The pain of losing so many hip-hop icons in the past couple of years has been hard to take. And while never a full-blown household name, when Steve “Stēzo” Williams died in April, 2020, it was another huge blow for the culture. Stēzo’s long-time friend and fellow industry veteran, Chris Lowe, is helping keep the legacy of Stēzo alive, releasing The Last Dance last month, with contributions from some of rap’s biggest names. We recently spoke to Chris about the album, Stēzo’s role in the history of hip-hop, and more. We also bring you the premiere of the latest video from the album, which you can watch below.
It’s been a terrible couple of years for hip-hop artists dying too young. It felt as though, with so much happening last year, Stēzo‘s death was a bit forgotten about. For anyone who doesn’t know, tell them about his legacy in hip-hop.
Well let’s start here. Once upon a time when hip-hop was fun—back in the ‘80s—hip-hop dance evolved. Stēzo was one of the hip-hop dance pioneers. I will never forget when EPMD debuted Steve in their “You Gots To Chill” video and showed a split second of him doing the Steve Martin. The dance spread across the country like wild fire. This was also in part due to the video being aried on Yo! MTV Raps, which was the most famous video show back in the day. To this day, when you hear “You Gots to Chill” many of us immediately think of Steve’s dance. People still do it today. Shortly after all this hype, Stēzo went on to drop his debut LP, Crazy Noise in ’89.
And you and he go way back to your teenage years, right? Tell me about what you experienced together?
Steve and I were both deejays. That was our connection. Steve loved how I cut on the turntables. He was good too, but I had the style he loved. So we came up deejaying and then graf writing together and then Steve went on to breaking. We would meet up at parties and be the attraction for the night. Me on the turntables and him breakdancing on the floor. We were hip-hop kids from the way we dressed to the way we talked. Me, him and his cousin Dooley O. When breaking died out, Steve started freestyle dancing and making up his own moves. We would go to legendary hip-hop clubs like Latin Quarters and Union Square where he would become an attraction there too. This eventually led to him joining EPMD.
Stēzo was influential to hip-hop as a whole, but in particularly to the early growing scene in Connecticut. How was he able to mentor local artists and open doors for them?
Steve influenced local artists simply by showing others that it was possible to make it in hip-hop coming from Connecticut. You just had to be unique and have a style all your own. Of course you had other artists like The Skinny Boys out of Bridgeport, but we were from New Haven and Steve danced his way to a record deal. Connecticut watched Steve go from being a dancer to releasing his own album on Sleeping Bag/Fresh Records.
The Last Dance has an incredible list of artists paying tribute. How did it all come together?
It started with me just reaching out to all of Steve’s friends in the industry. Rappers he actually had history with, like Special Ed. Steve and Ed’s albums dropped the same year back in ’89. Some reached out to me, like Kangol Kid. Kangol had a little inside story to share which you peep on his “Hip-Hop Eulogy” interlude on the album. There were also people I reached out to that declined but overall everyone I reached to happily obliged. Steve knew a lot of heads. There were even rappers that missed the album because they were in the middle of projects like K-Solo and Ultramagnetic MCs. Others paid tribute through social media, like Questlove and DJ Premier. Eminem shouted Steve on Nas’s “EPMD 2” joint, so there was much love showed around the industry.
I’ve personally chatted on Twitter in the past about Stēzo‘s music with Just Blaze, so it’s great to hear his tribute message on, The Last Dance. It must have been very satisfying to get that one?
Blaze is my dog! A real hip-hop dude. Stēzo was a favorite of his. Prior to his death, Blaze would mention Steve in interviews right out of the blue. I can tell he had the album, he was a fan and we were fans of him. We knew Jay would snatch him up!
Aside from what we hear on, The Last Dance, was Stēzo actively working on more music in his final few years, and as such, is there much unreleased material?
I wish I had more on Steve but I don’t. Me and Steve took time off to pursue other things. He didn’t start recording again until his documentary surfaced. When the doc came out, he started to get calls to come out on tour again. I was like you gotta have new material, so we did five songs before he sadly left us.
What would you like for Stēzo‘s legacy to be?
Steve left his legacy and I’m satisfied with it. Stēzo was the first hip-hop dancer to step up to that mic and become an artist. No matter what you thought of his rymes, he still had the heart to take a shot. He even influenced other hip-hop dancers to grab the mic. And his legacy will forever be the “Steve Martin Dance.” Do you know how hard it is to make people all over the world do a dance? Stēzo did it. Whenever you hear “You Gots To Chill,” somebody is gonna do that dance.
Finally, what’s you favourite memory of the years you worked together?
I’m left with so many memories of Steve going back to our teens. Too many to name. Steve was a fun dude to be around, if he wasn’t pissing you off [laughs]. He was multi-talented so not only did we share music, but we were also barbers. It was Steve that got me into cutting hair. Before he passed, we even started a barber clothing line. Steve was one of the few friends I’ve known over 30 years, right up to his lasts days. That’s why I had to release this album so I can hear him anytime I want. Rest in heavenly peace Steve, I’m carrying your torch my dude.
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The Last Dance is out now and you can purchase it here. Interview by Grown Up Rap Editor Ben Pedroche.