Before you continue reading, take a moment and try to think of three musicians who are local to your area.

Not a famous artist from the state you live in, and not what the hometown of your favorite singer is, but the name of an artist who lives maybe two blocks away. What about one of them? 

If you were able to think of any without heading to google, you are likely a music conscious person who has a pulse on ongoings in your area. Or perhaps a musician yourself. But if you weren’t able to think of three- or even one for that matter- have you ever wondered why?

With live music only just now coming back after a year of silence, independent artists and local musicians have spent the past year working three times as hard to keep themselves afloat and to make themselves heard. But without strong support this feat is nearly impossible as their resources, promotion abilities, and financials are not comparable to the big name artists you hear on the radio. 

It is here where independent labels and artist management teams can make all the difference- helping to spread music, news, and opportunities for those who may need an extra lift. Helping to keep the local music scenes alive, these labels and managers are vital to the industry’s well being, and in Chicago, the Lizm Muzik Group have dedicated their careers to doing everything they can to do just that.

Started by hip hop duo and multi talented producers, singer/songwriters and industry veterans The Lizm (made up of Scoop and Cache Reese), The Lizm Muzik Group was formed to help give a voice to under represented artists and to help them navigate the industry. 

Using their personal and working knowledge of the local scene, as well as their connections to the music world as a whole, Scoop and Cache began running their own independent record label before eventually also working their way into the world of artist management. 

Having only officially formed in 2017, the duo are now taking the world of independent music by storm with a roster of 20 genre-spanning artists (and counting), a brand new compilation album, and plenty more to come.

And though the duo have been extremely busy preparing for what may be the best year yet for music, we were fortunate enough to chat with both Scoop and Cache about the importance of supporting local acts, keeping independent music thriving and how they have gotten to where they are now.

You can read our full interview below, and be sure to check out the Lizm Muzik Group album Realizm Radio, Vol. I out now. 

Second Society Report: First off, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. I know this past year has been anything but easy for most of us- but especially those of us working in the industry. I just wanted to take a second first to ask how you have been and see how the year has been treating you so far? 

Lizm Muzik Group: We are well, just been busy prepping for the release and now doing the after-release work as well as looking for bookings for our artists with the world opening back up.

SSR: For readers who may not know, can you give us a bit of insight into how The Lizm Muzik Group started? 

LMG: The Lizm Muzik Group started as just Scoop and Me. We were a hip-hop duo going by The Lizm and that created the opportunity for us to get our own radio show which we named Realizm Radio. Because of the radio show, we were able to meet a lot of the artists we work with and ultimately began managing. 

SSR: How did you two meet? 

LMG: We met at a studio session when I was basically auditioning to be a part of his crew as the “first lady”. He was the producer and I was the dope rapper he heard on the track. We fell in love over a track, got married, and here we are. 

SSR: I know that both of you are creative powerhouses on your own- but prior to joining forces and the creation of Lizm Muzik Group, had you each had aspirations of getting into artist management/starting your own label? 

LMG: We thought about starting our own label but management was never discussed until we were approached by one of the acts we interviewed on our show. 

SSR: Why did this area of the business catch your attention? 

LMG: It caught our attention because, being artists ourselves, we felt compelled to protect the artists we were working with because of our own negative situations in the industry prior to us going into radio.

SSR: How do you find the artists you work with? 

LMG: Most of them have seen what we have done with other artists and have reached out about joining the team but we have always been approached to manage acts. 

SSR: Something I find very fascinating is that your roster isn’t limited to just one or two genres as many other labels we’ve come across are. You represent artists who specialize in everything from rock to hip hop and pop to R&B. What about an artist catches your attention? 

LMG: Originality and drive. 

SSR: How should someone who wants to join the LMG market themselves to be noticed? 

LMG: We look for artists that dare to be different, are confident and it helps to have talent LOL. We look for anything that is appealing to the ear.

SSR: Speaking of your artists- you’ve recently released the compilation album “Realizm Radio Vol 1,” featuring all of the artists currently on your roster. 

LMG: What has the reception been to this release so far? The reception has been nothing short of amazing! 

SSR: Do you plan to continue releasing compilations like this? 

LMG: We absolutely do plan on releasing another compilation possibly by the end of this year.

SSR: A huge focus of The Lizm Muzik Group and also a recent push in the music industry, in general, is to help promote local and independent talent- and help to lift up those who may not otherwise be heard. Why do you think this is an important goal? 

LMG: We at the Lizm Muzik Group believe that a lot of indie artists are not given a fair opportunity in the music industry due to not knowing the business or having the proper connections. 

SSR: Obviously one of the best ways to support local artists is to attend their shows- but in a time when attending live events is uncertain, how do you suggest fans support their favorite artists? 

LMG: By streaming their music, downloading and purchasing their music, supporting their social media pages, and buying their merch. 

SSR: How do you foresee the future of independent artists and venues playing out after the past year of no live music?  

LMG: We believe some form of normalcy is starting to happen and have no doubt that venues will be more receptive to indie artists being that the booking fees for an indie artist aren’t as high as a more established artist. 

SSR: Do you think we will see a continued burst of support for local acts? 

LMG: We absolutely believe there will be more support for the indie artist than there has been in recent years. 

SSR: Do you have any advice for readers who may be interested in pursuing artist management someday? 

LMG: You must believe in yourself and that you can help take the artist to the next level and you have to believe in the artist as well. Management is all about teamwork so build a solid team. 

SSR: Is there anything we haven’t asked that you’d like to share either about LMG or about the future of the music industry? 

LMG: First, we want to thank you for taking the time to interview us on your platform. We really appreciate it. And, Realizm Radio Vol.1 is streaming on all platforms so make sure you check it out!! Be expecting EPs and albums from artists featured on the compilation album all 2021. 

You can check out the full Lizm Muzik Group website, including their roster of rising artists now via this link, and be sure to follow them on social media via the links below to stay updated on all things new music, new talent and more.

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