Shwayze is the eponymous named band of Aaron Smith (Shwayze is his MC name) formed after he hooked up with Cisco Adler, former Whitestarr frontman, ex- of Misha Barton and son of famous music producer Lou Adler.

Once their MTV reality show, Buzzin’, debuts this summer, the young men of Shwayze are sure to become regulars in the posts of Perez Hilton and pages of Us Weekly.

You read about them first on BYT…

Where are you right now?
I’m in the ‘bu, Malibu, chillin’.

Are you having a Bud? Seriously? You’re in “the ‘bu?” That’s awesome… Ok, let’s talk about your name, Shwayze. Where does your name come from?
Well it comes from my boy Cisco. We were making music and were five songs in and I was like, “yo- I need a name” and Cisco came out with, “what about Shwayze?” And I was like, “interesting…” and everybody started calling me Shwayze.

You should give Cisco an MC name.
Haha, yeah I should. Dick Charming.

Amazing. So you are playing The Warped Tour. When is your first show?

This weekend! In California! It’s really crazy. This is my first tour ever, I gotta get packed. I gotta get ready. I’m really excited for this tour.

It’s really incredible that your first tour is with the Warped Tour. What kind of shows were you playing before? I guess what I’m asking is what is the music scene like in “the ‘bu”? I have no idea.

(Aside: haha, she said in “the ‘bu”) Well there’s one place, the Malibu Inn. That’s the one place to play there so that’s really the scene in Malibu. I’ve played there since high school. I played there a real long time.

Where you in a band growing up?
Here’s how it was growing up: I was into rock, like Rage Against the Machine, Led Zeppelin, the Chili Peppers, Steely Dan. Then I got into hip-hop a little later, like Tribe and De La Soul. So that’s where my style emerged.
When I met Cisco, I didn’t know he made hip hop beats cause he’s like a rock dude. So when I heard he was working with Mickey Avalon I wanted to work with him, so it was perfect. We both like hip hop and rock and roll. That’s why I think our sound works so good ‘caue musically we were thinking the same thing.

So what’s it liking going from playing the Malibu Inn to playing the Warped Tour? It must be dizzying! And what was that transitional period like? How did that all happen? One day you’re recording with a friend and the next day you’re on TRL.
I know. I know. I think the same thing! A year and a half ago I was working at Starbucks and one day I woke up. I’ve been working real hard but it did happen real quick. All the sudden we have a show and we’re on TRL Spankin’ New Music. It’s hilarious, I don’t even know what to think about it. But I definitely projected it.

I mean i played the Malibu Inn and in Orange County to build up my fanbase. Most recently we played KISS FM’s Wango Tango and that’s was like 20,000 people. It was amazing.

Cisco just walked in. This is his room. I am sitting on his bed doing interviews.

Cisco Adler: Yeah, yeah I’m right here.

Say hi to Cisco!

Hello
Cisco: Hi there!

So tell me what your big break was, meeting Cisco and recording with him?

I didn’t know it was going to be my big break at the time.
Cisco: I did fool. That or when you broke your lip skateboarding.

Did you tell Cisco what his MC name is?
Dick Charming was already a name that he has.

Oh, that already exists?
Cisco: I dubbed myself Dick Charming.

Oh, it’s a self-proclaimed nickname. Alright, I see.
Cisco: Not as much “known around” as Dick Charming than as much self-proclaimed.

This might be a good opportunity to ask how women fit into your music. You have a lot of songs about partying with girls.
I’m looking for a good girlfriend right now.

You’re looking to settle down? Right before you go on your first big tour?
Yes.

You’ve got this song called “Corona and Lime”. And it’s about fighting a girl’s brother if he’s not cool with you being with his sister. I read the lyrics and I was like- wait are you serious? Is this based on a true story?
Oh you know, I’ve gotten into some confrontations. That right there was based off multiple situations you know what I mean? You know how the older brother always hates on the boyfriend? No. I’m a lover not a fighter. I get along with everyone.

Tell me about your reality show.
It’s called Buzzin’ like our single. The last episode will be when the Warped Tour starts. We’re almost done shooting it. It’s just about how crazy everything has been; from us playing shows locally at The Malibu Inn to Wango Tango to our first radio tour, to TRL. Everything about the life of a rising young artist and us trying to get into the business; our party life, our work life, and how to separate the two.

Do you think that your rise to fame getting a big record deal right-off-the-bat, as a hip hop/rock artist, is indicative of a change in the mainstream music scene? On MTV and the radio there seems to be a mixing rap and rock influences a lot more now.
Yeah of course, music is so accessible now. You have to listen to every genre of music right now. I think kids are now listening to everything. Music is so easy to make now too. Everyone has home studios and you can get your own personal thing out there.

I mean I’ve been working, it did happen kind of quick, but they say, “overnight takes two years”. I’ve been making music and trying to play my sound since high school.

So it’s like a Do-it-yourself attitude with the resources of a major record label?
Yes! Definitely. Which is beautiful. We made the whole entire record before we got signed so we got all the say and everything at the record label which is cool. It’s really organic. Yeah, it’s like do-it-yourself…

Ok. Finally: Nirvana or Pearl Jam? Pick one.
I like Nirvana but Pearl Jam is dope. I love Pearl Jam.

I hate Pearl Jam. Nirvana or Nas?
Why did you do that! Nirvana or Nas?!?!?!

I know it’s so hard.
I gotta go with Nas.

Anything else you want to add?
Get the album August 19th. Dave Navarro is on the track flashlight. But that’s the only guest, Cisco and I did everything else ourselves. Check us out on Warped Tour! Our live show is me, Cisco, DJ Skeet Skeet. It’s cool we bring out guitars. It’s a lot of fun.

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