Artist Spotlight

Introducing J Menace: A Fast-Rising Musical Artist

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

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Artist Spotlight

Who’s Making the Most Money on Spotify in 2025?

In 2025, Spotify conquers the music streaming world, with 500+ million monthly paying subscribers globally. Considering the platform paid out $10 billion in royalties, a record high, during 2024, it’s evident that streaming is now a revenue stream for artists. Yet only a few musicians are making good money from it.

At the top of the list is Drake, whose 21.5 billion streams yield around $52.5 million. Next up is J Balvin, with $37.9 million this year, a clean-up job from his massive streaming numbers. Other artists who earned significant amounts included Post Malone, Ariana Grande, and Bad Bunny, each featured among the platform’s top earners.

In electronic music, the Chainsmokers had 7.2 billion streams and made $17.7 million, and Calvin Harris made $14 million. The first-place finisher among the grossers is Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” which earned $6.6 million from 2.7 billion streams.

Although these numbers are impressive, most artists on Spotify receive a much lower payday. In its 2024 Loud & Clear report, Spotify found that only 4.4% of artists make at least $131,000 annually. On average, an artist in the bottom 98.6% of earners makes just $12 monthly. This difference underscores the difficulties many musicians face in the streaming age.

Dead artists are still having a real impact on Spotify. Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, and Aim for the Moon have 8.51 billion streams, £29.29m, 6.79 billion streams, and £23.37 million in earnings with Juice WRLD’s “Legends Never Die.” Lil Peep and The Notorious B.I.G. are also proving influential, with their music still raking in significant amounts of money.

Spotify’s global platform has allowed artists to perform in front of audiences beyond their home countries. In 2024, most artists who earned at least $1,000 in royalties made most of their revenue through international listeners, at over 50%. Since 2017, the number of female artists grossing over $1 million per year has quadrupled, signaling greater diversity and representation in the music industry.

The few artists who do make millions from Spotify streams get 1 %, while the 1% of artists get funds. Only a handful of artists are financially rewarded through it, even as the platform’s continued global reach and growing diversity create opportunities for emergent practitioners.

Let me know what you thought of this post in the comments if you found this article interesting!

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Artist Spotlight

Kayla Marque lights a fire with “Slow Burn”

Kayla Marque has returned with a new single, “Slow Burn,” a simmering, soul-passionate affair that holds you well past when the last notes die out. True to her endlessly evolving artistry, Marque serves up something future-facing and thoughtful, stitching together a grunge-adjacent bassline with ethereal melodies and haunting vocal dynamics.

Right from the outset, “Slow Burn” sucks you into its smoky milieu. The measured bassline sounds plucked from the ‘90s alt-rock golden age and dunked in modern, velvety skin. But Marque’s voice brings center stage, fluent, forceful, and emotionally detailed. She doesn’t only sing; she tells stories, whispers, and wails, and her approach lends the music an astonishing contrast between restraint and release.

As the song progresses, there’s something undeniably mesmerizing about how the instrumentation interacts with the vocals. The melodies shimmer like heat off the pavement, entrapping listeners in a hypnotic haze that feels at once intimate and cinematic. Marque displays not only her vocal range but also her emotional depth. Every note feels deliberate, and every word feels lived-in.

What’s so exciting about “Slow Burn” is how it feels like another chapter in a broader story. Kayla Marque has consistently refused to settle into a single groove, and this track demonstrates that she’s continuing to push limits and defy expectations. There’s a rawness here, an audacity that doesn’t plead for attention but commands it regardless. It’s a song that reveals more textures and emotions after every listen. “Slow Burn” is a vibe, a feeling, a statement. It’s another step in Kayla Marque’s evolution as an artist, and if this is what’s to come, we’re in for something special.

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