Jae Blacc Is a hip hop artist who has just released the single, You Bad; here is a link to his Twitter account:
https://twitter.com/jaeblacctfe
Q: What made you interested in music?
A: Music has always been therapeutic for me. I can listen to any genre of music and feel at peace because my interest started with Love. Music has always been there for me even when it seemed like no one was including God( which I know God really was). Once I started writing I realized I was able to connect with people through my art. Music allows me to share my thoughts, feelings and experiences with the world. I hope to inspire someone to change for the better.
Q: Who are some of your musical influences?
A: Who are some of my musical influences lol. I laugh because I came from an era where all music was played together. My Hip Hop influences are Ice Cube, 2 Pac, Jay Z, Wu Tang Clan, Big Daddy Kane, Run DMC, Rakim, LL Cool J, N.W.A, Nas, Eminem, to be honest it is just too many to name.
Q: What inspired you to write, “You Bad.”
A: What inspired me to write “You Bad” is women with low self esteem. I am so tired of seeing women who do not know their worth. I also want young females to understand it’s not the physical appearance, clothes, money etc that makes a woman Beautiful. What makes a woman Beautiful is her having a Good Heart.
Q: Your press release says you have been played on 12 radio stations worldwide. How did you get yourself on the radio in the first place?
A: I got on the radio for the first time by making a bet with one of the radio personalities about a Duke University and NC A&T University basketball game. Here recently TG TOPFLOOR Entertainment and DUCMG Management has done a great job with promotion. Their marketing strategies have radio stations wanting to interview me.
Q: What is your strangest backstage story?
A: I really have not had anything strange happen to me backstage. Whenever I’m backstage I’m usually by myself focusing on the job at hand which is making sure everyone is being entertained.
Q: What kind of day job or income source do you have and how does it influence your music?
A: To be successful in music I understand how much money an individual will have to invest into themselves. I have my own film company, TopFloor Visual Films but I also have my Commercial Drivers License that allows me to do in and out jobs to make a little extra. Being able to shoot a music video for myself at anytime or have my own web series like #BlaccOnBlaq has brought more recognition to my musical career.
Q: What kind of themes do you like to write about in your music?
A: When writing verses I love to focus on the Truth. With that said the Truth is not always beautiful but it is needed. For example their are a lot of rappers who glorify selling drugs. They make it seem so easy and the reward is so great that it makes a lot of our youth feel they can have large amounts of money, big houses, tons of women, planes etc when in reality the only thing 90% of them will see is prison time or end up murdered. That’s why it’s important for artists like myself to speak the Truth even if it’s not the popular thing to do.
Q: What do you like about the music industry?
A: What I like about the music industry is it gives an artist a platform or opportunity to spread a message to the masses, plus for an artist it never hurts to be able to make money off of something he/she loves to create.
Q: What would you change about it?
A: One of the things I would change about the music industry is choosing who decides what music is played to the masses. The Hip Hop image to me is so incredibly fake because it causes people to stereotype artists. Since there is no balance in Hip Hop, artists feel they have to make music that has nothing to do with them in order to have a chance of making it to the majors. These days if you are not talking about Drugs (taking for personal use or selling), naked women, sex or money then the music industry will not even give you a chance to be successful. That’s why the Internet has change the music game forever.
Q: What is your biggest professional accomplishment so far?
A: Every accomplishment in my professional career has been big because it has paved a way for me to reach my next goal but if I had to pick one it would be getting my music picked up for a sitcom and played in a feature film.
Please note; Eliza’s interviews are done by email. All answers are unedited and come right from the lovely fingertips of her subjects.
