Polar opposite of the typical Southern stylings of slurred draws and candy-coated laced lyrics, the great state of Texas is proud to present Rizo. Entering the arena as an original and distinctive hip-hop artist and representing the Lone Star state with an alternative from the perpetuating image of syrup-sipping songs and lazy lipped lyrics, Rizo, dubbed the Heartbeat of Texas, faces the challenge personifying the very reason why Texans are so proud of their homeland.

As a child, Rizo had a strict military upbringing, with an Air Force master as a father and a school teacher as a mother. Though his mother instilled the importance and value of quality education, he excelled in extracurricular activities like sports and music. From blaring the trumpet and trombone to rocking out on the drums and even lapping his peers on the track, this young and gifted adolescent was well-rounded and disciplined. While he naturally excelled as a track star, his heart and soul belonged to music. And though family, friends and coaches pushed him to pursue sports as a career, young Rizo knew that his true calling was in music.

His musical journey is as extensive as Interstate-10 running straight through the middle of Texas. After the tough but humbling realization that he could no longer blaze the track as his lifelong career, Rizo traveled to New Mexico and joined forces with a local label, Choke Hold Records. His first experiences in touring extensively and performing for large crowds were fashioned with this group at the ripe young age of 19. Hungry to nurture his craft, his instilled instincts for the pursuit of education landed him in Orlando, Florida at Full Sail University, one of the most prestigious institutions for musicians and professionals in the music industry. Honing his skills in both songwriting and engineering, Rizo benefitted personally and professionally from his coursework. Following a three month stint in Richmond, Virginia, Rizo found his way to the mecca of Southern hip-hop, Atlanta, Georgia, and began forming a network of key players in and around the industry. After landing a chance meeting Ill-P and Bird of Black Mafia Family, he embarked upon a strong association with a group that obtained opportunities for him to work with the Franchise Boys and K-Ci and JoJo. Though genuinely grateful for the rising momentum and enormous amount of local and regional love shown to his budding career, Rizo knew that he would have to return home to further his true motive for entering the game: to represent Dallas-Ft. Worth as a significant member of Southern lyrical hip-hop and to create new avenues for atypical Texas artists who refuse to be molded by outside stereotypes and forced to continue to exploit Southern music.

Today, Rizo calls the two largest cities in Texas home, as he shifts his time between Houston and Dallas. As spokesperson of Zodiak Spirits and CEO of Young Black & Gifted Entertainment, he epitomizes the true meaning of an ambitious entrepreneur and a sound businessman. His ties to Too Much Entertainment further aid in the promotional gains of his mission, as he embraces his endeavors to elevate his hometown to a new level of musical ingenuity and regional responsibility for the creation of a new reflection of Texan talent.

His passion for music is incomparable and undeniable. His mission is relentless and revolutionary. Standing outside of the in-crowd, Rizo’s goals surpass the average Texas-bred rapper in that he’s neither just in the industry for commercial sales, nor interested and invested solely on the perpetuation of the stereotypical Southern sound. Instead, he seeks establish a more positive and realistic representation for the talent from Texas, and all but blaze a new trail for artists from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area to proudly represent their home and to achieve success on a higher level. With grand-scale visions of bringing AMAs and Grammies home, as well as paving the way for the recognition of authentic lyricism in the great state, Rizo is only beginning to carve out his unique niche in the game of Southern hip-hop, with the self-proclamation of a hefty title worthy of an illustrious legend, the Heartbeat of Texas.