SOMETHING TO SAY: ELL EX

PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY | ELL EX

INTERVIEW TERRELL “REALIFE” BLACK PHOTOGRAPH Benjamin Gullet

“We are all in some way products of our environments, I just wanted the foundation of the tape to characterize that.”

VALIDATED: A native of Plainfield, New Jersey, what’s your earliest memory of hip hop culture?

ELL EX: My earliest memory of hip hop culture would be in the neighborhood I grew up in, Netherwood Village. The older guys would be huddled up in a circle and to a young child it looks like conflict, looking back it was Rap cyphers. I was exposed to the culture long before I really knew what it was.  

VALIDATED: For those unfamiliar with Stampeders OL Leon Johnson, you’ve been playing football professionally in the NFL and CFL since 2018. At what point did you decide to pursue music professionally?

ELL EX: Honestly, I always had a passion for music. I’ve been recording since 2010, 2011 but with the current pandemic cancelling our CFL season, I’ve got time that I wouldn’t normally have during a football season. Really, the climate of our world today, with the virus, and the social tensions, changed my perspective on life. Fortunately, I’ve been able to put this new perspective in musical format.  I’m still 100% committed to football, and when the season returns i'll be ready, but I’m using this short window to maximize my other talents as well.

VALIDATED: What’s the meaning behind your rap name, Ell Ex?

ELL EX: It’s really inspired by Malcolm X. I have a great respect for Black Heroes like X and Muhammed Ali, MLK, and countless others who sacrificed so much so black people could have a voice. My name is Leon that’s where ELL comes from, and paying homage to a cultural icon is where EX comes from. When I first started rapping it was LX.

VALIDATED: Which rappers influenced your flow and what if anything did you “borrow” from them?

ELL EX: Some of my flows and even references have been inspired by artists like Tsu Surf, Chamillionaire, Busta Rhymes, Biggie, AR-AB, Dark Lo... I mean its really too many to name lol. I listen to a lot of music, ranging throughout all genres and the music I release in 2021 will reflect that.

VALIDATED: What do you feel makes you standout from other rappers?

ELL EX: I feel like my Wordplay. My ability to craft lines with multiple entendres. The wide variety of genres I listen to allow me to create a wider range of music, outside of just hip hop. My vocabulary is decent too.

VALIDATED: Your high level of content and wordplay, what would you contribute that to?

ELL EX: Well the content is reflective of who I am as a person really. But the wordplay, I think, is inspired by battle rap. I’m a big battle rap fan now, we used to rap against each other in middle school and high school. That’s really how my passion for rapping began in the first place. 10th grade we used to pack a classroom after school and rap battle each other for hours.

VALIDATED: You recently released your debut EP “908” on Election Day, what inspired the title and what’s the significance of that date?

ELL EX: The title is inspired by my upbringing. We are all in some way products of our environments, I just wanted the foundation of the tape to characterize that. Also, my content is something I think that can be of benefit to the black community, and with this election being so seemingly polarizing, I felt the message was worthy of dropping on that date.

VALIDATED: Which artists and producers did you work with on the EP?

ELL EX: I worked with  artists Tre Hood 23, who also mixed and mastered it all. Maj who offered a lot of useful input as well. Producers were BuckRoll Beats from Berlin, Timeline, Dope Boi, and Boger.

VALIDATED: What’s your favorite record off the EP and why?

ELL EX: My Favorite record has to be “Smile”. With mental health being a real neglected area in our community, I feel like its something that can really help people.  

VALIDATED: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an artist?

ELL EX: I’m doing this so free spiritedly, I don’t even sense challenges if there are any. Music is just expression, I’m just expressing myself. 

VALIDATED: What’s next for Ell Ex? 

ELL EX: In regards to music, Tape dropping in 2021, details on that will come in the near future, but I can say its a very different approach, artistically, I think people will enjoy it. In addition to that, my brothers and I from Temple are launching our media company, RSI. Amplifying our voices to spread a positive message is a main goal for myself and the company going into 2021. Lastly and most importantly, getting ready for the 2021 CFL season in May. Big year for me.

VALIDATED: What’s your social media contacts and website?

ELL EX: Instagram @tourejjr

Twitter @HTLJ53

Clubhouse: @leonjohnsonx

Youtube: Ell Ex Music

RSI Website: Rockstawsinc.com