Queer Hip Hop Legend Cazwell Shares “LET’s GO!”
Cazwell
Shares “LET’s GO!” Single + Visualizer w/808 BEACH + Releases Vintage Track “All Over Your Face”
Double LP Compilation
HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE [The Peace Bisquit Collection]
Out This Friday via Peace Bisquit/SNOWCONE
“Cazwell has long redefined what it means to fuse sex, humor, and audacious style with music…
he has consistently celebrated sexual liberation and self-expression
while breaking barriers in hip hop.” – Mundane Magazine
“Our favorite downtown demi-god slash rapper” – Out Magazine
“’HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE’ celebrates Cazwell’s reign as queer rap’s
cheekiest provocateur.” – Queerty
“Those crystal-clear blue eyes. That swagger. The impossibly catchy videos
that make you want to dance (and maybe touch yourself) for days.
How could you help but love Cazwell?” – Philadelphia Magazine
“Legendary” – Instinct Magazine
Photo Credit: Roberto Hannibal
This Friday (9/12), legendary downtown NYC Queer artist Cazwell will release his highly anticipated double LP compilation HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE [The Peace Bisquit Collection]. Featuring remastered hits, new favorites, and deep cuts from his creative, collaborative, and provocative tenure with the iconic Brooklyn label Peace Bisquit from 2006 to 2018, the career-spanning album honors Cazwell’s unprecedented and enduring legacy in hip hop as a queer icon, and also celebrates Peace Bisquit’s 35th Year anniversary.
As a final taste of the project, today Cazwell unleashed the single + visualizer“LET’s GO!” with 808 BEACH (John “J-C” Carr and Bill Coleman). The high-voltage anthem track surges with irresistible beats and late-night energy, channeling Cazwell’s signature edge into a soundtrack for an unforgettable night out on the town. “LET’s GO!” follows Cazwell’s earlier singles: the electrifying “PILE DRIVER” and throbbing “Daddy.”
Cazwell says, “I originally wrote and recorded the vocals for ‘LET’s GO!’ in 2011 on my Blackberry! The optimistic tone of the record is symbolic of a great time to be alive in New York City. Obama was President, there was a lot of progress with the gay rights movement, people seemed to have money and they were spending it in the clubs. Originally intended for the Hard 2 B Fresh sessions (an early demo called ‘Let’s Go Dancing’ is available on that limited album CD only), we revisited the song and pumped up that carefree attitude for the ‘HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE’ collection. ‘LET’s GO!’ is that no-brainer party anthem about the excitement that comes with knowing you’re going dancing tonight.”
Bill Coleman continues, ““John and I approached this refashion of ‘LET’s GO!’ for ‘HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE’ with an insistent, post-electroclash inspired funk. Caz’ pre-game delivery is easy and effortless, bouncing on the groove with a knowing wink and a need for a kiki. One of our three new collaborations from Cazwell’s ‘Best Of’ set, ‘LET’s GO!’ is a reverent nod to the past, designed for the DJs and meant to be played loud!”
“LET’s GO!”: Listen / Watch
Alongside “LET’s GO!,” Cazwell also shared the re-released and remastered vintage track, “All Over Your Face.” Watch the original 2006 music video directed by Francis Legge here + check out the remixes of the track here. Cazwell’s Peace Bisquit debut, “All Over Your Face,” bundled a classic Arthur Russell/West End Records disco groove with modern production, nervy guitar riffs, and an unflinchingly filthy lyric. All the strengths that made the queer white rapper a rising star were on display: wit, lyrical dexterity, sex appeal, and an unerring ear for a great song. But Cazwell baked something extra into his bad-boy bops, too: “I’ve always wanted to make music that would instill a sense of pride in gay men, and get them to release their shame and connect with self love.”
Cazwell explains, “‘All Over Your Face’ is me and Peace Bisquit’s first baby. I don’t know which one of us actually gave birth to the kid, but it was a smooth delivery. Everything about the making of the song seemed to fall into place effortlessly and I remember feeling like I was in the right place, at the right time for maybe the first time in my life.” He continues, “The music video for ‘All Over Your Face’ is a very Myspace moment. I had finally made a name for myself in the queer night life world and was hosting and performing at parties all around the city. Everything about the song and video captures the essence of what it’s like to be gay and free in New York.”
Bill Coleman says, “‘All Over Your Face’ marks our first production and release collaboration with Cazwell. The gem is anchored by the classic Paradise Garage staple, ‘Is It All Over My Face?’ by Loose Joints and produced by the ubiquitous Arthur Russell. Everyone’s Godfather Of Disco Mel Cheren blessed this debut release and his belief in Cazwell and Peace Bisquit with use of this classic West End Records tune (and others from their iconic catalogue for ‘Watch My Mouth,’ ‘Get Into It’). The crunchy, disco-funk of ‘All Over Your Face’ never gets old while Caz’ provocative vox rides the rhythm to a steady climax of horny metaphors. We pumped up the original groove with a subtle rock-etched stomp for our release. I always envisioned a band playing this with Caz. The song’s original video with frequent collaborator Francis Legge helped introduce Cazwell as a proud and witty M.C. who wasn’t afraid to drop bars about boys. That wasn’t really happening back in the early 2k. Caz was a visible, gay, hip hop pioneer in that regard across a lot of intersectionality.”
After months of underground buzz, Cazwell made his first big splash on the music scene in 2006. In the years that followed, the rapper would unleash a string of memorable ditties: “Ice Cream Truck,” “I Seen Beyoncé at Burger King,” “Rice & Beans,” and “Helen Keller.” HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE [The Peace Bisquit Collection] gathers them all together for the first time. “This album showcases songs that I did in collaboration with Brooklyn indie label Peace Bisquit and Bill Coleman, my producer/manager/A&R during this time. I’m very proud of the work we put out together.”
Drawing on elements of hip-hop, house, EDM and disco, Cazwell’s music in this period reconciled the anything-goes energy of underground club culture with finely-tuned pop sensibilities. From the swirling French touch vibes of “No Selfie Control” to the incendiary Latin wallop of “¡Spicy!,” the Cazwell sound evolved with each new release. Bright colors, street dancing, and hot boys in scanty panties animated his eye-popping videos, while social media propelled Cazwell’s ecstatic takes on queer culture around the globe.
For all his attitude, one of Cazwell’s greatest strengths is his ability to play well with others, and HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE showcases pairings with Big Dipper, Nicky Da B, Luciana, Dai Burger, Avenue D, and early Drag Racealums including Manila Luzon and Alyssa Edwards. One of the most explosive examples is his 2011 team-up with Canadian icon Peaches. “She has the ultimate ‘bad girl’ voice which sounds like absolute perfection on any rock song, so I knew she’d elevate the anarchic electric feel of ‘Unzip Me.’”
The compilation’s release coincides with Peace Bisquit’s 35th anniversary. Having built its initial reputation shaping the careers of Ultra Naté, Deee-Lite, and Brooklyn Funk Essentials, the multifaceted company has also stimulated the careers of legacy artists including Lenny Kravitz, Jody Watley, Vanessa Williams, Tom Tom Club and has collaborated with perennial faves such as Beyoncé, Sia and Lady Gaga. Always at the forefront of LGBTQ+ culture, in the early aughts Peace Bisquit doubled down on championing queer artists, working with Amanda Lepore, Miss Lawrence, Colton Ford, and The Ones as well as Cazwell.
“I hadn’t listened to or watched most of these songs and videos from ‘HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE [The Peace Bisquit Collection]’ since we originally did them,” Coleman reveals. “It’s been quite sobering and exciting to look back on them with a sense of fearlessness, accomplishment, history and cultural contribution.”
HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE [The Peace Bisquit Collection] Tracklist
[DISC 1]
1. No Selfie Control
2. Rice & Beans
3. All Over Your Face
4. Get My Money Back
5. Helen Keller (Video Version) – Cazwell & Manila Luzon
6. Watch My Mouth
7. Dance Like Yo Got Good Credit ft. Cherie Lily
8. I Seen Beyoncé ft. Jonny Makeup
9. Ice Cream Truck
10. Don’t Get It Twisted ft. Nicky Da B & Dai Burger
11. ¡Spicy! ft. Cherie Lily & Craig C.
12. The Biscuit ft. Naaldekoker
13. The Sex That I Need ft. Avenue D
14. Downtown
15. Cakes
[DISC 2]
1. I Blocked Your Number ft. Roxy
2. LET’s GO! (Extended Version) – Cazwell & 808 BEACH
3. Guess What? – Cazwell & Luciana
4. Tonight (Day To Night Mix)
5. What’s The T? ft. Alyssa Edwards, Cherie Lily & Craig C.
6. Daddy
7. Unzip Me – Cazwell & Peaches
8. PILE DRIVER – Cazwell & 808 BEACH
9. Get It In
10. Sneaky
11. I Buy My Socks On 14th Street (Chris Joss Old School Mix)
12. Sprung
13. Loose Wrists
14. Get Into It ft. Amanda Lepore
15. Hot Homo – Cazwell & Big Dipper
“LET’s GO!” Single Art | Hi-res here ; “All Over Your Face” Single Art | Hi-res here
HITS ALL OVER YOUR FACE Album Art | Hi-res here
Follow Cazwell:
Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Follow Peace Bisquit:
Website | Instagram | YouTube