Author : Shap
Bezzels, what exactly is a Bezzel ? I asked myself this as soon as I found out I would be interviewing the Nashville Native Hip-Hop group, Bezzeled Gang. It sounds like some kind of rock that shines circa de influence of the term “Bedazzled”. But there really is a term for the word, Bezzel. Actually spelled as “Bezel”, a bezel is the groove holding a crystal or gem in its setting. So I actually wasn’t too far off. The Bezzeled Gang can officially be defined as the group that holds gems and jewels…basically they’re rockin’ that jewelry. Ok, I can dig it.
The morning of the interview with Bezzeled Gang, I decided to give a listen to their song, “Die Young”. I literally repeated it five times. Taking “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry and turning it into a Hip-Hop track is genius. The intro, the beats, and every verse from Bezzeled Gang was really thought out for this song. There is depth and meaning behind the song which is something I found to be dead these days in a lot of Hip-Hop. They got me as an instant fan. Bezzeled Gang stay true to who they are by remembering where they came from no matter where they’re going. They end their “Die Young” video with the quote, “LIFE IS FOR THE LIVING. DEATH IS FOR THE DEAD. LET LIFE BE LIKE MUSIC. AND DEATH A NOTE UNSAID.”
Yeah, they’ve got songs about booties bouncin’, drannnks, shiny jewelry, cars, and money ; but they also have lyrics showing their struggle and hope of great things to come. Bezzeled Gang music is about the good times, the bad times and living life to the fullest.
I recently caught up with the guys while in the studio and asked Bezzeled Gang to define themselves. They describe themselves as, “We’re gangsta rap..street music. Down South.” With influences such No Limit, The Hot Boyz, NWA and Drama; Bezzeled Gang reflects the strong foundations of Hip-Hop. Lil Wayne was a pinnacle influence for the group in high-school circa 1996. They were able to relate to him as an artist since Lil Wayne was still a teenager when he really began his career.
The Bezzeled Gang line-up is Lil Vac, PSG, Killah Cali and Steezie who also comprise BG Records. Yep. They imagine, write , produce and have complete creative control over all of their music. The best way to be in music. The group’s most recent release, Big Bang Theory Vol. 2, is in stores and they are back in the studio working on another album set for release later this year.
In the future, Bezzeled Gang hopes to attain Three Platinum Albums, 100 million sold and touring the world. They want to continue creating more music and continue to expand their brand until Bezzeled Gang becomes a household name.
For all things Bezzeled Gang : http://www.bezzeledgang.com
Bezzeled Gang Facebook
Tweet Bezzeled Gang @BezzeledGang
Now on to the food !
I asked Bezzeled Gang what foods remind them up growing up and home, and their answer was Soul Food. Chicken and Dressing, Collard Greens, Mac N Cheese, Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes were a part of their daily cuisine growing up. Soul Food is still a mainstay for Bezzeled Gang’s favorite eats. Family is very important to the Bezzeled Gang, and many of their favorite times are spent eating with their families.
Cali spoke out from the group saying he loves Chicken. Anything from Fried Chicken to a Chicken Burger to Hot Wings are some of Cali’s favorite noshes. He also loves a good Omlette with the Western Omlette as his favorite. And finally, Steezie said he loves a good Ruth’s Chris steak as well as low-key casual dining. He loves a mixture of high quality steak but always appreciates a good home-cooked meal.
With that said, I was inspired to cook a New York Strip Steak complimented by a side dish of Black Eye Peas. I felt this dish reflected the big goals for the group symbolized by the New York Strip Steak and accompanied Bezzeled Gang’s staying true to themselves by serving up a side of Black Eye Peas to reflect their love of Soul Food. This is a great hearty dish for the fall from the Black Eye Peas tossed with Kale and Butternut Squash. Its a simple, flavorful and warm dish guaranteed to keep you reaching for the stars while remembering where you came from .
Road 2 Riches Steak and Black Eye Peas
Ingredients For Steaks
– 2 New York Strip Steaks ( you can also use Ribeye or Sirloin cuts) , Room Temperature
– 3 Fresh Cloves of Garlic
– Fresh Ground Black Pepper
– Sea Salt
– 2 to 3 Sprigs of Thyme
– 3 Tablespoons EVOO
– 3 Tablespoons Butter ( make sure you use good butter), Room Temperature
Ingredients for Black Eye Peas
– 1 Medium Size Butternut Squash, cut in half
– 2 Cups of Fresh Kale
– 1 Cup Dried Black Eye Peas
– One Small Yellow Onion , chopped
– Sea Salt
– Freshly Ground Black Pepper
– Juice of 1 Lime
– 6 Tablespoons EVOO
– 3 Tablespoons Water
– 1 Bay Leaf
– 4 Cups Water
Directions
1) About two hours prior to cooking. Rinse your Black Eye Peas and soak them for 2 hours in bowl with enough water to cover them with 3 inches of room to grow.
2) After two hours , drain the peas and pour them into a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, 4 cups of water, onion, sea salt and pepper.
3) Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Allow the peas to cook for about 30 minutes. Drain and remove the bay leaf. Then set aside.
4) Preheat the oven to 400 and then arrange the squash on a baking pan and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons EVOO. Season with sea salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
5) Once the squash has cooled, cut it into cubes.
6) In a medium saucepan, heat 2 Tablespoons EVOO and then add your Kale. Quickly moving them around so they don’t burn. Season with sea salt and pepper. Allow the Kale to cook for about a minute. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
7 ) In a small mixing bowl, mix together your lime juice, remaining EVOO , sea salt and pepper. Then place the Black Eye Peas, Kale, and Squash in a bowl. Gently toss with dressing and set aside to prepare your steaks.
8 ) Season steaks on both sides with sea salt and pepper. Get a frying pan very hot on high heat until it is smoking. Quickly add EVOO and drop both steaks in the pan. Allow the steaks to cook on one side for two minutes and then use tongs to flip the steaks over.
9) Add Garlic , Butter and Thyme. Continue to cook and flip the steaks every 2 minutes until desired temperature of Rare to Medium has been achieved. Advice : You really don’t want to cook a steak past the stage of Medium. The steak will lost almost all of its flavor content and meat quality beyond that stage, its just a hockey puck.
10) Serve your Steaks with your Black Eye Peas and enjoy !
Oh this recipe sounds lovely! Will definitely try it soon. I love butternut squash. 🙂
Thank you Shana. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Bang!! Love the Bezzeled Gang. They need to get to Memphis. Glad I found this. Gr8 read and gonna have to put dis steak to the test. Hope you dont mid I put that meat on da grill. LOL!!!
Nope don’t mind at all ! Let me know how it turns out. It can be great on the grill or a good seated skillet ;). Glad you enjoyed the feature.