LONG LIVE JULES | Jules
INTERVIEW BARSQUIAT PHOTOGRAPH @Tifphotographylkld
Ever since 2 Live Crew and others, Hip Hip and Miami have always had an interesting relationship. Because of Miami's lavish lifestyle, beautiful women, and scenery, we've become accustomed to the music being the backdrop to that lifestyle. Fast forward, Trick Daddy changed that perspective with hit song, "Ima Thug". This gave the city of Miami a look into the other side and exposed the world to Miami's dualities like seeing a car stripped down to the brake pads next to a palm tree. Then, Rick Ross emerged blending both worlds by musically embodying the rise to the top ideology. It would appear that musically, Miami covered all the perspectives, but there's one more musical angle that has not been fully expressed, the human experience. The person that has no aspirations of becoming Tony Montana. This is the perfect time for an artist like Jules. His perspective isn't confined to the lavish lifestyle, but the human experience who has witnessed it all with a birds eye view.
VALIDATED: Being from Lakeland, Florida, what’s your earliest memory of Hip Hop culture?
JULES: I can remember being a little kid and spending hours in front of the TV watching Video Soul with Donnie Simpson on BET. I used to be so drawn in to the music and visuals. Seeing videos like Straight Outta Compton or Dead Presidents II for the first time and being in a trance from the aggression of N.W.A. or Jay-Z’s wordplay was so influential. I knew then that Hip Hop culture was something special.
VALIDATED: You played basketball on the collegiate level, but at what point did you decide to pursue music over hooping?
JULES: Well, to be honest, I was a little burnt out with basketball. I had a rocky senior year, with our school underachieving in many ways and me personally not playing at my best. I just needed to part ways with the game. After playing a little bit of semi-pro ball, I just decided to revert back to my first love which was music. I had been working on music during my years in college so I already had a foot in the door. It was just time for me to really go for it.
VALIDATED: You consider yourself “the nerd turnt rapper”, please elaborate.
JULES: I’m definitely a true nerd at heart. I’ve always been. Growing up, I was never the cool kid or the most popular. I was really into reading comic books and film, to the point where I was trying to draw my own comic books and writing my own movie scripts. These are things that I’m still into today. But as I got older and started playing ball, I got welcomed to a new crowd. And when I started doing music, that opened another crowd. But at my core, I’m still the same kid that enjoys comic books.
VALIDATED: What was it that drew you to rapping initially, and how did that lead to you later producing as well?
JULES: I’ve always been somewhat of a creative person for most of my life. Like I was mentioning before, I was trying to create my own movies and comic book series when I was like 10 or 11 years old. So I had that mindset at a very young age. But what really got me into music was my dad. He had an enormous passion for music. As a kid, I would ride in the car with him and he would always be playing Earth, Wind & Fire or Curtis Mayfield when he would take me to comic shops. He would break the music down to me, explaining the meaning of the songs and why the artists were so special. His passion for music poured into me and I just wanted to learn as much as I could. When I got into middle school, my older brother, who was in high school, became friends with some people who were making their own music. So when they would come to our house, they would talk about it all the time and they were my gateway into creating my own music. And because I didn’t have money to buy beats, I decided in college that I would make my own beats. I really became a producer out of necessity.
VALIDATED: Sway showed love in your Instagram comments on a video of you spitting over Busta Rhymes record, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See”. The significance of that to me is that a real Hip Hop head is going to show appreciation for your lyrical ability REGARDLESS of where you’re from demographically. But what does his show of support mean to you as an up and coming artist?
JULES: Man, that was major! Sway is a living legend and someone that I’ve watched for years. He has always been one of the leading figures of this culture, so for him to show love to me was truly a blessing. It gave me the reassurance that I’m on the right track. It let me know that I was doing something right.
VALIDATED: Your 2022 album, “NIWIS” charted in the top 50 of the iTunes Hip Hop albums as an independent release. What did you learn from the success of the project?
JULES: I learned so much from that project, but I think the biggest takeaway was the little things add up. I put some much time and effort into making sure the minor details were not overlooked. I spent so much time on the mixing and mastering, every sound choice in the production and every bar, to even the storytelling in the album and in the marketing. I wanted to present a project that looked and sounded like the artist really paid attention to everything. And I think all of that resulted in it charting on iTunes.
VALIDATED: Your most recent EP “Ghost Stories 2”, what can you tell us about the project?
JULES: Ghost Stories 2 is the next chapter in a horror series I created in 2022 to pay homage to my favorite genre in film. I’m a big, big horror fan so I thought it would be cool to use some classic horror theme songs from classic horror films and flip them into dope records. With Ghost Stories 2, I wanted to take it to another level and really push myself to write some of my best music. I think we were able to accomplish that with some of the records we have on there.
VALIDATED: What seems to be the fan’s favorite record off the project?
JULES: Jesse O. That seems to be the one.
VALIDATED: One of the meanings for the word “Geronimo” is to jump from great heights. What's the significance in naming your record “Geronimo”?
JULES: Just like you said, that word is so synonymous with someone taking a big jump and that’s what that song signifies to me. It’s a statement record where I’m proclaiming my place in this rap game and taking that leap to go for it. I wanted to bring a level of confidence to it that can inspire others to be confident in whatever they are going after too. I wanted it to be sort of an anthem for those taking a major leap in life. That’s the energy I tried to bring to the record.
VALIDATED: In this day and age where perception is everything, how do you balance drawing listeners to your talent rather than material symbols of success?
JULES: I’ve never been the guy to try and show off anything material to people. That’s just not really in my character. I’ve always carried a more low-key personality so I don’t get too much into making a big spectacle of myself. My mom also instilled humility into me and my siblings when we were kids. So for me, showing talent is all I really know. Besides, material things come and go. That’s forever changing. But showcasing true talent is foundational and can stand the test of time.
VALIDATED: What inspired you to write, "Damaged Goods"?
JULES: That record came from a time in my life where I was doing a lot of reflecting on who I am as a man and what made me that way. The first verse was from a conversation I had with a friend of mine. We were talking through why a lot of people who grow up in the environments that we grew up in struggle with the true meaning of love. And how that can manifest in our behaviors and how we handle relationships with women. And then the second verse was a situation that I experienced as a kid that my family never talked about. We just pretended as if it never happened. Ultimately, I was questioning if these things have permanently damaged me and if there was a way back from them. It was heavy on my heart and I felt if I were to put that record out, someone would relate to it. I’m really glad I did.
VALIDATED: In the song, "Intentions", you said, "Pardon my absence, but my dreams I can't be tardy for…" That's a dope line to your mother. You have a good way of writing what's real to you, but also relatable to others. How did you develop that skill?
JULES: I appreciate that. I think it just comes with trying to be a man of honesty. I’ve tried my best throughout my life to be as open and honest as I possibly can. And with that comes open dialogue and conversations. Usually through those conversations, you get to hear the heart and thoughts of others and how they feel. It sticks with you. So when it comes time to write and connect with people, you sort of understand what’s true to you and others.
VALIDATED: For an up and coming rapper, the road to stardom can be an unpredictable journey, how has your pursuit been so far? What have been some of the major highs and lows? Is there anything you would’ve done differently?
JULES: It can definitely be a rocky road for sure. Some of the highs were charting on iTunes, getting love from people like Hit-Boy, Cormega and Sway, and just the feedback from people who wrote to me and let me know that my music helped them in some way. Those moments I am extremely grateful for. I think some of the tougher moments are things like trying to cut through the social media algorithm. It’s a challenge that most artists experience today and we are all trying to understand and master it. The only thing I would do differently in my career would be putting more focus on releasing daily content earlier. Before, I was fighting the idea of posting so consistently on social media. That’s something I’ve corrected within the last 3 years. I should’ve been a little earlier on that train.
VALIDATED: "God provides the high-notes for the average-joe- to-see (Jodeci)” is a phenomenal line and proof you take pride in making your listeners respect your intellect and writing abilities. How do you feel about today's level of intellect and lyricism in Hip Hop?
JULES: I feel like it’s still there. There are so many artists that are out that have incredible pens. You got J. Cole, Kendrick, Joyner Lucas, Tobe Nwigwe and so many others. I think that some people feel like lyricists are missing in the game, but they are still here. Hip Hop has always had a mixture of lyrical and fun artists. I think the only difference now is that due to the internet, there’s an abundance of artists now, which makes it a little harder to hear all the voices. But the intellect and lyrics are still present. It always will be.
VALIDATED: What is your definition of Hip Hop?
JULES: Hip Hop is a culture or a way of life. It takes our struggles, our triumphs and our relentlessness and turns it into something beautiful. It creates the lens that we see the world through.
VALIDATED: What can the fans look forward to from you this year?
JULES: This year I plan on doing a few shows. I’ve been looking into setting up a small tour to touch a few cities in Florida. Hopefully I can get that going. And I’m working on the next album. I have the next concept for the project and I’m just trying to pin down the sound I want to go for.
VALIDATED: Where can the fans find you on social media, streaming platforms, etc?
JULES: You can find me on all socials at @longlivejules and Jules on every streaming platform.