CUZ is the collision of first cousins Josh “J. Freed” Friedman and Frankie “Fraah” Tabino — two musicians whose history together stretches back to South Florida’s ’90s music scene. Alongside their longtime friend Phil “Angry” Baca, they formed Mad Handle, playing shows throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties and recording music that existed mostly on cassette — and has nearly disappeared with time.

Around Thanksgiving 2025, the two found themselves back where it all began: sitting together with a guitar and an old lyric book. A few riffs, a few pages and one very simple question — “Why don’t we do this again?”— quickly turned into CUZ.

Blending punk-rock guitars, hip-hop beats, sharp lyrics and whatever else finds its way into the room, CUZ is a homegrown Well She Isn’t Records project built on family, friendship and unfinished business. Their first single, “Rocks,” came directly from that Thanksgiving reunion—with more already in the chamber.

And those nearly lost Mad Handle recordings? CUZ and WSIR plan to bring them back into the world too!