Almost a year ago, JaZiah — known to many as “JaZ” — released his standout single Blood Clot, a track that would go on to define the sound and identity behind his latest project, Villain. One year and over 1.5 million streams later, fans are still asking: what’s next?

As it turns out, JaZiah has been quietly working behind the scenes. “I’ve been working this whole time,” he tells us. “But due to some life things, I’ve had to redo my project multiple times. I’m on my seventh version now.”

Those setbacks weren’t small. On New Year’s Day 2024, JaZiah was involved in a shooting while leaving Super Sound Studios, caught in the chaos at a gas station in Midtown Atlanta. Just a few months later in April, he was robbed and stabbed in Los Angeles, sustaining injuries to his stomach.

These traumatic events forced JaZiah to take a step back — from music, social media, and everything in between — in order to reset and find clarity.

“During my time away, I did a lot of reflecting. I had to let go of old habits and distance myself from people I really cared about — and still do,” he shares. “It all felt like a blur with how fast it happened, but I had to cut out whatever wasn’t making me happy.”

After Villain, JaZiah immediately started working on its sequel, Villain 2, also titled Supervillain. But after everything that unfolded, he made the tough decision to shelve it.

“There’s about 20 songs I made between December and Valentine’s Day that’ll never see the light of day,” he says. “That’s the old me. I’m on something new now… some new shit. I’m still the villain, but this next project has to be personal. I need to prove myself right and really show who I am.”

We also asked JaZiah about his collective, Rugratz — or Tiger Blood, as some know them — and what role they’ve played in his journey.

“Honestly, they’re the reason I’m still here. Our group project kept me grounded while I was going through everything. Everyone’s on their solo grind right now, but the love’s still strong. Snow just dropped a crazy project. Brax and EJ are always working. Valentino hits me up almost every day — we’re constantly bouncing ideas. Tahj is a new addition who I think has insane potential. Nvrland and Sopperior are in my daily rotation. Ky and Tuck just started streaming — I think that’s cool as hell really. Everyone’s grinding. I'm probably forgetting some people of course but I’m excited for all of them, genuinely.”

When asked what fans can expect next, JaZiah keeps it open:

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’m gonna drop a few singles with visuals, see how I’m feeling, and consult with my team. I think my next project is gonna be called Street Therapy. It just hits home. It’s about letting a lot of trauma out and finally expressing what I’ve been carrying.”

With his new single State Patrol finally released and anticipation building, fans are getting a first real glimpse into JaZiah’s next chapter. After a year of silence, struggle, and evolution, the Atlanta artist is ready to speak — and this time, it’s personal.