We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zoot Zonouzi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zoot below.

Zoot, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Risks can make or break life. It’s always been important to me to weigh the risk to reward ratio for everything I do because sometimes the risk is just not worth the reward regardless of how much the odds are in your favor. Between leaving everything behind and coming to America In 2014 and quitting my engineering job in 2020 to pursue music full time, I. think the risk I took later in life in 2020 put more pressure on me because it would also help define the outcome of the first risk I took by coming to the United States. I received an internship at 16 to work at a wiring harness company on the production floor in the assembly line. I had worked my way up to a different position in “continues improvement and efficiency’ which was very exciting for me at the time because they had also offered to pay for my school tuition as long as I took a degree that lined up with my line of work but when covid happened, everything changed. I had to leave my job for safety and when it was time to come back, I decided it was best for me not to. A risk I was willing to take with the goal of reaching my dreams of doing music full time. There were many dark nights from being alone, to struggling for money or not feeling like your time or actions will never feel normal again. As long as you have faith and line up your actions on daily basis with your faith and purpose, then you will always see a light at the end of the tunnel. Every goal has its own price. My risk slowly turned into a record label called 1122 Records where we develop and help artists reach their full potential. I have not regretted it or looked back since.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was inspired to inspire ever since I turned to my teenage years. I always wanted to be a symbol of good and change that we desired. I believe that feeling stemmed from where I grew up – a place where reform was definitely needed. When I started music with xylophone and flute at 4 and 5 years old, I never thought there’d be a day where I find out certain types of music are illegal where I lived. In Iran, where Hip-hop music is illegal and punishable by law. As I started to fall in love with the genre, my freedoms became more and more limited the older I grew in my hometown. My family had been awaiting an interview by the US embassy for over 10 years and in 2014 I finally reached my first dream. Leaving everything behind and risking it all for a new life.
Given the fact that rap music is illegal in Iran, I was always dreaming of exercising my freedom of speech when I came to America. In 2016, I recorded my first song on my iPhone with the instrumental playing from my iPad.
Since then, I’ve learned the in’s and out’s of the business while staying true to my roots. Recording vocals on my iPhone turned into going to different types of studios and recording artists on all different types of calibers.
I founded 1122 records, LLC in 2020 with a goal to help change the music industry one song at a time.
We specialize in recording, mixing, mastering, marketing, distributing and publishing for artists that want to keep control of their music and their masters.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I believe a lot of creators are looking for ways to make money or ways to follow a blueprint to success. While in some cases those may have been the proper motivating factors for some, I believe becoming “successful” by doing what you love relies heavily on the intricate details of your day to day actions in life which help form a bigger picture. I think that bigger picture has to line up with your purpose and your actions have to line up with your bigger picture. it could be as small as folding clothes or going to the gym. It’s all a mindset.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to inspire everyone to become the best versions of themselves – however they might see that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/zoot1122
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/zoott1122
• Twitter: https://x.com/zoot1122
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZOOT1122
• Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/YYVBGZjay74CAbt67

Image Credits

dystopian savage / nerd
Annabelle camp / forever temporary
Michael Ingram