Daytona Beach rapper, J-Claud, is an artist of unique stature. Honing his craft since the age of 14, J-Claud would partake in rap battles, create mixtapes and use his polished pen to write for other acts. In addition, the multi-talented performer ventured into acting and modeling, further embedding himself in the entertainment scene.
Utilizing the seemingly limitless depth of his writing skills, J-Claud blends hip hop and R&B to create a truly enticing sound. True to his style, he released the consciously soulful track “City Life,” earlier in 2021. Garnished with his smooth vocals, that grace the ears ever so gently, the song brings you into an atmosphere of lust and sensuality.
Beautifully crafted and layered with a multifaceted instrumental, “City Life” delivers a feeling of warmth, all while keeping the realities of a cold world at the forefront of your mind. Expressing his desires for his love interest, J-Claud leads you directly through his thoughts and undeniable hunger to succeed in his emotion-filled pursuit, both personally and professionally. Taking all of this into account, “City Life” carries a vibe that caters to the listener’s need to emotionally connect with the artist.
Without a doubt, J-Claud is overflowing with pure relentless talent. Applying his distinctive touch on everything he works on, J-Claud has amassed a catalog and fanbase deserving of his musical prowess. We see no sign of the emerging reaching his plateau anytime soon and feel electrified with anticipation of what is to come for the Florida rapper.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, J-Claud, and congratulations on your release of the beautiful single, "City Lights." You touch on both your personal and professional life in a compelling way throughout this song. What inspired the unique twist on the lyrics you perform?
The inspiration for my lyrics comes from real-life experience, so when the listener is hearing the music, it's relatable. With "City Life" and throughout the entire "In Plain Sight project," I try to create scenes within the songs. Something you can visualize, it's intangible, but you can almost touch it, it makes you feel something.
How do you create a balance between both your music career and your everyday life? What challenges come along with this?
It's not easy to balance a music career and everyday life. Being independent calls for me to do most of the heavy lifting. From writing and producing the music to financing the project, developing marketing strategies, and let's not forget going into the studio and coming out with the product, it can be quite the workload. Sometimes it feels like an "everyday life" can be non-existent. I try my best to get out sometimes when I'm not working, drink, watch sports, and meet some new people. Thankfully, there's my DJ and Co-Producer "Flight Risk Beats" and his wife, who's always been there lending a hand and encouraging me to take some time to myself and attend to my personal life. Now, do I listen to their advice and go on a date? Well...who has time for that.
Could you please shine a glimpse into what the creative process looked like when bringing this song to life? Is this a template you tend to follow for all song releases?
The creation process of my songs tends to vary. With "City Life," it was the middle of the pandemic. I was driving around DTLA listening to Black Thought and The Roots, not going anywhere. I just needed to get out and be with my thoughts. When I got home, I made dinner, then sat down and started creating a beat. I was up till about 5 am working the track. Then, I fell asleep for a few hours. When I woke up, the lyrics started coming to me. In other songs, I'll have the lyrics first or the idea of the song topic before I start working on the beat. There have been times where I've written the complete song and won't come across the moment until years later. It's all about genuinely being inspired.
Playing into your mission statement as an artist, how do you flawlessly execute this all while being vulnerable with your audience?
To me, as an artist, it is important to give you truths. That being said, I try to display the diversity in my life experiences within my music. From being raised in the south to freestyle battles in New York. From visiting London for the first time to finally moving to the west coast and feeling at home. I did all of these things on my own, knowing there was no one to call if I needed help. I have a saying, "Three things a man must have, Integrity, Passion, Courage." I'm inspired by the true writers, artists, and poets who came before me, and I feel responsible for continuing to be a trailblazer on the road less traveled by.
What's next for you, J-Claud?
With "City Life" being available on all platforms and venues starting to open up, I'm looking to do some live shows very soon. I'm already producing tracks for the next project and looking to get back in the studio. I'm also very excited to work with more artists here from Los Angeles, collaborating in different entertainment areas. I've already launched my brand "Hiyer Learning," which we will have merch available soon, and recently went into business with a family member to purchase a boxing gym in Las Vegas. Creative minds and inspired times lay ahead.