The DMV Daily Interviews: Jamal J

The DMV Daily had the pleasure of speaking with Montgomery County’s very own Jamal J. Checkout our candid conversation as we talked about his upbringing, music, and upcoming album “The Calm“.

Q: Tell us about your chosen career path: 

Jamal J: I have been rapping since I was 11 years old. I first started writing in a blue notebook to Mac Miller beats in my dad’s basement. I didn’t start taking music seriously until I was in I think 7th grade. Music has always been apart of my life so by high school in like 10th/11th grade I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I felt like it was my destiny. During my senior year, my stepmother got sick. She passed away due to returning stomach cancer which led to me being depressed but the music always helped me.

Q: Who inspired you to make the decision to do this career path?

Jamal J: Aside from my musical inspirations such as Nas (my favorite rapper of all time), Jay-Z, J. Cole, Joey Badass, etc… It was my late stepmother. She practically introduced me to Hip Hop.

Q: What is your creative process like?

Jamal J: To be honest. I literally zone out of anything I’m doing and start thinking of a story or bars. Whatever comes to mind I write it down or put it in my phone. I’m learning how to make beats and I engineer all my music, but for right now I look for a lot of type beats on YouTube. I do think I have good beat selection too.

Q: Who would you most like to collaborate with?

Jamal J: Ever since I heard of Noochie who my best friend, whom you might know as Motivisual Pro (Shout outs to my brother), put me on to in college, I always wanted to work with him and it happened. He is featured on my upcoming album “The Calm”. I also want to work with rappers like Dave East, Styles P, Drake, Cole, Cozz, etc etc. It’s really a lot.

Q: What is one message you would give to your supports?

Jamal J: One message I’d give to my supporters is to love yourself. I have been suffering from anxiety and depression and it has reflected in how I think of myself as an artist. I honestly think that is important especially if you are an artist. If you don’t love yourself, you probably won’t love your art and I do think I make good music but I tend to have these thoughts in my head saying “I gotta do this” or “you’re not even good at this” and whatnot. Love yourself and never give up.

Q: What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your chosen career?

Jamal J: I have NO IDEA what I’d be doing right now to be honest. I really think music is my calling. I dropped out of college because I wasn’t learning anything so I thought it was just a waste of time and money. I was learning so much about music on my own than I was in school.

Q: How would you say Social Media has impacted your career?

Jamal J: Social media is a funny word. I hate it but I love it at the same time. I have received a lot of fake love on all my social media account. I learned that people will follow you and “support” just in case… but won’t like, comment, or even repost you… but will repost a celebrity who has no idea who they are! Social media is definitely needed in today’s day and age though. I believe that with the right platform you can make a difference in any area you see yourself in.

Q: Who do you admire the most? Why?

Jamal J: Not even gonna hold you… I admire my mother the most. Not any celebrity/rapper/entrepreneur etc. My mother has been holding it down since she gave birth to my oldest sister, her first child. She doesn’t have much and to see her grind to keep a roof over our heads motivates me in every way. I have to buy her a house and a car as soon as I get my first check. Mama comes first!

Q: What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Jamal J: The best advice I have been given was cliche but I try to live by it every second of the day. Treat others how you want to be treated. That can pertain to anything.

Q: What’s next for you?

Jamal J: All I can say is that this album is next for me. The Calm. I have never worked so hard on one album before. I really hope the right people hear this one. I put my soul into this one.

Stay tuned for Jamal’s album “The Calm”  with features from Noochie & Jnote Rockefeller available on all platforms on April 1st, 2021.