Peaze (pronounced “peace”) is the inspired promoter of S.K.O.Z. Crew, a young dance collective that’s been reaching out to inner-city youth. Standing for “Showing. Kids. OptionZ,” S.K.O.Z. borrows liberally from hip-hop and rap style, but mixes in a message from a higher power. For members, dance becomes an outlet for aggression and a facet of overall lifestyle change. Artvoice spoke with Peaze and crewmembers Bobby (“U Know U Luv It”), O (“Snake Eyes”), Tye (“Yung P.R.O.F.E.T.”) and Carman (“C”), and got to witness some impromptu moves on the street.

Artvoice: What can you tell us about S.K.O.Z. Crew?

Peaze: We’re part of an organization called Ask God First. AG1. We’ve been taking our skills and our use of hip-hop to shows and youth groups, and just making it all one big circle of events that we do together. And what we’ve done is we’ve come back to this town and we’ve started stirring up what we call a “dance frenzy.” And what’s happening is we’re getting groups from all over the city—which is a big coalition of dancers—and we’re trying to take some of this aggression that we have as youth in the inner city, just to try to get some of our energy off in another way.

AV: How do you see it making an impact?

C: You hear it everyday on the news…kids fightin’ here…somebody got stabbed there. The only way to really change it or bring it back around…is to start off young. And the only way to do that is to get into a program where it’s something that the kids really like, whether it’s music—rap, singing, whatever the case may be. We’re trying to put it into a program where they can come and express that. We’re not all dancers here, either. This man is an artist—he raps. How’s it been working out for you?

Yung P.R.O.F.E.T: It’s been working perfectly. I mean, without Peaze and the S.K.O.Z. Crew I wouldn’t be in the position that I am right now. A lot of things went on in my life and it kind of changed me and molded me into a better person, you know, more God-fearing and everything. I just use my lyrics as a tool to let out that aggression.

AV: What do you add to the mix?

YP: Well, I was here from the beginning and I’m their hype-man and I give them B.U.C.K. [Believers Upholding Christ’s Kingdom]. And I also spin verses, say a couple of rhymes beside them. I’ve been with them from their first shows to the last shows…and I always will be.

AV: Were there any big shows that stand out in your mind?

YP: Juneteenth was a real big one for me. It was amazing, all the crowd of people and the dancers behind me…that feeling, that feeling…

Peaze: Yeah, there was about six to eight hundred people there, so that was like one of his first shows. Now he’s a young man…there’s some of us who are not going to expose our ages too much…but there’s a lot of teenagers and young guys that’s following in this movement.

Visit Artvoice.com to see the full interview and dance clips. You can learn more by writing skozcrew@yahoo.com or visiting www.myspace.com/skozcrewagi.