AZ Chike is an artist who’s been grinding for years, so his rise to bigger and better heights is no accident. Known for his raw authenticity and undeniable passion for music, Chike has built a loyal following in Los Angeles and beyond. With standout moments like his debut performance of “Peekaboo” at 2025 Rolling Loud Cali and snagging best-dressed honors at the event, it’s clear that Chike’s impact isn’t just about the music, it’s about the vibe he brings. While many fans may have discovered him through his features on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX and ScHoolboy Q’s Blue Lips, Chike’s journey is far from an overnight success. For over a decade, he’s stayed true to his craft, and his hustle is a testament to perseverance and passion. In this exclusive interview, Chike opens up about what kept him going, his creative process and what’s next. Let’s dive into it and hear it straight from the man himself.

At Rolling Loud 2025, you performed "Peekaboo" for the first time. What was it like performing at Rolling Loud, seeing your fans' reactions, and snagging best dressed at the same time?

It's always good, man. I feel like it gets better every year I go to Rolling Loud. Well, now for sure, like, if I do it next year, or whatever the case may be, I know it'd be crazier, but it's always good. I always learn something new, like I'm supposed to do when I'm out there, because it's a festival crowd, you know? So, you gotta know how to rock that mothaf**ka! You don't go out there and do what you'll do at your own show. It's not that, you know what I mean. So, I was happy with my results. And as far as best dressed, come on now, you know I gotta do that!

A lot of people didn’t discover you intil your features on GNX and Blue Lips, but you were grinding for years prior. What kept you motivated during the times when the spotlight wasn’t on you yet?

You know, this is something that I'm really passionate about and something that I really do. So it wasn't a get rich quick scheme, or I wasn't trying to be the most popular or nothing like that. Like I do this because I love it, so just because it's not going my way, it doesn't mean it's gonna make me stop and I find the light in everything. So even to the outside, if it might not seem like, oh, it's not going like this, or he not seen like that, to me, I was great, like, at any point in my career, I can promise you, I thought I was the s**t at the time. I knew [there] was work to be done, don't get me wrong, but I wasn't, like, down and out about it. So, you know, again, it's just, it's just my passion. It's what I'm doing. It's what I do. So regardless of the matter, today, tomorrow, 10, 20, years from now, it’s still gonna be with me.

In a previous interview, you said that signing to a label was kind of scary because of the ownership rights and people getting a split of this and that. Then, you signed a deal. So, what did you learn along the way? And how did Warner make you feel comfortable with taking that step?

The difference between then and now is I've gotten so much experience on my own. I know what money looks like. I know what recouping looks like. I know what it takes. I had a lot of ownership of my own music before Warner, and even during it and after Atlantic, I owned a lot of my music, like a majority of it. So that was, like my real estate, like I was able to shake and bake with that and get $100,000 here, $350,000 here. I learned the business on my own because, like I told you before, there's a lot of non-believers in this s**t and if you don't do it, then nobody will! So, I took matters into my own hands. So, stepping into this Warner situation, I'm just more matured, more level-headed, my mind is clear, and I know what the goal is.

What’s something that kills your vibe instantly in the studio?

A few of my pet peeves is I like being on your phone and it's loud, like, cut that s**t the f**k off! There's other rooms you can go in, go do that s**t over there! If you are there to work, producer-wise, and you are just yapping and you are not multi-tasking, or just being in that motherf**ker like you don't know what's going on. Like, a n**ga ain't having the height of this career. And it's not a lot of eyes and ears and expectations on me to get this work done, and you in this motherf**ker making TikToks. You understand what I'm saying? That's just not what we're gonna do.

You really found your sound after linking up with Sean Sauce, and it's unmistakable — when I hear it, I know it's you. What do you think was the key that finally made everything click for you two as a duo?

It just shows you how important an engineer is to an artist. Sean Sauce is an incredible engineer. He is from the Bay Area. He grew up on a lot of the early Bay Area music. So, he's very cultured. He knows what a slap sounds like. So, it was two worlds colliding, you know, southern and northern California coming together and just making magic. He knew what to do with my type of voice and my type of beats, and I don't think he worked with any L.A. rapper before me, to be honest. So, it was the perfect match! He knows what he is doing at all times. I think it was our chemistry, too, though! I don't talk much. He doesn't talk much. We get straight to work. We'll chit chat sometimes in between songs, but like, nothing crazy. We get straight to it.

I think that it's great you've curated a signature sound, and you were able to find somebody to help bring that to life. When you hit the booth, do you already know what type of song you're going for or do you just kind of go based on the production?

Usually I know what I want to do before the production, and that kind of helps, because now I know what type of beat I need to find, whether, if I'm like, if I'm mad, I'm angry, I know what I need to look for. Or if you know I'm just, like, in my player mood, then I know I need to find something player. So it's really how I feel going in there that day. I know how to channel the energy! So that's how I really go about creating my songs. It already is how I feel like, I be like, I need to go to the studio now, like, and get it out.

Can you describe the ideal creative direction you would want from Tyler, The Creator?

Just learning how to build a world around an album, you know, creating an era for myself. He does that. He does amazing at that. Like when you play this five years from now, you're gonna remember where you were, what the air smells like and you know, that's just the power of music. I feel Tyler does a great job at capturing that. No disrespect to him. He doesn't have the hits you'd see, like, The Weeknd have or [make the] Billboard numbers. He's all art. And when I tell you that is working tremendously for him. Who better to ask that type of s**t from than him? And you know, the time is ticking, that can of whoop a** will be open anytime soon. I've been seeing him having fun on tour, so I ain't gonna sweat him. But before he goes overseas, he better see me, or I'll be in the water.

We know you're L.A. to the core, but I did peep, because I am from Michigan, that you do love the Detroit sound. You have songs with Sada Baby and you like Dex Osama. So, are there any other Detroit artists that might have inspired you or that you want to work with?

Yeah, I think Detroit is like the West Coast cousins. Like they, y'all, literally the Midwest, like, you know what I'm saying. I feel like we rub off on each other a lot. You know, being a player and keeping s**t smooth is big in both our cultures. But as far as inspiration from Detroit, I got a lot of inspiration from Payroll Giovanni. He’s on his P's and Q's and grown man s**t. He makes it cool to be responsible! He makes it cool to go home to your girl and your kids and still be fresh and fly and can't be f**ked with! It's not for everybody, but it's definitely for me. Like, that's my s**t! I love Payroll 100 percent!

I feel that in your music for sure. During an interview with Power 106, you spoke about how you've been fasting, how you’re vegan, and how you just really tapped in on self-discipline in a different way. How did that change your creativity and how you handle business?

It helps a lot because I'm a lot more clear minded when I do that. I'm not perfect. I still do my little bulls**t on the side, but I just make sure I take my time out to have those just like overly healthy moments, just because you could get caught up in all the glitz and the glamor and trying to keep up with everybody else, but it just gives me a clear mind, bro. It even things out for me, I don't feel like I ever go overboard with things, because I'm in such a health is wealth routine. That s**t definitely helps on the business side! It makes you lock in more! If you just eating bulls**t, high all the time, and s**t like that, you probably wouldn't even give a f**k to look at no contract or somebody playing with your money, you wouldn't even care. You don't have that raw emotion. I want them sensors flared... And for that to be sometimes you gotta be sober. Sometimes you gotta be detoxed. So, it worked wonders!

I noticed that you are a sucker for good friendships and relationships in an industry full of fakeness. How do you stay authentic, loving, and true self, without, you know, closing off the idea of having relationships in this type of environment and industry?

All that could taint your soul and your true intentions. But I don't know, I was kind of raised that way! But the handful of people that have stuck by my side, they kind of keep me grounded and remind me that it's okay to move with your heart first. Don't go all the way sour, because then you're gonna ruin what's actually been working for you. In today's day, revenge and get back, it's so glorified that they don't, they don't know how to get back at a motherf**ker without being violent or disrespectful. You can, you can stunt on n*gga and don't say nothing. You can let the work do all the talking for you. But you know, n**gas mental state ain't that high. They don't know how to keep it P for real.

You’ve got a lot of lover boy energy in your music. You make tracks for us ladies, but you make tracks that turn up the streets. Which side of you is more dominant? Is it turned up Chike or lover boy Chike?

That's a good question. I think, as of right now, it will probably be lover boy Chike. I was just telling myself this the other day. I went to the gym, and I was playing all this unreleased music by me, and I was gonna tweet, it's good to be versatile. I want to tell all the up-and-coming artists. Don't shy away from that s**t because it's so fun. I would definitely say I'm more my lover boy stage because I've never been in this stage before, honestly, so it's kind of new to me. It's getting me more in tune with my feelings. You can't do that without just accepting s**t for what it is, as being a lover boy, like n**gas think it's soft, Because I used to think that too, but it's a beautiful thing, for sure.