User:Bizo721

Brandon “Bizo” Hicks born July 21, 1986, in Detroit, MI two blocks west of Highland Park, was raised by Eartha Paige (Mother) and Donald Hicks (Father), naturally in tune with artistry due to the father’s ability to draw blueprints and free hand artwork. Brandon naturally picked this talent up which later led to him to receiving awards. Brandon initially did not listen to rap music, being raised around Motown, and artists such as Aaliyah, Genuine, Dru Hill, and other leaders of R&B in the 90’s era. At the age of 13 his father pasted away, which was around the same the same time he developed a ear for hip-hop. After hearing the album “Slim Shady LP” and Biggie Smalls' “Born Again” he then began a love for hip-hop he’d yet to encounter.

After eighth grade, Brandon attended Cass Technical High School. He was not able to continue there after his first year due to low grade point average. After being expelled from two schools, in the Detroit metropolitan area, he arrived at Mumford High which was notorious for its crime rate and the controversial location of the premises. Here he was introduced to another world and fell into a new era of his life. At 17, his mother brought to his attention her disgust of what she saw him becoming, which is when she sent him away to a boarding school Mississippi for young black kids. Instead of bettering himself he began fighting regularly and involving his self in drug use which ultimately resulted in him being expelled. After this he then moved back to Detroit and eventually graduated.

Once the artist graduated he was given a opportunity to move to Bremerhaven, Germany where he lived there for a quarter of the year working with different artists and producers developing a foundation along with a new appreciation for music, before traveling back to the states to find self recognition. He eventually ended up in Honolulu, Hawaii where he lived there for a span of 2 years working for different companies and club promotion groups. “I continue struggling with my base as an artist giving the fact that I’ve seen and experienced so much at such a young age” says the Detroit resident, he continues by saying..”Living as if it didn’t happen or being blind to my history is not an option, nor is it OK for me to do so. Figuring out how to incorporate every avenue I’ve touched will always be a battle in this kind of industry, because of how judgmental people as a whole naturally are.”

At the age of 20 he moved back to Detroit where he attended Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts with hopes of one day working in radio. During this period of his life he would say he experienced most of his trials as a man, including street hustle, heavy drug use, and living out of his car, all while attending school. He graduated one of the top of his class, where he later was hired as an intern at one of the top radio stations in the state of Michigan, fm 98 WJLB. While interning at the station he began working with a number of established Detroit artists, this is where he started writing pop and R&B music. One of the first pop songs he co-wrote on went straight to radio. This is where he found his voice and realized he found love in not only hip-hop, but all forms of music interest him on a level beyond imagination.

As of now Biz resides in Los Angeles writing for a number of artists. So far, he’s had the opportunity to work with the likes of Macy Gray, Almost September, Chenelle, Rashad Morgan, Romika, and Carmit Bachar of the Pussycat Dolls just to name a few. The Detroit Native is currently completing his Debut Mixtape set to release early October, featuring various artists including MC Lyte, Mica (Song-Writer for Bad Boy Records), Chenelle (EMI Artist), Rashad Morgan (Grand Hustle), P.L., Selena Jordan, and more great artists to choose from. Thus far he’s received great feed-back, while prepping for his EP set to release top of the year, Bizo is definitely a force to reckon with.