THE EXPERIENCE: JASON BOURNE

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK | JASON BOURNE

INTERVIEW REALIFE PHOTOGRAPH TYQUAN EVANS

JASON BOURNE IS AN INFLUENTIAL UP AND COMING JOURNALIST MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN THE NEW NEW YORK’S HIP-HOP CULTURE SCENE. A NATIVE OF NEW YORK CITY, THE DYCKMAN REPRESENTATIVE HAS HIS FINGER ON THE PULSE OF THE NEW WAVE OF ARTISTS. VALIDATED REACHED OUT TO THE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CULTURE TO DISCUSS HIS START IN JOURNALISM, THE DOORS JOURNALISM OPENED FOR HIM, HIS INFLUENCE ON THE CULTURE AND MORE.

“I JUST LOOK AT MYSELF AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CULTURE - THE CULTURE AND THE GAME IS BIGGER THAN ME AND I’M JUST BLESSED TO BE APART OF IT.” - JASON BOURNE 

VALIDATED: A NATIVE NEW YORKER, FROM MANHATTAN, WHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST RECOLLECTION OF THE HIP-HOP CULTURE? 

JASON BOURNE: I CAN REMEMBER MY UNCLES PLAYING THE MUSIC IN MY GRANDMOTHERS HOUSE AND I CAN ALSO REMEMBER GOING OUTSIDE AND THE “CARS DRIVING BY WITH THE BOOMING SYSTEM” AS THE ICON LL ONCE SAID. OUTSIDE OF THAT I REMEMBER VIDEO MUSIC BOX WITH UNCLE L, YO MTV RAPS WITH FAB 5 FREDDY, ED LOVER & DR. DRE. AS I GOT OLDER THE GOLDEN ERA OF THE 90’S IS REALLY WHEN MY UNDERSTANDING BEGAN TO DEVELOP FROM ROC A FELLA TO CASH MONEY, CNN, THE LOX, MOBB DEEP, MASTER P, RUFF RYDERS, BAD BOY, MURDER INC AND THE OTHER LEGENDS WE HAD IN THOSE TIMES THAT PAVED THE WAY. 

THE MUSIC WAS A REFLECTION OF THE CULTURE, FROM WHAT PEOPLE WORE, AS WELL AS THE INFLUENCE IN SPORTS THROUGH TRENDSETTERS LIKE THE FAB 5 AND ALLEN IVERSON. NWA SHOWED ME WHAT LIFE IN L.A. WAS LIKE, OUTKAST OPENED MY EYES UP TO LIFE IN THE A, UGK PUT ME UP ON TEXAS THEN THE CLIPSE MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS VIRGINIA. 

VALIDATED: YOU’RE A JOURNALIST BY CRAFT, WHAT LED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN JOURNALISM INITIALLY?

JASON BOURNE: MY APPRECIATION FOR THE ART OF COMMUNICATION AND MASS MEDIA. I WAS HEAVILY INTO SPORTS SO I RESPECTED THE COMMENTATORS; THE ONES I SAW ON TV AND THE ONES WHO WERE ON THE MIC AT STREETBALL EVENTS. I READ THE SOURCE, I READ VIBE, I READ XXL AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHICH DREW ME TO MUSIC JOURNALISM. MY IDOLS ARE SWAY, BONSU THOMPSON, ELLIOTT WILSON, DATWON THOMAS AND OTHERS. I STUDIED THE CRAFT AND UTILIZED MY GOD GIVEN TALENT OF PENMANSHIP AND IT’S BEEN A BLESSING TO SEE MY WORK PUBLISHED. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS CHOSE THE LANE OF MC, I CHOSE JOURNALIST TO GET MY ART ACROSS.

VALIDATED: JOURNALISM EVENTUALLY OPENED OTHER DOORS WHICH LED TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING PUBLICIST, EVENT HOST AND RADIO PERSONALITY. AT WHAT POINT DID YOU DECIDE YOU WANTED TO DO MORE THAN JUST JOURNALISM?

JASON BOURNE: I WOULD GET CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS AND ADMIRE THE PERSON BEHIND THE SCENES WHO CONNECTED THE DOTS ON THE MOMENT. I CAME TO LEARN THAT’S ONE FUNCTION OF PUBLICITY AND BEING A PUBLICIST.  MY DICTION LED TO INDIVIDUALS ASKING ME TO WRITE PITCHES AND BIOS ON THEIR BEHALF WHICH I LEARNED WAS ANOTHER FACET OF PUBLICITY. MY BACKGROUND IN MEDIA MADE IT A SMOOTH EVOLUTION AS I REALIZED I WAS NOT BEHIND THE 8 BALL SO TO SAY IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS MEDIA WORTHY AND HOW TO SOLICIT. IN TERMS OF EVENT HOST, I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY BY DEFAULT ONCE TO HOST BLOCK PARTY TV AND I DID GOOD. IT BECAME A WEEKLY OPPORTUNITY AND I SAID LET ME TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHICH WOULD BE HOSTING EVENTS. I KNEW I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE IN FRONT OF A LARGE AUDIENCE, IT WAS JUST ABOUT PRACTICE AND HONING THE CRAFT. RADIO WAS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF FELL IN LAP. WORKING WITH NEW ARTISTS TURNED INTO ME HAVING A SEGMENT DEDICATED TO FEATURING NEW ACTS ON 4 YOU RADIO VIA IN THE MIXX RADIO. THAT TURNED INTO BEING A CO HOST WEEKLY ON LYRICALLY LIVE WHICH BROADCAST ON DTF RADIO. I SAW IT AS A WAY TO COMBINE MY NICHE WITH UP AND COMING ARTISTS IN  HIP HOP WITH MY SKILL IN HOSTING. IT HAS WORKED AND I’M THANKFUL TO EVERYONE WHO GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY. 

VALIDATED: YOU RECENTLY BECOME A MANAGING PARTNER OF THE LAWYERS & LABELS BRAND WHICH HAS BECOME ONE OF THE TOP LIVE LISTENING EVENTS IN NEW YORK CITY. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS EVENT?

JASON BOURNE: FIRST I WANT TO SAY SHOUT OUT TO MY PARTNER KEVOOO, HE INVITED ME TO THE EVENT AND I LOVED THE CONCEPT. WE SPOKE ABOUT THE END GOAL AND IT WAS IN LINE WITH WHAT MY GOAL WAS, THAT BEING TO CREATE A PLATFORM FOR BREAKING RECORDS AND HOUSING A ROOM FULL OF CREATIVES WHO CAN NETWORK AND POSSIBLY BECOME RESOURCES FOR EACH OTHER. I’VE SEEN SOME TRACTION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ATTENDED AND THAT’S SATISFYING. ARTISTS HAVE COME THROUGH AND MET PRODUCERS, DJ’S, RADIO HOSTS AND VICE VERSA BRANDS AND PLATFORMS HAVE COME THROUGH AND MET A NEW GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TO MARKET THEMSELVES TO. WE DO IT MONTHLY AND IT HAS BECOME MOBILE, WE ARE ON OUR FOURTH VENUE AND WE PLAN ON CONTINUING TO GROW INCORPORATING NEW GUESTS FROM ARTISTS TO INFLUENCERS AND EXECUTIVES. THE LAWYERS ASSOCIATED HAVE BEEN AN ASSET EDUCATING EVERYONE ON LICENSING, ROYALTIES, COPYRIGHTS AND MORE. 

VALIDATED: IT’S BEEN SAID THE YOU’RE A “CULTURE INFLUENCER” IN NEW YORK CITY, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT ROLE? 

JASON BOURNE: I JUST LOOK AT MYSELF AS A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CULTURE - THE CULTURE AND THE GAME IS BIGGER THAN ME AND I’M JUST BLESSED TO BE APART OF IT. AS LONG AS I CONTINUE TO BE CONSISTENT, CREATIVE AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS I CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. I CAN SAY I INFLUENCE PEOPLE VIA MY WORK ETHIC. I CONSULT WITH A LOT OF CREATIVES AND I JUST TRY TO GIVE AND RECEIVE SOUND INPUT AND ADVICE. I WANT TO IMPACT THROUGH THE PLATFORMS I HAVE A HAND IN LIKE MY 200 BLOKK CONCERT POWERED BY MILITARY GRIND CONCERT SERIES, OF COURSE LAWYERS & LABELS AS WELL AS MY MEDIA DAY EVENT UNDER THE JASON BOURNE EXPERIENCE UMBRELLA. 

VALIDATED: YOU CONNECT ARTIST BOTH ROOKIES AND VETERANS TO BRANDS, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR ARTIST TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER SUCH AS YOURSELF?

JASON BOURNE: I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE AND THE ROLES THEY PLAY. THAT’S HOW YOU KNOW WHO IS LIKE MINDED AND THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU GUYS CAN CONNECT AND GET WORK DONE. SOCIAL MEDIA ALLOWS US ALL TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE WANT TO PUSH PRODUCT TO OR INFLUENCE. IT’S ESSENTIAL FOR ANY CAMPAIGN OR BRAND BUILD UP. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE CONTENT IS KING AND SOCIAL MEDIA IS A GREAT HUB FOR DELIVERING YOUR CONTENT AND GIVING THE PUBLIC SOMETHING TO SUPPORT.

VALIDATED: WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE ON HIP-HOP CULTURE?  

JASON BOURNE: IF ANY, I THINK MY STORY CAN EMPOWER SOMEONE TO KNOW THERE IS A SUCH THING AS REDEMPTION AND A SECOND CHANCE. I’VE HIT THE WALL AND PAID CONSEQUENCES DUE TO SOME OF MY PAST WAYS BUT HIP HOP AND JOURNALISM HAS LET ME IN TO DO SOME GOOD WORK AND HOPEFULLY THINGS CONTINUE TO BE HEALTHY. I THINK THAT’S THE KIND OF INFLUENCE AND NARRATIVE WE NEED THE MOST. HARD WORK PAYS OFF. AND IF I CAN INFLUENCE ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING I HOPE IT’S TO BOUNCE BACK AND PUT WORK IN SO THINGS CAN COME TOGETHER FOR YOU. 

VALIDATED: WHEN DID YOU BEGIN TO NOTICE YOUR INFLUENCE TRANSLATING ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER PLATFORMS?

JASON BOURNE: PEOPLE WOULD STOP ME IN THE STREETS AND TELL ME TO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I DON’T THINK THEY EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME. TO HAVE MY WORK ETHIC BE RESPECTED IS MAJOR. THE BRANDS WHO HAVE ALLOWED ME TO WORK FOR AND WITH THEM HAVE EMPOWERED ME BY RECOGNIZING MY GROWTH; NEARLY EVERYDAY NEW OPPORTUNITIES COME IN AND I TAKE THAT AS A SIGN THAT I’M ON THE RIGHT PATH. JOURNALISTS WHO ARE STARTING OUT ASK ME FOR ADVICE AND THAT IS DOPE TO ME. I’M STILL AT THE “WHO AM I” STAGE YOU KNOW. BUT I KICK IT WITH THEM AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN IMPART ON THEM I’M HONORED. AND THE ARTISTS, I GET A LOT OF LOVE FROM THE ARTISTS AND I ALWAYS KICK IT BACK TO THEM AND REMIND THEM THAT I AM THE UNDERDOG LIKE THEM. A KID FROM DYCKMAN TRYING TO GET HIS STORY OUT BY CREATING AND GROWING AT A CONSISTENT RATE. 

VALIDATED: WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST SHIFT IN THE INFLUENCER LANDSCAPE SINCE YOU BEGAN AND HOW DID YOU ADAPT?

JASON BOURNE: I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THE BIGGEST SHIFT HAS BEEN IN THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING. YOU CAN NO LONGER ONLY BE DEFINED BY THE COMPANY YOU WORK FOR. WE NEED TO SEE WHO YOU ARE WHEN YOU STAND ALONE. I THINK THAT’S A MAJOR KEY TODAY.  NAME DROPPING IS A THING OF THE PAST, WE WANNA SEE THOSE WORK RECEIPTS. I’VE BEEN BLESSED TO ALWAYS KNOW THAT. I DIDN’T COME IN ON THE INTERN END OR WITH A CO-SIGN OF ANY SORT SO I KNEW I HAD TO SHOW MY WORTH. ASIDE FROM THAT I HAD TO STAND OUT, I KINDA FELT LIKE PEOPLE HAD A HEAD START VIA RELATIONSHIPS SO I HAD TO OUTWORK THEM AND MAKE MY NAME STAND AGAINST ANYTHING AND THAT’S OFF OF SUBSTANCE, AND CONSISTENCY.

VALIDATED: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO PURSUE A CAREER AS AN INFLUENCER IN THIS SATURATED MARKET?

JASON BOURNE: BUILD A CATALOG OF QUALITY WORK THAT’S CONSISTENT AND APPEALING TO THE PEOPLE. PEOPLE HAVE TO TRUST YOUR WORD AND YOUR BUSINESS ACUMEN BASED ON THE RESULTS YOU HAVE DELIVERED. STAY AHEAD OF THE TRENDS ON HOW CONTENT IS DELIVERED AND THE VIBES THAT ARE DOMINATING THE CULTURE FROM MUSIC TO SOCIAL MEDIA. CREATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER INFLUENCES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS AS WELL, THAT IS IMPORTANT. THE GAME IS MORE ABOUT TEAMWORK THAN PEOPLE LET ON, THE TERM “INDEPENDENT” IS OVERPLAYED AND STATED. THOSE WHO ARE GETTING THINGS DONE KNOW HOW TO CONNECT AND PUSH THE ENVELOPE. 

VALIDATED: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO BRANDS NEW TO WORKING WITH INFLUENCERS THAT ARE LEARY ABOUT MAKING THE TRANSITION?

JASON BOURNE: I WOULD SAY START OFF BY UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORD OF MOUTH AND OF VISIBILITY. DON’T BE AFRAID TO PARTNER WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS CREATED A NICHE AND VALUE WITH THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE MATTER MOST IN ANY FORM OF BUSINESS. A GREAT IDEA OR PRODUCT IS NOTHING WITHOUT PATRONAGE. IDENTIFY THOSE WHO DROVES OF PEOPLE RESPECT AND TAP IN TO, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE TO HAVE ENDORSE YOU AND YOUR BRAND.

VALIDATED: THE MILITARY GRIND CONCERT SERIES, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?

JASON BOURNE: IT’S A MONTHLY PLATFORM DESIGNED TO FEATURE TALENTED PERFORMERS. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A BRIDGE OF THE GAP BETWEEN TALENT THAT IS STARTING OUT AND TALENT THAT IS ESTABLISHED. YOU KIND OF NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT WALK IN THE DOOR AT MILITARY GRIND AND THAT’S ALL ATTRIBUTED TO THE TEAMWORK THAT WE MAINTAIN AND THE STOCK WE HAVE BUILT WITH THE PUBLIC WHO SUPPORT US, ATTEND THE SHOWS, AND ADVOCATE FOR US. IF YOU LOVE HIP HOP AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT A DOPE SHOW CREATES YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD COME CHECK OUT ONE OF OUR SHOWS. WE HAVE POPULAR ACTS LIKE CORY GUNZ, NEEK BUCKS, OUN P,  HADDY RACKS, MATH HOFFA, UFO FEV, DYCE PAYSO, CHINA MAC, AXEL, THE LIST GOES ON. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE ARTISTS YOU UNDERSTAND THE FOUNDATION WE STAND ON WHEN IT COMES TO HIP HOP AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STREETS. 

VALIDATED: WHO IS DJ BUGZO AND WHAT ROLE DID HE PLAY IN YOUR JOURNEY?

JASON BOURNE: THAT’S MY BROTHER, HE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN BUILDING THE 200 BLOKK BRAND MUSICALLY. HE WAS THE DJ AT THE GAMES IN THE PARK WHICH DYCKMAN IS LEGENDARY FOR. SHOUT OUT TO KENNY STEVENS AND THE WHOLE DYCKMAN BASKETBALL STAFF. HE WAS ALSO THE DJ AT ALL THE PARTIES ALL THE WAY BACK TO HOUSE PARTIES UP TO CLUB RUNS IN RECENT TIMES. DJ BUGZO IS THE PULSE OF DYCKMAN PROJECTS AND HIS NAME WILL LIVE ON FOREVER.

VALIDATED: THE 200 BLOKK BRAND, WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT IT?

JASON BOURNE: 200 BLOKK IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ARE FROM DYCKMAN PROJECTS. WE SCREAM IT OUT TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE PLACE THAT GROOMED US. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE I AM FROM.

VALIDATED WHAT’S NEXT FOR JASON BOURNE?

JASON BOURNE: CONTINUING TO DELIVER GREAT CONTENT, CONTINUING TO HAVE A HAND IN PUSHING WITH THE GREAT BRANDS THAT I AM ASSOCIATED WITH AS WELL AS THE EVENTS. I WILL DEFINITELY CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ARTISTS. I LIKE BEING APART OF CAMPAIGNS TO RAISE AWARENESS THROUGH THE MEDIA AND IN THE PHYSICAL. I LIKE BEING IN THE TRENCHES AT SHOWCASES AND LISTENING  EVENTS. MY #JASONBOURNEEXPERIENCE BRAND WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE; #MEDIADAY WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE LOVE AND WANT. ME AND MY TEAMMATES WILL CONTINUE TO PUT 200 BLOKK IN LIGHTS HONORING THE MEMORY OF DJ BUGZO AS WELL AS OUR OG’S AND THE PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT. #RIPTUCK #RIPCHICO 

VALIDATED: WHAT’S YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS?

JASON BOURNE: INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER: @BASQUIATLXENTS FACEBOOK: BASQUIAT MIND 

#JASONBOURNEEXPERIENCE OR #200BLOKK ON EVERYTHING