Goozy spent his entire adolescence in Nigeria where his family is originally from. He’s tall and clean-cut with a slight African accent, but when he came over in October 2007 (one month after the studio was built), it was much thicker. “I didn’t know what he was saying, but he was energetic as fuck,” says AirLines. “He was live as hell. He was like a kid in a candy store. He couldn’t stop smiling.”
“I think he thought I was crazy,” says Goozy. “I don’t think he was used to hanging around people from other countries.” Regardless, they had innate similarities. They both had supportive parents. Their fathers had been sick and passed away. They each have one brother and one sister. “He’s the African me and I’m the American him,” AirLines explains with a grin, showing his quick wit.
At the time of their meeting, however, AirLines was going by a different name: Da Dot. From 2003-2007, Jarvis was known as J. Dot, an ode to Jamaal Crawford, who played for the Chicago Bulls, and Jay-Z’s Reebok shoe, the S. Carter. But as the years went by, AirLines says, “I start hearing other people saying, “I’m K Dot/B Dot/F Dot. I’m like, man, I’m just Da Dot.” Goozy and I crack up laughing.
Together, AirLines and Goozy are known as The Come Up (TCU). “Back in the day, I used to shoot homemade videos,” says AirLines, showing signs of embarrassment, “and I started a series called The Come Up.” Jump ahead to the late 2000s, “[TCU] was just a bunch of his friends… just something that they were playing around with,” says Goozy. “I was like, ‘Yo, man, we gotta get this music outside of the studio,’ because they was just doin’ music inside the house, so it was like, ‘No, we gotta figure out how we gon’ get people to hear this. I’m tired of hearing myself.’”
TCU, with additional member Dale, followed by Cash Jones, proceeded to put out four mixtapes in 22 months (October 2009 to July 2011): The Departure, The Mile High Club, The Delayed Flight, and First Class Flight. AirLines also found his name.
“As time went on, I’m like, ‘There’s too many Dots out here,’” he says. “I took the whole TCU thing and basically I tried to find something that means taking off or flying.” He recalls explaining it to Goozy. “When you write a verse, bars are like lines; and… I’m smooth as hell. I’m a fly young dude, so… AirLines,” he says with a smile. The addition of Clark came later “from watching a lot of Smallville.” Jarvis Clark. Clark Kent. Superman. Flying. The number of threads is impressive.
Everyone I talk to describes AirLines as humble and it shows in our time together. Of the 13 songs I play for him, he finds something positive to say about each artist or what he learned from him.
DMX: aggression. Chris Martin (Coldplay): recognizable voice. Lupe: creativity. Ryan Leslie: fan interaction. Even 2 Chainz: “It’s all about the first impression,” he says. “Your whole aura, when you walk into a room, has to leave an impact on people.”
“In a lot of cases, he’s selfless,” says Goozy. “A lot of people have come through his studio and done songs and he would record it for them for free or close to nothing… Just recently he started focusing on this solo thing.”
Great Interview Clark we wit u bro!! Keep Goin #CashGang
Dope!!!! Let’s get it cuz!!! CCE/TCU/CGE ”Family eats First”
man im proud!! salute!!
Dope Article bruh! Hard work paying off kid!
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Thank you once again for this article, by far one of the best that we have seen thus far.
Much love and respect.