HE GOT NEXT: JAYWIN

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK | JAYWIN

INTERVIEW KB Tindal

HAVING GROWN UP SURROUNDED BY REGGAE AND DANCEHALL SOUNDS, JAYWIN’S’MUSICAL INTERESTS BECAME EVIDENT AT AN EARLY STAGE IN HIS LIFE. AT THE AGE OF 4 HE HAD A PRETEND LABEL WHERE HE WOULD SIGN HIS FRIENDS AS HIS ARTISTS. HIS FATHER IS CURRY DON, A JAMAICAN REGGAE/DANCEHALL LEGEND. AND HE BECAME A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN JAYWIN’S ASPIRING MUSICAL JOURNEY. HIS BROTHER IS ROHAN DA GREAT WHO IS ALSO A WELL KNOWN DANCEHALL ARTIST WHO’S STATUS KEEPS GROWING DAILY. 

BORN AND RAISED IN BROOKLYN, NY WHERE THE CITY'S CULTURE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN JAY’S CHOICE OF WANTING TO BECOME A HIP HOP ARTIST. IN 2011 HE CHOSE TO PURSUE HIS PASSION OF MUSIC AND MOVED TO RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA WHERE HIS BROTHER DANCEHALL ARTIST ROHAN DA GREAT ALSO RESIDES. WHILE CEMENTING HIS SOUND, HE WORKED ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND IN 2015, TOURED WITH HIS BROTHER ON DANI DEAHL’S SMYK TOUR. 

IN 2018 HE RELEASED HIS FIRST EP THE MISSING PEACE, WHICH WAS AN EXPLORATION OF HIS LIFE EXPERIENCES WHICH HE TRANSFORMED INTO ART AND IT SEGWAYED INTO THE MISSING PEACE PART 2 RELEASED IN 2019.

JAYWIN’S BREAKOUT TRACK “MAD MAD” ALSO HIT THE CHARTS IN 2019. IT SHOWCASED JAYWIN’S VERSATILE CRAFT AS HIS WORK BROUGHT FORWARD THE SOUND OF THE TIMES.

VALIDATED MAGAZINE GOT THE CHANCE TO CHOP IT UP WITH JAYWIN ABOUT HIS PRESENT, FUTURE GOALS, ASPIRATIONS AND HOW HE’S WINNING AS AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST. TAP IN WITH US FOR THE RIDE. 

VALIDATED: WHERE DID YOUR NAME JAYWIN COME FROM?

JAYWIN: MY FIRST AND MY LAST NAME PUT TOGETHER JAVON GODWIN.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP AND THE CULTURE? 

JAYWIN: MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF HIP-HOP IS PUFF DADDY & THE BAD BOY FAMILY. 

VALIDATED: TELL US WHERE YOU ARE FROM AND ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROWING UP AND HOW IT INFLUENCED YOU?

JAYWIN: I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BROOKLYN, NY. I GREW UP AROUND THE EAST FLATBUSH, BROWNSVILLE AREA MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD. TILL THIS DAY BROOKLYN STILL HAS AN INFLUENCE ON ME, WITH THE WAY I TALK, WALK, DRESS,  JUST MY WHOLE DEMEANOR. COMING FROM BROOKLYN I LEARNED HOW TO HUSTLE AND COMING FROM MY BACKGROUND I HAD TO GROW UP QUICK AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE MONEY AND I’M ALSO FROM A FAMILY FULL OF MUSICIANS, DJ’S AND JUST TALENTED PEOPLE AS A WHOLE, SO GROWING UP AROUND ALL OF THAT SHAPED ME INTO THE ARTIST I AM TODAY.

VALIDATED: WHO ARE 2 RAPPERS THAT YOU LOOK TO FOR INSPIRATION MUSICALLY AND BUSINESSWISE THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO BECOME A BETTER ARTIST AND BUSINESSMAN?

JAYWIN: ROHAN DA GREAT BECAUSE THAT’S BIG BRO, ALSO HE’S THE FIRST PERSON WHO BELIEVED IN ME AND TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING ABOUT MUSIC PRODUCTION, EVEN DOWN TO THE BUSINESS THAT MOST ARTISTS NOWADAYS FAMOUS OR NOT, STILL DON'T GET. ANOTHER IS DIDDY AS A MOGUL. GROWING UP A BAD BOY FAN I ALWAYS LIKED HOW DIDDY HAD THE PASSION TO DO MORE THAN JUST MUSIC AND THAT’S SOMETHING I STRIVE FOR. I WANT TO BE GREAT DOING IT ALL. I ENJOY VENTURING OUT TO DIFFERENT AVENUES AND GAINING EXPERIENCES.

VALIDATED: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON YOUR CITY’S CURRENT HIP-HOP SCENE AND WHO ARE YOU CHECKING FOR?

JAYWIN: RIGHT NOW I’M IN RALEIGH, NC AND HONESTLY NORTH CAROLINA AS A CITY AS A WHOLE IS ON FIRE. I FEEL IN A YEAR OR TWO THE HIP HOP SCENE WILL BE SIMILAR TO ATLANTA. I’VE BEEN OUT HERE IN THE SCENE FOR YEARS AND I’VE SEEN SO MANY ARTISTS COME AND GO. BUT RIGHT NOW I’M MAINLY BUMPIN MUSIC FROM MYSELF OF COURSE LOL, ROHAN DA GREAT, DONOVAN MCCRAY, DXN CREQ, SIMBA BRADLEY, O$$O, & MOB CARRY THEY ALL GOT IT RIGHT NOW.

VALIDATED: WE KEEP LOSING OUR KINGS AT YOUNG AGES LIKE POP SMOKE AND MOST RECENTLY CHADWICK BOSEMAN FROM A DISEASE LIKE CANCER THAT WE JUST CAN’T ALWAYS BEAT. HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE DEATHS ON BLACK CULTURE AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUNG ARTISTS ABOUT HOW THEY MOVE TO BE PROTECTED BETTER?

JAYWIN: FIRST, I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING RIP TO POP. WE BOTH FROM THE FLOSS, CANARSIE BROOKLYN, I ALSO LIVED THERE. I WENT TO CANARSIE HIGH SCHOOL AND SOUTH SHORE. THAT LOSS WAS CLOSE TO HOME FOR ME AND KNOWING WHERE HE CAME FROM, TO SEE SOMEONE MAKE IT OUT THAT CLOSE WAS A BLESSING, GONE TOO SOON. ALSO RIP TO CHADWICK BOSEMAN, ANOTHER BLESSING. GONE TOO SOON AS WELL, HE WAS YOUNG, IN THE PRIME OF HIS CAREER AND IT WAS SHOCKING HONESTLY WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE NEWS. 2020 HAS BEEN A CRAZY YEAR. IT HAS TAKEN A LOT FROM BLACK CULTURE.  RIP KOBE AS WELL.  I WOULD TIGHTEN UP ON SECURITY. THIS YEAR ESPECIALLY AFTER THE POP SITUATION, WITH THE BUZZ THAT ME AND MY TEAM ARE GETTING AROUND THE CITY I HIRED PERSONAL SECURITY AND NOW ME AND MY TEAM MOVE REAL PRECISELY WHEN WE'RE OUT IN PUBLIC. EVEN DOWN TO CERTAIN HAND GESTURES WE MOVE ACCORDINGLY SO IT AINT NO SLIP UPS AND I SUGGEST ANY YOUNG ARTIST ON THE RISE DO THE SAME AS WELL. THESE STREETS ARE GETTING COLDER EVERYDAY.

VALIDATED: WHAT SACRIFICES HAVE YOU MADE FOR THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO GO WITHOUT BECAUSE YOU'VE INVESTED IN YOUR ARTISTRY?

JAYWIN: WHEN IT’S TIME TO DROP A PROJECT OR SINGLE, I CUT BACK ON THE SHOPPING AND CLUBBING & PUT ALL THAT MONEY INTO THE BUDGET.

VALIDATED: AS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THE HIP-HOP CULTURE?

JAYWIN: I FEEL THAT MY RESPONSIBILITY IN HIP HOP CULTURE IS TO MOTIVATE AND CREATE TO KEEP THE CULTURE ALIVE AND CONSTANTLY COME UP WITH NEW STYLES AND WAVES TO SHOW THE VERSATILITY OF OUR ART.

VALIDATED: WHAT’S THE NAME OF YOUR LATEST SINGLE OR PROJECT AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THOSE TITLES?

JAYWIN: “NUMB AGAIN” IS MY LATEST SINGLE. I CHOSE THE TITLE “NUMB AGAIN” BECAUSE THAT WAS MY FEELING AT THE TIME. I MADE THE SONG RIGHT AFTER CORONA HIT EARLIER THIS YEAR, I JUST LOST ONE OF THE HOMIES TO COVID, A GREAT UNCLE & RIOTS WERE HAPPENING, MONEY STARTED TO SLOW UP, SO I SPILLED MY PAIN ON THE TRACK ONCE I GOT THAT BEAT FROM SAUCE, SHOUTOUT TO HIM, IT WAS OVER.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THE RESPONSE TO THE RECORD?

JAYWIN: I LOVE IT, BECAUSE I GOT STRAIGHT TO THE POINT AND PEOPLE HEAR THAT WHEN THEY LISTEN TO THE RECORD THEY TELL ME ALL THE TIME “I FEEL THE PAIN IN YOUR VOICE WHEN YOU RECORDED THIS.” ALSO THE VIDEO TELLS IT ALL. I BASICALLY SUMMED UP THIS YEAR AND HOW THE WORLD CHANGED IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU WANT LISTENERS TO GET FROM YOU AS AN ARTIST?

JAYWIN: I WANT LISTENERS TO HEAR MY STORY, UNDERSTAND MY LYRICS AND WHERE I COME FROM WHEN I WRITE THESE LYRICS AND PUT THESE COMPILATIONS TOGETHER. MUSIC IS THE WAY OF LIFE AND I WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR MORNINGS, AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS. THAT’S WHY I FEEL I’M SO VERSATILE AT TIMES, BECAUSE I MAKE MUSIC FOR ALL.

VALIDATED: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TRACK THAT YOU HAVE DROPPED IN THE LAST YEAR AND WHY?

JAYWIN: “DOMINOS,” BECAUSE IT’S DIFFERENT. IT FEATURES MY BROTHER ROHAN DA GREAT AND IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHEN ME AND RO ARE ON A TRACK IT’S OUT OF HERE. OUR CHEMISTRY ON THE SONG BRINGS THE TRACK TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL. EVERY FEMALE LOVES THE TRACK, MY FAN BASE GREW OFF IT AND I GOT TO TOUR IN 2019 WITH BIG BRO AND COMING OUT TO THOSE LARGE AUDIENCES AT FESTIVALS PERFORMING THAT SONG WAS IT FOR ME.

VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU'VE GROWN AS AN ARTIST SINCE YOU’VE COME INTO THE GAME?

JAYWIN: I FEEL I’VE GROWN A LOT. MY SOUND CHANGED, MY LYRICS AND SUBSTANCE MATURED AND I’M IN THE POSITION TO MANAGE OTHER ARTISTS OF MY OWN THAT BELIEVE IN ME AS WELL. I FEEL I’M BECOMING A YOUNG MOGUL ON THE RISE.

VALIDATED: WHAT DOES HIP-HOP MEAN TO YOU?

JAYWIN: AT THIS POINT HIP-HIP IS LIFE. IT’S MY CAREER, IT'S WHAT I ENJOY DOING.

VALIDATED: WHAT’S YOUR WAY OF GIVING BACK NOW AT THIS STAGE IN YOUR CAREER AND HOW DO YOU WANT TO GIVE BACK IN THE FUTURE ON A BIGGER SCALE

JAYWIN: I TRY TO GIVE SOME OF MYSELF EVERY YEAR, WHETHER IT’S A CLOTHES DRIVE, BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE WITH ROHAN DA GREAT, GOING OUT TO DOWNTOWN RALEIGH AROUND CHRISTMAS AND GIVING AWAY GOODY BAGS TO THE HOMELESS. EVENTUALLY ON A BIGGER SCALE I’LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE LIKE DONATE TO SCHOOLS OR EVEN BUILD A SCHOOL, BUT EVERYTHING TAKES ONE STEP AT A TIME AND I HAVE ALL THE PATIENCE IN THE WORLD.

VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT OTHER VENTURES YOU'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON. 

JAYWIN: CURRENTLY WORKING ON STARTING MY NEW LABEL “DOUBLE KROWN.” I JUST STARTED UP AND RUNNING WITH MY MERCH, A COMPILATION EP FROM DIFFERENT ARTISTS SIGNED TO THE LABEL AND CURRENTLY SHOOTING VIDEOS TO MY TRACKS THAT ARE ALREADY BUZZING IN THESE STREETS AND GEARING UP FOR MY NEXT MAJOR SINGLE.

VALIDATED: WHERE CAN THE READERS SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR MUSIC ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA?

JAYWIN: YOU CAN GO TO MY WEBSITEJAYWINMUSIC.COM, FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM AT @MRJAYWIN AND MY MUSIC IS AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS JUST TYPE IN JAYWIN. ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL JAYWINPROMO AND KEEP UP WITH THE VISUALS.