Going Places with Dina Guzzardo
Cheezy and the Crackers are a seven-piece band who have skyrocketed to success as one of the most popular reggae bands on the east coast. Formed in 2007 by front man Cheezy McNasty and a friend, the band started out playing reggae covers of popular songs and have evolved to include the seven members there are today. I had the privilege of talking to lead singer about how the band writes music, their newest album, “Yes Please”, and their future projects.
McNasty grew up in a household filled with classic rock music, but it was the reggae sound that piqued his interest. He felt at deep connection with artists such as UB40 and Bob Marley which resulted in him delving deeper into reggae music and realizing he related to not only the melodies, but also the message. “I gravitated towards UB40. I just thought, ‘what a cool group’, because they were covering people’s songs but in a reggae style” explained McNasty. Reggae music made him feel happy and he wanted to create sounds that would evoke that same happiness in other people.
One question I just had to ask was about his name. I was not surprised to hear that Cheezy McNasty was not his birth name, but a nickname given to him when he was younger by his friends while they were listening to “Off the Heezy” by Snoop Dogg. Being young boys and a bit of back and forth banter later, his friend dubbed him “Cheezy”. When an older brother of one of his friend’s heard then “Cheezy” shred on the guitar, he labelled his talent as “McNasty”. Hence, Cheezy McNasty was born.
Although the band has seen several members over the years with the current formation having been together for three to four years, McNasty has stayed consistent with writing the music and lyrics. McNasty’s literal take on lyric-writing is perhaps what has made the band such a huge success. They are words that can resonate with fans as he writes from real experiences and feelings. “I try to just keep it real and to the pulse” states McNasty. His writing style often sees him developing a concept on his own and then taking it to the drummer/backing vocalist to work on a beat. From there, the remainder of the band are brought in sequentially and everything just slides into place. This is typical of the process he uses to create his hits and is how the band wrote their newest album, “Yes Please”.
If you have not heard “Yes Please”, I highly recommend you go out and listen to it now. A personal favorite from the album is the song, “Brighter Days”. I questioned McNasty on his inspiration for writing this song in particular and it truly encapsulates the mantra that reggae music was founded on. “Most of our gigs are played outside which means there can be a lot of rain. Some of our best gigs have been on those days when it stops raining and the sun comes out” says McNasty. The song reflects what it means to wait out the storm for “brighter days”, and of course, this mirrors many aspects of life and is pertinent for the current situation we are in.
I was interested in getting to know what Cheezy is like away from his on-stage persona, and it soon became apparent why I enjoy his music so much. Away from the band, he is a passionate animal-lover and actively advocates to his fans the importance of adopting. With two rescue dogs and a rescue cat of his own, he wants others to experience the joys of saving an animal. It was clear to see how the culture of reggae helps shape his life.
In terms of up coming projects, Mc Nasty has been working with the talented DJ Emculate on a selection of covers from, “Yes Please”, plus other singles to keep busy during this off-time. Although typically a turntable DJ, DJ Emaculate has been creating some unique sounds for Cheezy and the Crackers and this is set to be an exciting and distinctive new side project for the band.
Fortunately, Cheezy and the Crackers were able to push through Summer 2020 and only lost 35% of their work, something which McNasty says they are immensely grateful for. Even still, they have decided to take it easy over the next couple of months and only have one show lined up in Atlantic City at Bourre (201 s New York Ave. Atlantic City, 08401) on Saturday December 5th. The show will be a low-key, socially distanced, acoustic duo session with vendors and a great holiday event. If you can’t make it to their upcoming live show, you can listen to Cheezy and the Crackers on all major streaming outlets including their Facebook page “@cheezyandthecrackers”. So, for those who will miss out on the Caribbean this year but want to feel those island vibes, be sure to check out Cheezy and the Crackers and their new album, “Yes Please”.
Dina Guzzardo is the President and Executive Promoter of Dina Media Group LLC. Dina Media Group is an innovative cutting edge event production and marketing company that produces and promotes large events as well as a talent agency that manages some incredible talent.www.dinamediagroup.com
