Under The Sun: Q&A with San Antonio Emcee LaJIT

Hailing from the West Side of San Antonio, LaJIT is on the march to become a Hip Hop star. His recent Blue Sun EP is further shining a light on his introspective rhymes and artistic growth that began with his previous effort the Black Sun EP.

LaJIT connected with several other creative individuals like producer Keyboard Kid, executive producer ldotsdot, and artistic director Nicodxmvs to help further establish his brand of passionate rap. In just a few short years, the Creekside Sounds affiliate has risen in south Texas’s Hip Hop scene through networking and live performances including opening for Kendrick Lamar’s “Section 80 Tour”.

DZI: The Voice was able to interview LaJIT to ask the indie artist about his music, his inspirations, and his future.

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Yohance Kyles: When did you discover your voice as an artist?

LaJIT: Honestly it would have to be a track titled “Should Of Aborted Me” from Black Sun. I wrote it from the emotional shit I went through when I was 11. After I made that song I was like damn man… I never made anything like that and felt like it was something that was just the beginning for me. Also, people would tell me that song meant a lot to them because they can really relate. I never used that type of writing style. I was screaming with distortion recording in my room, and my dad thought I was on some fucked up drugs so he was trying to knock the door down to “save me” as he said… but yeah, that song helped me feel more confident than I’ve ever been after completion.

LJ: Two different memories come to mind, but I’m not sure which one came first for me. I remember my dad yelling at my mom for buying my brother a CD with really “vulgar” words on it. Every chance my dad had he’d throw any rap CD out the car window while driving, and my brother would be so pissed. So I was curious bout it, and I was in the car with my mom, and I hit the CD button. The first thing I heard was “Make Em Say Uggghhh.” I was like holy shit. Then Mystikal came on and I flipped out! My mom didn’t say shit as I slowly turned it all the way up until it couldn’t go no more. Damn, I swear I played that shit for weeks trying to get Mystikal’s verse down.

The other one was when I was with my bro at night and we pulled up to some house, and I smelled what I didn’t know at the time was weed. And after we left he put on this song that made me feel like a straight pimp. I felt untouchable, and my bro was bumpin’ that shit loud. So I rolled down my window so people can see how cool I was haha. I later found out it was “Po Pimp” by Do or Die.

LJ: My passion in delivering and work ethic. Also the fact that I’ve failed so hard before and went though some big embarrassments. I feel like I have nothing to lose and ain’t scared of shit anymore.

LJ: Well I did spend over a year with Blue Sun compared to less than a week making Black Sun. I created Black Sun on some stream of consciousness shit… had a lot built up in me and needed to release it with music instead of doing something possibly harmful to myself. After doing Black Sun I took in all the criticism I received from it and tried applying it to Blue Sun. With Black Sun I was just straight up yelling and felt like I was just lost in my life. Blue Sun was something where I had more control of myself and a team to help me to create something that showed significant growth and quality from Black Sun.

LJ: I thought about that. I mean… my time is limited towards music throughout the day, and I know it takes a good amount of time to produce some stuff. I really enjoy other’s production as well as building a relationship with producers, giving them full credit and whatever else we end up working out. I still feel like my producing skills need more development. ldotsdot actually taught me a lot on FL Studio and how to make beats so I took what he taught me and been building off of that these past two years. Eventually, I will produce my own project but there’s no rush on that. I really like the people that I’m building with right now.

LJ: I have to feel the beat on an emotional level before I start writing. Like not on some sad shit, but it has to make me feel something strong to where I’m just like YES IDEAS and then start picking which one is the best to go with. I type out most of my lyrics. I rarely write with a pen unless my phone is dead or I have that rare feeling of wanting to use actual ink and paper. I was told that I rub my face a lot, rock back and forth, curse, pop my neck, make awkward stares to whoever is in the room, smell my upper lip, shake my legs, and I apparently yell weird things when I finish or get excited bout what I wrote.

When I’m recording in my studio though, shit it depends. Sometimes I might want some beers, might break up some weed and smoke out my vape, pop an Adderall or a Flexeril. I really don’t have a go to, just whatever I feel at the moment.

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YK: What inspired the treatment for your “Fear In Me” music video?

LJ: I was casually talking to Nicodxmvs about how I couldn’t think of any visuals and he told me he’d do it. I was surprised because I fuck with his production and artistic taste way before he handled the artistic direction for Blue Sun. But yeah, he said he wanted to do the vid, and I just put all my trust in him. I asked him that question though and this is what he said about the inspiration on the treatment for “Fear In Me”.

German Expressionism, Psychedelia, Stanley Kubrick. I wanted to convey the internal struggle, and frustrations of the music into the atmosphere of the imagery. Evoking fear, and anxiety through external, objective means. Taking a deep, dark, mental journey and making it a visual trip. – Nicodxmvs

YK: Did you get a chance to meet Kendrick Lamar when you opened for him?

LJ: Yeah opening for Kendrick Lamar was pretty tight when he came through San Antonio touring for Section 80. I actually didn’t get a chance to meet Kendrick, though. I accidentally got to meet Ab-Soul with some of my homies. He was telling us bout how he wasn’t used to the attention yet, and how Jay Z told him and TDE that if you want to be the best you have to go after the best. Then a fan came out of no where while Ab-Soul was talking, asked for a picture, then gave him some Dro for free haha.

I did pass by Kendrick Lamar though when he was by himself, but didn’t talk to him because it looked like he needed some type of relief from everyone hovering over him for a second. I tried to understand and just nodded my head to him like “what’s up” and kept it moving out backstage. I guess people can say it was a missed opportunity, but I know when the time is right, we’ll talk. They all had good vibes though, very humble and really cool people to be around.

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YK: What’s the San Antonio Hip Hop scene like at the moment?

LJ: Honestly it still needs a lot of growth and support. Ghostpizza in my opinion is a great tastemaker that I’ve seen really going out of his way to help build San Antonio’s Hip Hop scene and put stuff together locally. Pha working with Scoremore has helped San Antonio on a national level and making it a market for big artists to consider. There are more people that care bout the scene. I just hope it keeps growing. There’s a lot of good artists in San Antonio, we just need more opportunities, more professionalism taken upon ourselves, and to do the best we can in terms of the quality of our music.

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YK: Besides your own, what albums released this year have gotten the most play on your music player?

LJ: That would have to be Danny Brown’s Old, Nicodxmvs’s Humility, Shady Blaze and The 5th Chapter, and Western Tink & Beautiful Lou’s Mobbin No Sobbin. Those are my go to for this year. I’ve actually been listening to a lot of old music that I get put up on by my manager or engineer.

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YK: If you could pick any three artists out now to do a collaboration with who would choose?

LJ: Collaborating with Danny Brown would be fuckin’ sick. I’d probably never sleep until I’ve completed my verse, and he’d probably still murk me. That fool is on something else. Another would have to be with Ab-Soul. Control System was in heavy rotation for me last year and collaborating with him in the future would be tight as hell to me. Third artist I’d have to pick is Lil B. A track something like “I Hate Myself” or “Giving Up” or even fuck around and make something along the lines of “I Got Mo”. Damn when I heard that song I lost my mind and felt very concerned about Lil B. I’m sure he’s good though.

LJ: The most difficult thing I’ve had to overcome so far in my career was accepting the fact I’m hardheaded as well as learning to be more patient when working on a song, project, video, artwork, etc. I use to have that “Go!” mentality and release half-assed shit sometimes. What I learned from my team was to still have that “Go!” mentality, but to really focus and use that energy into that one song or project in hopes of creating something that will be more impactful to fans/supporters and a general audience.

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YK: What’s next for LaJIT?

LJ: I have another video coming from Blue Sun as well as my third installment for the Sun series coming soon. Like hella soon. I’m recording and helping some homies right now too. Catch me on some people video credits, hear more of my production, and see me on some recording/mixing credits. Next step is to do something next level with this album I’ve been working on, continue growing my fan base, and to rep my city and team on a higher national/overseas scale.

For more info about LaJIT click it

Follow LaJIT on Twitter @lajit210

Stream LaJIT’s Blue Sun EP:

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