Iraqi-American hip hop rap artist TIMZ is Interviewed by MTV News after his politically charged video "Iraq" strikes a chord on YouTube.com. Make no mistake, the title of TIMZ's powerful, outspoken and heavy grooving 14- track collection—a nominee for Best Hip-Hop Album at the 2006 San Diego Annual Music Awards—says it all: the San Diego born and bred artist is Open For Business.

Iraqi-American hip hop rap artist TIMZ released a politically charged music video that received thousands of hits on the popular YouTube.com video website. The controversial "Iraq" video also garnered appearances on FOX News, Hannity & Colmes and top rated Mancow radio show where the hosts tried to paint TIMZ a terrorist or as un-American. The hip hop artist TIMZ (aka Tommy Hanna) held his own and showed he is an American who loves his country so much, he couldn''t keep quiet.

MTV News picked up on the controversial video and its impact on those that have viewed it and sat down with the hip hop rap artist TIMZ for an interview in this era where the anti-war movement may be fought on-line instead of on college campuses.

The single/video “Iraq” is destined to be a true rallying cry during these difficult political times. “Dear Mr. George Bush,” TIMZ raps. “Why do you insist to make a fool of us? For over 200 years… we stood for what’s good, now we despised by our peers; And what do you...but add fuel to the fire and send in more troops. Oh the troops, God save the troops; it wasn’t their war their lies their fault. America the beautiful what did they do to you, they used you its so indisputable!”

On his fiery and autobiographical debut CD, TIMZ—aka Tommy Hanna, an American born hip hop rap artist of Chaldean and Iraqi descent--gets right up in our faces, mixing explosive, Middle Eastern tinged beats with incendiary rhymes in an effort to shatter those ugly stereotypes that have plagued people who look like him since 9/11 and the start of the Iraq war.

TIMZ MTV News Interview Air Dates (Eastern Standard Time)

MTV

Thurs 3/8:  2:50am, 4:50am, 5:50am, 6:50am, 7:50am, 8:50am, 9:50am

MTV2

Thurs 3/8:  5:30am, 7:30am, 8:30am

MTVU

Wed 3/7:  8:45pm, 9:45pm

Thurs 3/8:  12:45am, 1:45am, 2:45am, 3:45am, 4:45am, 5:45am, 6:45am, 8:45am, 9:45am, 10:45am, 11:45am, 12:45pm, 1:45pm, 2:45pm, 3:45pm, 4:45pm, 5:45pm, 6:45pm

http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1554083

To watch the "Iraq" music video by TIMZ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRiy4yfh-IM

WARNING: May be too intense for some viewers.