Artist Spotlight: JYoung The General

Earlier today, we presented to you the new EP from Michigan emcee JYoung The General. Now it’s time to put him in the spotlight. Hit the jump to get to know JYoung…

Where you reppin?

Detroit aka the Motor-Motor Capital, where we motor for capital.

Introduce yourself:

JYoung The General, Detroit emcee extraordinaire, fledgling rapper and superhero by night, college graduate and residential counselor for troubled youth by day.

Where did the name JYoung The General come from?

My AIM/AOL screen name is JYoungworld1203, which was derived from “Hey Young World” by Slick Rick. When it came time to choose a rap name it was either my government, Jahshua Smith (a la Kanye), or go with JYoung. When
it comes to names that tends to be the time where my brain is the least creative as it relates to music. The General comes from a diss track that stemmed from an old beef I had back in 06. I just look at hip-hop battles as a form of war so when I assumed that persona it stuck. It also says a lot about my role with my group BLAT! Pack (an artist collective I belong to), and how I function with other members.

Main musical inspirations:

My grandfather Maurice King, former music director of Motown, would be the biggest just because of his importance in helping maintain one of the most influential companies in our culture. It made me feel like my goal in the
realm of music was to have a similar impact in whatever field of music I chose to champion. Musically I get inspirations from artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Tupac, and Nas.

When did you fall in love with hip hop?

It was when Illmatic came out. My sister had all the popular rap/hip-hop music of the early 1990s like NWA, Biggie Smalls, and Wu-Tang so I heard it a lot growing up. I was always a Jazz head though, and I was dead set on being a saxophonist when I grew up. My sister brought home Illmatic and it instantly hit me because of the fusion of Jazz and Spoken Word. It helped bring what Nas was saying to life, and I was impressed by what he could do lyrically. It was really the cornet solo by Olu Dara on “Life’s a Bitch” that did it though (as well as AZ’s verse).

Current projects we should be looking out for:

Black History Year Vol. 2, the second installment of the BHY trilogy, is out now.

Previous work that we should know about:

Along with the Black History Year series, I have a recent EP, Jahshua 1:6, available on my bandcamp. If you really want to dig deep as a JYoung fan and hear some old stuff, there’s always The Mega Man Mixtape I made back in 2006. It’s fun to me to hear the progression from back then to now.

If you had to pick one song that defines your career to date, what song would that be?

I’m somewhere in the middle of “Inner City Blues” by Marvin Gaye and “Grown Simba” by J. Cole right now. (Yes, I cheated.) They represent where I feel I am in my career and what I work hard to represent every day I pick up a mic.

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If you weren’t doing music, what would your occupation be?

Probably the same occupation that I have as a musician, that of a social worker. Or it’s possible I would’ve done more with my Bachelors in Journalism, and be asking someone else these questions right now.

Why should our readers give you a shot and listen to your music from here on out?

If you look at Black History Year versus Jahshua 1:6, you get the feel that I’m balanced where I can educate the youth and still make songs that are entertaining regardless of age bracket. When I was younger a lot of my music reflected what I saw growing up, but I’m at a point now where my experiences are way different. I leave no stones unturned when I write, so regardless if I’m rapping about Civil Rights or what I did at the club last night, I can relay them to people in a way that they relate to without resorting to gimmicks. It’s all my true experiences and perceptions and that’s the main focus of spoken word.

If you could only take one record on a deserted island with you, what album would that be?

A personalized compilation of my favorite songs, sung by my friends and family, so I’d have memories of them to keep me from going batsh*t insane on a deserted island.

Tell us one thing that very few people may know about you.

I was really terrible at rapping until 2005. Then my friend Steven “Tempest” Perez taught me how to use multis, how to count bars, and most importantly how to use the beat to my advantage. It was like giving a killer an AK-47 and a how-to instruction manual. I’ve been unstoppable since then.

What’s next for you?

I’m definitely making a mixtape this year, that’s a therapeutic release for me to just write and record without the structure of an LP or EP. I’m looking to release that before the end of 2011. I also have numerous collabs within BLAT! Pack, finishing up my EPK, and lots of performances along the way. Tell A3C and CMJ to holler at the kid too.

Any shout outs or last words?

Much love and thanks to every member of BLAT! Pack that’s helped me out thus far. My mentor Jamel “Treazy” Vaughan for giving me the confidence to even rap in the first place, all my friends and family, and every artist who’s helped me in any capacity. I remember each of those contributions on a personal level to this day.

Haitian Fight Song 2010

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Gorgeous

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Streetrunner

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She Likes Me

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