Czar Chasm

The Man The son of Panamanian immigrants, Czar Chasm was born Lance Peterson in Brooklyn, NY on March 21, 1985. Chasm's life got interesting very early. At age 2, he suffered an accident while rough-housing with his older brother which rendered him nearly blind in his right eye. At age 4, his dad joined the Army as an infantryman, transporting Chasm to residency in locales such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and even his native Panama. Growing up, CZ was for the most part left to his own devices. As a result, his social skills were less than stellar. Add glasses and above-average natural intelligence into the mix and you have the common recipe for the need of an outlet. The Musician After an assesment test that he was unprepared for, Chasm was given the opportunity to take up an instrument and join the school band. Choosing the trumpet (the saxophone was his first choice), he began his musicianship at age 10. At 15, his father bought him a keyboard as a late birthday present, leading him down a new path. Nowadays, Czar Chasm also produces music under the name Tha Left-Handed Wonder. The MC CZ actually started writing rhymes at age 9, further incentivising him to joining the band a year later. Love for one strengthened love for the other. Initially, Chasm's subject matter was quite aggressive for his age. Writing usually occured during and between listening sessions of Wu-Tang Clan and 2Pac. Art began to imitate life as his knack for verbal self-defense as a child made him a natural as a battle rapper. As he grew older, music became an outlet for anger and depression as Czar Chasm continued to contend with teenage angst, finances, social standing, and "shaky" relationships with his relatives. Chasm began to pour his soul onto the paper, saying things he could never find the words to say in regular conversation. Today, his music reflects the combination of both personalities (and seemingly several more) as well as their respective neuroses.

Atlanta, GA