Biography
Upon signing with Timbaland’s Mosley Music Group, Izza Kizza’s off-kilter Southern rap approach quickly stirred excitement within hip-hop circles well ahead of any album. Terry Davis, who came into the world in the small Georgia community of Valdosta, first took the stage at twelve alongside his brother and a close friend. Early exposure to Run-D.M.C. pulled him deeper into the culture, prompting him to craft a singular Southern style that echoed the playful innovations of OutKast, Missy Elliott, and Ludacris. The moniker Izza Kizza itself traces back to Malcolm McLaren’s 1981 funk classic “Double Dutch Bus,” the same track Missy Elliott famously interpolated for her 2003 single “Gossip Folks.” After building a loyal regional audience, he attracted attention from New Jersey’s Soul Diggaz production collective—K-Mack, Bless, and Corte Ellis—who signed him and began crafting material. The team already maintained strong connections throughout the pop-rap world, having collaborated with Missy Elliott on a Gap advertisement; additionally, Corte Ellis maintained close ties to the Timbaland circle through co-writing sessions with Mosley Music Group producer Nathaniel “Danjahandz” Hills. Those links ultimately united Izza Kizza, the Soul Diggaz, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland on “Walk the Dawg.” The track, which included a guest verse from Missy Elliott and appeared in the film Step Up 2: The Streets, served as his first official single and circulated rapidly online in promotional MP3 form.