PHZ-Sicks

At a music festival in Denton, Texas, an unfamiliar hip hop artist from the DMV took the stage to an audience of 20 onlookers, at best. To most there, he was a stranger. But that didn’t matter. By the end of the show, the crowd was packed to full capacity of passersby who heard the music, stopped, and stayed. That performer was PHZ-Sicks - and he credits that show as his most memorable to date.

Pronounced “Physics,” PHZ-Sicks approaches his craft with a singular goal: create timeless music. Something listeners can always come back to. The ‘stick to your ribs’ kind of music that gives listeners pause while thoroughly entertaining along the way. From social injustices in America to partying and relationships, his body of work is a snapshot of growth that showcases PHZ-Sicks’ fluidity not only as an artist, but as a young black man learning to navigate through the world today.

PHZ-Sicks’ latest track, “Run It” was released in June 2019 (along with the music video) as the third single from his upcoming album, “Good Day, Greater Tomorrow,” which is set to drop in late 2019.

PHZ-Sicks’ musical interests began while growing up in rural Mississippi. Dealing with mental illness and sexual abuse through his childhood, PHZ-Sicks credits music for saving his life.

After moving to Woodbridge, V.A., his love for hip-hop blossomed, as he grew to idolize lyrical wordsmiths Andre-3000 and Jay-Z. He got involved in the battle rap scene - first online, and then at in-person battles at shopping malls; even gaining some traction from local blogs and radio stations. It was then when he started studying masters like Busta Rhymes and reviewing techniques of songwriting and producing. With newly bought, at-home equipment, PHZ-Sicks began to lay down mixtapes. 

His passion for producing grew through college and after graduating from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PHZ-Sicks returned to the DMV area to release more formalized projects.  

PHZ-Sicks released his first full-length project, “The Moment” in 2013. The self-produced project received high praise, often for the robust and soaring production value, which PHZ-Sicks intentionally engineered to mimic the sweeping sounds of orchestral works without hiring a full orchestra to play. “The Moment” received high regards from music blogs, 2DopeBoyz, DJBooth, and HipHopReviews. He’s also performed on the United States Capitol lawn with fellow DMV talents and opened for established acts such as Wale, J.Cole, and Big K.R.I.T. PHZ-Sicks has also played at festivals such as Toronto's North by NorthEast (NXNE) 2012 and Austin’s South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2014.

Be on the lookout for “Good Day, Greater Tomorrow,” which is set to be released on all streaming platforms later this year.