KATIE BROWN - 26 FEB 2021

New Zealand experimental hip-hop artist WHO SHOT SCOTT, aka Zee (Zaidoon Nasir), has just released his debut EP MERCY today. Self-produced, the EP is a tight, gritty collection of five high-voltage tracks inspired by real life trauma and events, addressing such issues such as betrayal and ego and the balance between the two.

Seeing Zee step into a new era of sound following on from his former work as part of duo Times x Two, MERCY is a demonstration of a gifted and visionary artist finding his own voice and authenticity with mouth-watering style. The lyrics are witty and cleverly strung together, punctuated by sly humour adding some levity to Zee’s heavier messages.

Featuring an eclectic blend of weighty synths and tribal drums, the magnetic punch and appeal of WHO SHOT SCOTT’s unique and singular sound is the result of Zee connecting with his creative core and adhering steadfastly to his personal truths, rather than manufacturing a product to fit within a particular market: it’s an unapologetic, stand-tall ode to the triumph of true self.

The accompanying visuals and music videos, the result of collaborative work by photographer / music video director Connor Pritchard, follow suit. Tying in with Zee’s stylistic approach perfectly with their simplicity, hyped elements and emotive choice of lighting and colour, they keep Zee front and centre with minimal background distraction.

It's an empowering EP with backbone and inimitable style: with its smooth, bass-heavy beats it'll add some serious swagger to your step.

WHO SHOT SCOTT is an artist with a bright future ahead, and his star is just beginning to rise. We look forward to seeing what’s next!

MERCY is available on all platforms today.

Read our interview and find a curated playlist by WHO SHOT SCOTT below.

Find WHO SHOT SCOTT on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

KATIE: WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND WITH MUSIC AND WHAT GOT YOU INTO MAKING YOUR OWN?

Zee: In all honesty, my background story is quite simple. I’ve always been a genuine fan of all things music, art and pop culture. Ever since I can remember I’ve been fascinated with the magic of it all, music and film specifically. When I was 8 years old I had a cassette player handed down to me from my grandmother, it had a recording function on it. The rest is history. I truly believe that my involvement in music was inevitable, simply because of my obsession-like love for it, and the constant unquenchable thirst within me to create art at the absolute highest level I can.

WHO DID YOU LISTEN TO GROWING UP?

I was a big 50 cent fan as a kid. His first album ‘Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ was the reason I got into writing music. As I grew up though my taste evolved and I started exploring more genres and styles. I have to admit some of my biggest musical influences were the soundtracks to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games - they introduced me to the world of punk rock and experimental hip hop. That definitely shaped my creative outlook. Sometimes when I’m writing a song I think to myself “would this sound good in a Tony Hawk’s game?” If the answer is yes, I know I’m staying true to my inner child and to my core taste.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST EP AS A SOLO ARTIST: WERE YOU INVOLVED WITH OTHER PROJECTS BEFORE THIS? WHAT WAS IT LIKE PUSHING IT THROUGH SOLO?

It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and then it wasn’t, all in an instant! I spent about one year after the break up of my previous music group trying to create music that I thought people would like, and was aiming for commercial success. It was so tough for me to try and create that kind of music. Now that I look back, I’m actually quite ashamed to admit that I did that. I suppose it was important for my artistic growth though, because when we went into the first lockdown of 2020, I started writing and producing music with zero conformity and with absolutely no fear of rejection. It was that music that my manager Mitch, who I’m extremely grateful for, said is the avenue I needed to lean into. I guess he was onto something because within the next three weeks I had every single demo off of my debut EP finished. It’s actually funny to me - I spent a year struggling to get 5 “hit songs” together for a project, and then after the realisation that I make the best music when it’s true to my inner soul, I had a whole EP (basically) done in 3 weeks. It showed me that I was never actually lacking technical skill or talent, but it was creative direction, self-belief and the truth of my art that was missing. Once that was available, there was, and is, no stopping me.

HOW ARE YOU FINDING THE JOURNEY OF NAVIGATING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

It’s been extremely easy, funnily enough! Everything has been falling into place so perfectly. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that people are very clearly seeing the truth in my music, and for the first time ever, I have zero expectations in this industry. To be able to create art, is alone, the biggest blessing I could ever ask for, everything else is a bonus. I’m actually so grateful to even have people fuck with my music as much as they do right now, while in its humble beginnings. Don’t get me wrong though, of course I want to and I will be a huge international star one day, and ‘WHO SHOT SCOTT’ will be a household name - but I accept that the universe will give me that recognition when I’m ready and deserving of it. For now I’m just happy to be here doing what I love, and nothing is ever going to change that.

THE EP IS HARD-HITTING IN LYRICAL CONTENT AS WELL AS IN ITS TIGHT PRODUCTION: HOW DID YOU FIND THE PROCESS OF WRITING YOUR TRUTHS INTO THESE SONGS? DID YOU FIND IT CATHARTIC?

Absolutely! I consider music as closure to the traumatic events in my life. If I’m able to make a song about some shit that’s happened to me, it means that I’m officially over it enough to pull my thoughts together and create a piece of art from it. I definitely can’t make music about situations while I’m going through them though, it’s always way after, and is always a reflective outlook as opposed to one distorted by the current emotions I might be feeling at the time. I’m an optimistic guy, and the most satisfying thing is when you take something negative from your life and turn it into art. It turns it into a positive.

WHAT DID YOU HOPE TO COMMUNICATE BY NAMING THE EP ‘MERCY’?

I love this question. ‘Mercy’ is defined as “compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.” I personally have been through a really tough couple of years. I’ve seen some life long friendships crumble to pieces in front of me, I’ve been in some extremely toxic and manipulative/abusive relationships (both where I’ve been the toxic one, and where I’ve been the victim) and I’ve had some big issues arise within my close family because of said things. I spent a lot of my time not liking who I was, and questioning the integrity of my character because of things I did while I was in unhealthy situations and around unhealthy people. It took a whole lot of self reflection, but I eventually realised that everything I went through was a necessary part of my growth as a man. As tough as those situations were, they made me tougher. I’m now an incredible version of me. Learning from the past helped in terms of forgiving myself. Instead of hating me, I show me mercy.

IN TERMS OF SONGWRITING AND SONG PRODUCTION, DO YOU HAVE A GO-TO METHOD? WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I don’t have any particular method other than to just live my life as usual, and when the inspiration naturally hits me, that’s when I start inventing ideas. I never sit down and force myself to make music, that’s a losing battle 9 times out of 10. Instead, I understand that all artists have moments of inspiration and non-inspiration, but only truly great artists understand when to create, and when to step back. I know that’s a hard thing to convince most young and hungry musicians, who believe that they need to work “harder” than everyone else to be “the best”. But this isn’t a sport. Exercising your creative muscles too much leads to fatigue, and that’s a hard thing to get out of. I live my life, I go for walks, listen to podcasts, listen to albums/genres I’ve never heard of, go for coffee with my mates, share some life conversations, that’s what inspires me.

BEST SUMMER DISCOVERY?

Musically - ‘Hether’.

Coffee - ‘Ozone Coffee Roasters’.

Life - ‘Family is everything’.

WHAT’S EXCITING YOU IN LIFE RIGHT NOW?

The fact that all the things that truly make me happy have always been with me. I used to think happiness was “out there somewhere”. Happiness used to mean a huge record deal, or a “perfect” person, or a certain lifestyle. It’s not. Happiness is the fact that I see my grandma almost every day, or the fact that I now have an amazing relationship with my family, and in the evenings I go for walks on the beach, and probably most of all, I get to express my inner soul through art. That‘s what excites me.

WHAT’S NEXT WITH YOUR MUSIC?

Everything.

Find WHO SHOT SCOTT on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

WHO SHOT SCOTT’s Playlist for The May Magazine

A selection of WHO SHOT SCOTT’s favourites while working on the ‘MERCY’ EP.