Out Rapper Cazwell Releases ‘I Love You’ for Pride: WATCH

GayNrd Editors June 19, 2019

Cazwell’s “I Love You” is a love letter to himself.

“Even if you are in love with somebody else, self-love is the most important kinda love and it comes first,” he declares. “I’m determined to not have a boyfriend this year so I can focus on taking care of and loving myself.”

The song features Bridget Barkan, formerly with Scissor Sisters, singing a sample of the “Ooh Boy, I Love You So” melody from the Rose Royce classic. It also re-unites Cazwell with Chris Bracco, his collaborator on past hit singles, “Ice Cream Truck” and “Loose Wrists.” Cazwell’s “I Love You (featuring Bridget Barkan)” is available now on iTunes, Spotify, and all major digital retailers via Cazwell’s own imprint, SNOWCONE NYC.

“I’ve never written a love song before and I’ve never shown my vulnerable side, really,” Cazwell continues.

“I know this isn’t your typical Céline Dion type of love song but it’s the only way I know how to do it.”

He began writing what would become “I Love You” by composing the quirky little whistle track with a flute. His original goal was to make a song with his father. “My father’s been playing the flute since before I was born and I wanted to create a riff that he could play on the flute. After I wrote it, though, I thought it might sound better as a whistle. I got my friend to whistle on the track and the entire theme of the song changed.”

He proudly calls the end result “cheesy, corny and incredibly catchy, like a Bruno Mars song.” It’s a complete 180 from his last two singles, “Hella Horny,” a 90s house jam and “Weirdo,” an early 2000s hip-hop track.
“My musical taste is kinda schizophrenic,” he admits. “I would like to try being consistent with my sound but I don’t even know if that’s possible.” For the “I Love You” music video, Cazwell drew inspiration from the fifties nostalgia craze of the 1980s when music videos like Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” and Madonna’s “True Blue” brought back the poodle skirt and greased biker look. ““Like every kid in the 80s, I watched Grease 100 times,” he laughs.

Cazwell takes pride in being one of the first out rappers and is excited about the growing number of artists coming out of the closet today. His message to them and to all fans this pride is to never quit chasing the dream. “Continue to make your art and realize that some people will look at it and some people won’t but you can never stop.”