I be practicing by myself. My n*ggas don’t like me playing with them, they be booting me off. Kicking me off and s###.
AllHipHop: People be getting features from playing Call Of Duty.
FMB DZ: That’s cool, I’ll get on that m###########. I’m a get killed, but I’ll get on that b#### to get some feature now. They want to spend some money, I’ll be on that b#### all day. S###, don’t tell me that.
AllHipHop: What’s FMB DZ feature price?
FMB DZ: $5K for the verse, $5K for the video. I ain’t gon’ lie, I be doing a lot of sweet s### for people. I’ll do $2K verses. Between me and you: if you really taking your s### serious and your s### hot, I’ll do it for free. I don’t care. Only reason I’ charge is because you about to make money off this s###. If you weren’t gonna make no money off this s### bro, I’m damn near not even gonna give you the verse. Only reason I’m a charge you is because I know you’re serious and you’re about to make money off of this s###. If you’re serious and you don’t really got it like that, I’m a do that s### for you. I pray you blow, don’t forget about me. That’s all it is.
AllHipHop: Was there anyone who took you under their wing coming up?
FMB DZ: No, I just had my big brothers with me. Hell nah, I ain’t learned s### from no rap n####. Mm-mm, I haven’t had none of these n*ggas school me on s###. My n#### Kook The Kashcow, he’s one dude. I don’t look at him like a rapper, that’s like a big brother. He’s the reason I get royalty checks till this day. N##### like him I’m a always have respect for. When this s###’s all said and done, he gon’ always have a spot at the table with me.
AllHipHop: “Letter From Vegas,” who or what inspired this record?
FMB DZ: S###, man no telling. I be feeling one way 5 minutes, feeling the next way 10 minutes later. Ain’t no telling what I was going through, I be having mood swings. I’ll tell you what: whatever I was going through, I needed to be going through that s### to say… you know?
AllHipHop: How was shooting the video?
FMB DZ: It was cool. I really hate videos forreal. I really don’t like shooting them. I only like shooting videos with certain people. My n#### Keefer, I had fun shooting for Keefer. Certain people gon’ make s### feel alive. I be doing more work than them, I don’t like that s### sometimes. Bro, you’re supposed to make me look good, because I be seeing a lot of people that are pure booty. But their video, they looking sweet as hell. How the f### they looking this sweet bro? They ain’t even doing s###. Ya feel me? My n#### Keefer, he got that test from me so I enjoy shooting with him when I’m shooting. But I don’t always enjoy shooting videos.
AllHipHop: What’s your favorite song on the project?
FMB DZ: “2k22” is my favorite joint. All of the “2k” is my favorite though. From “2k17,” that’s Sada. “2k19,” that’s me. “2k20,” that’s Sada. “20k22” is me. I love all the “2k’s.” You a f###### clown if you don’t like no “2k’s”. You have to like all them b######. I think we need to make an EP, call that b#### 2k with all them b###### on there.
AllHipHop: One thing you want fans to get from the project?
FMB DZ: No matter what the f### is going on, stay focused on what you need to be focused on. ‘Cause this s###’s just like school. You get sidetracked for too long, you miss too many days, then you’ll be behind on s###. Stay on your s### with this s###. Don’t let s### get away from you. Everyday, you need to be in tune with something. I don’t give a f### what’s going on.
AllHipHop: What motivates you? What inspires you?
FMB DZ: S###, my n##### I got around me on an everyday basis. My family, my everyday lifestyle. Spending money every day knowing I have to get this s### back. All types of s### motivates me.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio at all times?
FMB DZ: Weed, waters, sodas, some ice, some cups. I need some candy Jolly Ranchers.
AllHipHop: Who’s in your Top 5?
FMB DZ: 50 Cent. I like Jadakiss. I like Wayne too, I was a fan of Wayne. Wayne in there. Who else I like? Oh Guwop right now, I like Gucci. I like what he stands for, how he carries himself. I got one more. Oh Scuba, Sada. He’s the coldest, that boy. That’s my boy right there, he’s talented.
AllHipHop: Best encounter you had with a fan?
FMB DZ: When they be crying, that s### makes my day. It’s crazy.
AllHipHop: Goals yourself as an artist at this point of your career?
FMB DZ: Hell yeah, I keep goals for myself. Losing weight, eating healthy, all types of s###.
AllHipHop: You be working out?
FMB DZ: Yeah, I be in the gym but I’m not consistent enough.
AllHipHop: Anything else you want to let us know?
FMB DZ: Back On Track out now. Go get that s###, you gon’ love that s###. TheWhoop way!
