LISTEN UP: BOBBY J
FAR ROCKAWAY, QUEENS, NEW YORK | BOBBY J
INTERVIEW INNOCENT?
“I DON’T THINK HIP-HOP WILL EVER GO BACK TO “WHERE IT ONCE WAS.” IT’S A YOUNG MAN’S GAME AND WILL ALWAYS GO IN THE DIRECTION THE YOUTH DICTATES. THE GOOD THING IS THERE’S A LARGER LANDSCAPE OF HIP-HOP ARTISTS MAKING MUSIC NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY AND ARGUABLY, MORE GOOD MUSIC BEING MADE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. THE HARD PART IS SEEKING IT OUT.” - BOBBY J
VALIDATED: WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
BOBBY J: I’M FROM ROCKAWAY BEACH, QUEENS, NYC.
VALIDATED: ARE YOU SIGNED TO A LABEL OR INDEPENDENT?
BOBBY J: INDEPENDENT.
VALIDATED: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING MUSIC?
BOBBY J: ABOUT 20 YEARS.
VALIDATED: HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOUR CAREER?
BOBBY J: THE PANDEMIC HAS ALLOWED ME TO REALLY FOCUS ON MY CRAFT AS AN ARTIST. BEFORE, THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME DEDICATED TO BOOKING SHOWS, GOING OUT TO NETWORKING EVENTS, ETC. BEING FORCED TO STAY INSIDE REALLY HELPED ME ZERO IN ON JUST FOCUSING ON THE CREATIVE PROCESS.
VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU BALANCE PERSONAL LIFE WITH THE “RAP LIFE”?
BOBBY J: NO MATTER WHAT, I ALWAYS SET ASIDE DAYS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO LIVE LIFE BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE MOST OF MY INSPIRATION COMES FROM... THINGS THAT I EXPERIENCE DAY TO DAY. PLUS, IT’S NICE TO HAVE A BREAK FROM WORKING ALL THE TIME AND JUST DISCONNECT FOR A FEW HOURS A WEEK.
VALIDATED: WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE TO CHANGE THE STATE OF HIPHOP TO A STATE IT ONCE WAS?
BOBBY J: I DON’T THINK HIP-HOP WILL EVER GO BACK TO “WHERE IT ONCE WAS.” IT’S A YOUNG MAN’S GAME AND WILL ALWAYS GO IN THE DIRECTION THE YOUTH DICTATES. THE GOOD THING IS THERE’S A LARGER LANDSCAPE OF HIP-HOP ARTISTS MAKING MUSIC NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY AND ARGUABLY, MORE GOOD MUSIC BEING MADE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. THE HARD PART IS SEEKING IT OUT.
VALIDATED: WHO DO YOU LISTEN TO OTHER THAN YOURSELF?
BOBBY J: I LISTEN TO EVERYTHING, NOT JUST HIP-HOP. DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF MOOD I’M IN. IN TERMS OF RAP – I LOVE BLACK THOUGHT, METHOD MAN, GRISELDA, RJ PAYNE, TRIBE IS ALWAYS IN ROTATION, CLASSIC ARTISTS LIKE RAKIM, LL AND G RAP, DUDES LIKE COLE AND KENDRICK. ANYBODY WHO PUTS LYRICS AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT THEY DO I’M A FAN OF.
VALIDATED: HOW WAS IT WORKING WITH STATIK SELEKTA AND ARE YOU STILL AFFILIATED?
BOBBY J: ABSOLUTELY! WORKING WITH STATIK WAS AMAZING. BEING ABLE TO DO A PROJECT WITH HIM WAS A HUGE STAMP OF VALIDATION BECAUSE HE ONLY WORKS WITH ARTISTS HE RESPECTS. MUCH LIKE ME, HE’S A STUDENT OF CLASSIC NYC HIP-HOP PRODUCERS LIKE PREEMO, PETE ROCK, Q TIP, EASY MO BEE, ETC. SO ME AND HIM MADE SENSE. WORKING ON THE “ENDLESS SUMMER” PROJECT WAS EASY. I LITERALLY GAVE HIM A VAGUE EXPLANATION OF THE SOUND I WAS GOING FOR AND HE MUST’VE PLAYED ME 200 BEATS. THEY WERE ALL FIRE. THE HARD PART WAS NARROWING THAT DOWN TO THE 5 RECORDS YOU HEAR ON THE PROJECT. HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO MORE IN THE FUTURE.
VALIDATED: DO YOU FEEL THE INTERNET HELPS OR HURTS HIPHOP?
BOBBY J: IT GIVES ARTISTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAPFROG THE MIDDLEMEN AND SO CALLED “INFLUENCERS AND GATEKEEPERS” AND PUT MUSIC OUT DIRECTLY TO THE FANS. IT’S A MORE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS NOW WHEREAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, YOUR MUSIC BEING HEARD WAS CONTINGENT ON WHETHER OR NOT CERTAIN BLOGGERS/TASTEMAKERS FUCKED WITH YOU. NONE OF THAT MATTERS ANYMORE.
VALIDATED: TELL US ABOUT WORKING WITH LLAMA THE DIRECTOR AND WHAT YOUR PROCESS IS WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING VISUALS?
BOBBY J: LLAMA IS AMAZINGLY TALENTED AND IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO WORK WITH. I USUALLY COME TO HIM WITH A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT I WANT TO DO VISUALLY AND HE HELPS BRING IT INTO FRUITION IN A WAY THAT I DIDN’T SEE ORIGINALLY, BUT ALWAYS ENDS UP BEING BETTER. IN MY OPINION, HE’S ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED YOUNG DIRECTORS DOING IT AND ALWAYS MY GO TO WHENEVER I NEED A VISUAL DONE. FOLLOW HIM @SHOTBYLLAMA!
VALIDATED: WHAT’S NEXT FOR BOBBY J?
BOBBY J: I CURRENTLY HAVE A PROJECT IN THE WORKS TITLED “7182313” WITH MY GUY HUSH OUT OF DETROIT. IT’S BASICALLY A NYC MEETS DETROIT ALBUM. STRAIGHT HIP-HOP WITH SOME AMAZING GUEST FEATURES THAT I CAN’T REVEAL JUST YET. BUT TRUST ME, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY SEE WHO’S ON IT. SHOULD BE DROPPING SUMMER 2021!