Hello Awall MG, Thanks for coming to Honk Magazine to talk about your career.

Tell us a little more about when you first got into music? 

I’ve been around music since I was born. My family is a pretty musical family so I was always surrounded by it. My dad had his own studio where the first famous person I met was Gladys Knight and the pips. That was my very first introduction to the musical environment. By 2 years old I had my first keyboard by 3 I was banging on drums and it kinda just kept going from there. 

If you could describe your sound/style in one word, what would it be and why?

VIBES!  Most of my songs I make are from a real perspective but I make it to where it just sounds good and it cultivates the listeners ears to take em to a place where they can relate but also feel good about

What would you say to any aspiring recording artists who look up to your work?

I would say never give up on what you love most. That means fight through any obstacle life gives cause it only happened to make you a stronger person And never put all your eggs in one basket!

What quote or mantra do you live by?

LIVE GREAT TO BECOME GREATER.

That’s my slogan for my company Live Great Productions. It basically says like we are living to be great but once you make it go beyond that and then beyond that too!

What is your hobby outside of music?

When I’m not doing music I’m usually playing video games. I just got into the twitch community. I play basketball and football on a recreational level ..and cooking I love to cook

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years I’m gonna be one of those names that you see in the big festivals like Rolling Loud or Coachella. I’ll be engineering still but super exclusively cause I really see myself as one the next best Producer/Artist on the come up.

Do you have anything new or upcoming we can expect to see from you?

 I got lots of singles I’m dropping in 2022 along with visuals of course and doing more shows in the ATL scene. Also as a Producer I’ll be launching my website this month so the public can buy them. Before I was just making beats exclusively in front of them.

What is the inspiration behind your latest song?

My last song OWN is about two girls really. One girl I dated for about 3 years then we went our separate ways.. the other girl I met around Thanksgiving of 2021 thinking she could be the one cause the new girl I really liked a lot but somehow we drifted and I can’t lie that shxt was hurting my soul so that’s why I say I’m on my own and it probably better off that way until I meet Ms Right

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

Get a internship Right after school: I didn’t start interning at other studios till probably 4 years after I graduated from Music School..No regrets about it but it could have sped my process up and learned more earlier

Don’t be Afraid To Make Mistakes but don’t make it happen Twice: When I first started working at Patchwerk Studio I recorded Cocoa Vango.He was the first major artist I got to work with there. The session was probably my worst ever. He was very frustrated with me the whole time but he knew I was new so it just went with the flow…That session taught me things I should be doing and I never made a mistake like that again..Which is why I’m still at Patchwerk till this day.

BE VERSATILE: I Engineer both studio and live. I’m an Artist. I’m Also a musician of 7 different instruments (Drums, Piano, flute, baritone, sax guitar and bass) and a producer and learning how to DJ. Doing all those things made me stand out vs ppl who just engineer or just produce.. I’m a one stop shop basically and ppl these days love that. And learning one skill helped me learned another along the way 

GET OUT THE BEDROOM: For a while I was the producer who made beats And posted it in a beat store and just showed off on social media.. IT GOT ME NOWHERE. I still had to work a regular job and live in my parents house.. When I started networking at different events or applying to studios that’s when life changed quickly.. More ppl were hearing me which grew my outside presence but also my social media at the same time. Now I’m in rooms with major Artists getting paid way more and literally paying everything just by creating music 

GET RID OF SELF DOUBT: I used to compare myself to others like my music doesn’t sound like theirs or wondering if ppl gonna like what I put out. All that self doubt just made me think too much instead of having fun… The moment I got major confidence for myself is when the music was sounding good ppl were buying beats that I made quickly… and that confidence transfers to others now they wanna give you a chance with a bigger deal 

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out” ?

Just make sure whatever you doing that you love it..Cause I’ve burned myself out a couple of times but I love music so much I was able to find something to learn or something new out my comfort zone that made me fall in love with it like it’s my first time making music

How can our readers follow you online?

On all platforms I’m AWall_Mg insta twitter twitch all that

J Menace is an upcoming Hip-Hop artist and songwriter that is gaining popularity very quickly, and on his way to becoming a superstar. Born and raised in Chicago, he has quickly accumulated thousands of followers on social media and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Hello J Menace, Thanks for coming to Honk Magazine to talk about your career.

What 3 things does anyone starting in your industry need to know?

1: Have a plan. What do you want to do, and how do you want to do it?

2: Have people around you that you trust. 

3: Be the hardest worker in the room.

What would you do differently if you were starting in your industry now?

I would spend my money much differently. You will lose money trying to figure out what and who works. That takes money, time and effort. There is no way around it. Imagine if you could skip that step….

Which people or books have had the most influence on your growth and why?

Book wise “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. I’ve read that book 3 times and every time I learn something new. A great guide to having the proper mindset for growth. 

Too many people to name that had a ton of influence. However,  2 at the top would be 2Pac and my brother Leekwan. 2Pac because of how similar their lives were and how I could relate to his music. My brother because of the constant competition between us. It made me super competitive in all areas and nearly obsessed with growth. 

What would you say is the #1 key to success in your music career?

The #1 would have to be consistent. There was a time when people said I didn’t have the look to rap…. I kept going. There was a time when people said I didn’t have the voice to rap… I kept going. Then it was I didn’t write good enough, pick the right production, or didn’t have the right type of funding. I never stopped, I pushed harder every time people denied me. Until I became undeniable.

Talk about the biggest failure you’ve had. What did you learn from it?

The biggest failure had to be not keeping a successful group I started together. The true turning point of my career was 2015. 

I had just opted out of a deal with Universal and I was tired of the industry. I saw what they did to make others successful and decided I would try to mimic the format. I came up with an idea to put together a group of talented rappers with established fan bases (Thad Lu, Goonie Da Godd, Mz. Legit, King Kwan). 

The purpose was simple….there’s strength in numbers. The name of the group ended up being R.U.M.O.R.S (Relying Upon Music Over Regular S**t). My strategy was to do 3 to 4 shows a week until the right people noticed us. It definitely worked! We went from paying to do shows and perform in competitions, to being paid to do shows or just make an appearance. We got all the way to having a deal on the table and unfortunately, due to internal conflict, we parted ways as a group. However, we remain close to this very day. Sidenote: We lost a member last year. Love live Floyd Steele aka Goonie Da Godd. People still talk about us. Especially in Chicago. I’m not where I am today without this group. If I could go back, I would have figured out a way to make it work.

What has been your biggest success story and why do you think it was a success?

My biggest success is my recently released album “A Night To Purge “. This is my best work to date and it has been received as such. From having more streams than all my previous albums combined in 1 month….to having the most viewed video (Chains) in my career. I think it’s a success because the timing is right. Sometimes it’s not just talent but timing. If you stay ready, when it’s your time, you’ll cease the opportunity. That is all I’m doing. 

What keeps you going when things get tough in the music industry?

The thing that keeps me going is my promise. As I’ve already stated, I lost a close friend in Floyd Steele A.K.A Goonie Da Godd last year. However, I also lost my older brother Tyrone Fisher last year. Both due to gun violence. Both of them believed in me. I made a promise to them that I would not let up until I majored in this industry. I will keep that promise. 

What made you pursue being an artist full-time?

I wrote my first song in 8th grade. After everyone in my school started singing it, I was hooked. I was signed to my first label at the age og 16. I knew from that point on that this is what I wanted to do. 

Would you sign to a label?

I would if the deal is structured properly for sure. I’ve been in the industry a while. I know the pitfalls and the traps. It has to make sense on both ends or no deal.

What projects are you working on for the rest of 2022?

Mainly pushing “A Night To Purge ” and multiple concerts. One of them being traveling state to state. Who knows….. I may start writing another album towards the end of the year. 

How can our readers follow you online?

FB: The Real J Menace & J Menace

Ig: therealjmenace 

SC: jmenace23

Twitter: The Real J Menace

Youtube: J Menace