Born Alwyn Burton at the U.W.I. hospital in Papine St. Andrew, Jamaica, Kazanova A.K.A. Shotta Kaz spent his most impressionable years growing up in the notorious Back Bush section of Mountain View. Music played a vital role in Kaz's life. His passion began at age four, when his mother noticed her son's interest in the piano at church, and decided to put him under the tutelage of one of Jamaica’s most renowned pianist.
As he grew, Kaz witnessed and experienced extensive abuse of power by the local law enforcement. Years of this injustice hardened Kaz to the point where at age 13 he saw a cop gunned down less than 50 feet away from him and felt no grief. Growing up on Bygrave Avenue was not easy for Kaz and his family, but it gave him the tough skin and streets smarts he needed to survive in life. During these years, Kaz would hang out with his older cousin Kevon Beswick, better known as Bezo, free-styling songs over the rhythmic patterns Bezo made by drumming on tables; if he wasn’t with Bezo, he was on the corner with his crew composing songs to pass the time.
After finishing 3rd form (9th grade) in Ardenne High, he and his family moved to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. While adjusting to his new environment, he diligently honed his craft with the knowledge that one day he’d be able to record in a studio and make music that his people could relate to. Heavily influenced by Bezo and a Jamaican producer named Bam-Bam who both are like older brothers to him, he decided to take his mus