J-Key made a name for himself as a collaborator of the late Nipsey Hussle. With his prolific flows and cadences, he returns with the accompanying music video directed by Justin Frick & Gage Sohler to his latest single ‘Early’
Breathing new life into the scene following a five-year hiatus to revamp his sound, J-Key marries crisp rhythms over stellar production. ‘Early’ boasts a trap-fuelled beat, with facets of hip-hop. Led by J-Key’s witty lyricism, leveled with melodic synths, and a cutting edge instrumental with heavy bass, it creates the perfectly off-kilter sound.
On the single’s concept, J-Key explains “Early is an intro to my character. A fun song. With hard-hitting punchlines and street lyrics.”
A successful artist in his own right. J-Key has quickly become one of the most desired artists in the Pacific Northwest. Known for his lyricism and high-energy performances on stage. He’s graced the stage with artists from YG to 2Chainz among others. You can catch his lyrical capabilities on his Instagram every week with his segment ‘Freestyle Fridays’.
On a mission to spread his music all over the world, and be dubbed as the artist at the frontline of his genre, we can only expect phenomenal continued production of hard-hitting singles from J-Key as he is unconquerable.
Tell us about the story of your act
I’m just a guy from Everett with a similar story to most but from a perspective, it’s never been told before.
What is the message behind your art?
The ultimate message behind my art is that I’ll overcome everything and it feels great to accomplish things you weren’t meant to.
What are some sources of inspiration for your lyrics and storytelling?
My main inspiration is my life. I only tell the truth in my music. It’s easy to write lyrics when I’ve lived them.
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
Jay Z, Drake, Lil Wayne
What was the record or artist that changed your life?
Politics As Usual by Jay Z, Successful by Drake
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
I was looking for something to bring the punch back to my catalog. My guy Mario played this beat and I just started snapping on it. Haha.
You seem to be fusing several musical genres. What inspires your sound?
A mix between trying to sound original at all times and giving people music that they can bop to.
How would you want people to feel while listening to your music?
Fun. And light-spirited on this song. Other moods will come with other releases.
Where are some things you really want to accomplish as an artist?
To be one of the greats when they mention my name in ten years.
What inspires your style?
To always have lyrics that people are impressed with. Punch lines that blow people’s minds. And beats that are infectious.
Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up?
All the time. It’s not easy being independent. You have to figure everything out on your own. But I want this too much to quit.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
To continuously educate myself.
Where do you think the next game-changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?
The loss of a need for labels. The biggest artists are starting to go independent now. This could mean a huge shift soon.
