Straight out of Los Angeles’ legendary Crenshaw District, independent hip-hop artist iiamchos3n is carving out his own lane through raw storytelling, undeniable hustle, and an evolving sound that refuses to be boxed in. Drawing deep inspiration from West Coast icons like Nipsey Hussle and the unmatched work ethic of Lil Wayne, he isn’t chasing quick viral gimmicks—he’s building a long-term legacy rooted in real life and genuine artistry.

Starting his journey back in 2017 on SoundCloud before stepping onto major platforms in 2023, iiamchos3n’s growth is fueled by pure passion and the ultimate motivation: raising his two daughters. Having navigated industry scams, grueling DIY tour trips across state lines, and the noise of today’s “pay-to-play” music climate, he has turned every setback into fuel. From his Burn the Smoke mixtape series to his Love Scarred EP, his music captures the pressure, ambition, and triumph of a self-made artist standing tall on his core philosophy: “We are all Chosen for Something!!!”

With his highly anticipated debut album, The Chos3n One, slated to drop this November, we caught up with the LA artist to dive deep into his roots, his perspective on the state of hip-hop, his creative process, and what lies ahead on his journey to the top.

Where are you from?

Originally born and raised in Los Angeles, California (Crenshaw District)

How long have you been making music?

I’ve been making music since 2017, but really started putting it out on smaller platforms like SoundCloud before stepping it up in 2023 getting it across major platforms and taking my artistry more seriously.

How many songs /albums have you released to date?

I’ve released two mixtapes Burn the smoke and Burn the smoke 2 , along with an EP(Love Scarred) and a multitude of singles with my upcoming album The Chos3n One on the way

Can you tell us about your latest release and the background and inspirations behind it?

The background behind the latest track can be understood as a reflection of my current mindset. It represents the transition between who i was when i first began creating and who i’m becoming now. The song captures the pressure to improve, the motivation to keep moving, and the determination to remain authentic while developing a stronger presence.It is personal without being limited to one specific experience, allowing listeners to connect with the emotions behind it in their own way.

How did you first get into music, and what inspired you to pursue a career in it?

I’ve always been a hip hop and rap connoisseur since a young age I also fell in love with R&B just as much but I started writing around 14, I didn’t officially release my first track titled (Fake Shit) until I was about 21 or 22. I pursued it for the love of it and having my daughters just have me more fuel to keep going harder

What do you think of the present music industry?

It’s a pay to play industry now, and social media made it so easy to create content to where everyone wants to be an artist nowadays. So instead of labels looking for talent, they find it thru someone going viral for some BS on TikTok or instagram 😂. It’s hardly and Label showcases around anymore that’s genuinely looking for good artist

Who are some of your biggest musical influences and how have they impacted your music?

Lil Wayne is my favorite Artist of all time but I strongly 2nd Nipsey Hussle for his work ethic not only in the music industry but in the community as well. Especially coming from the same area. Definitely a west coast legend!!!

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a musician and how have you overcome them?

Dealing with industry scams and industry artist in my inbox tryna come up on a dollar from a hard working single father of two 😂, all the way to traveling to shows (I’m talking about California to Texas) where their was no promise of a big crowd or return of funds but as a Artist that loves making music that never stopped me. It was just a lesson learned!!!

How has your music evolved over the course of your career, and where do you see it going in the future?

Definitely evolved from when I first started, I found my delivery and cadence and it’s only going up from here 💯

Who have you collaborated with so far in your career?

A few different artist , YT, CeCe, 4eva Juice, BlaqMagic, Airplane James, Judy Drama, Iluvdahxstle just to name a few and have new music coming out soon with new features so STAY TUNED!!!

Can you describe your creative process and what goes into making a song or album?

I process how my mood is and base that off Of BEAT SELECTION to where it makes sense. Definitely have to be feeling the beat. If I get writers block I’ll look for another beat and start writing another song and come back to the other beat that I had writers block on with a fresh mindset but still stay on topic of the storyline I’m rapping about so it doesn’t sound so generic.

Dead or alive, who would be your dream collaboration?

Honestly not to sure, it’s a lot of Artist Dead and Alive that I would love to work with. None would necessarily be a dream collab for me. I would love to work with Lil Wayne, Nipsey Hussle, Tupac Shakur, Gunna, Dave East, lol if we’re naming smaller artists pushing towards mainstream I would go with a flurry of west coast artist right now such as Big Sad 1900, Kalan frfr, Wallie the Sensei, Ralfy the plug, 03 Greedo, etc. for R&B the top three I’m fucking with are Drake, Brent Faiyaz, Jacquees. It’s too many dope artist I feel like to just name one dream collab.

What was the first album you bought?

Lil Wayne The Carter 3

What’s your favorite song at the moment?

We are all Chosen for Something !!!

If you had to sell your music collection tomorrow, what album would you leave in your draw?

My Upcoming Album (The Chos3n One)

What is your favourite saying?

We are all Chosen for Something !!!

What other hobbies or interests do you have?

I love spending time with my daughters Mariah and Malani. I love sports I’m a Raiders, Lakers, and Dodgers fan. I’m a huge Gun Enthusiast and love going to the shooting range not only for myself but to help others practice safe gun handling and procedures, definitely a sneaker head as well. I have over 80 pairs of different shoes from Athletic all the way down to Luxury pairs. I like being outdoors and I love the gym. I’m also a ink freak( I can’t get enough of getting tattoos) 😆

Tell us more about your upcoming project or this new project?

My upcoming Album The Chos3n One is set to be my debut album releasing sometime in November of this year. I’ve worked countless hours tryna perfect the sound as it has multiple tracks with different vibes for every situation

What’s in the pipeline after this project?

I’m going crazy with the visuals to older tracks already released and also doing a multitude of different Mic Drops 🔥

Thank you for your time and may you carry on making great, fresh music. *

Thanks for having me and allowing me to be apart of your platform 💯💪🏽

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