Feb 07 2021

MUSIC INTERVIEW: PRODI. J DELVES ON HIS CREATIVE TASTES, MUSICAL INFLUENCES & NEW SINGLE “I DON’T WANNA FALL IN LOVE”

By David Presley

Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.

Hello, thank you for the opportunity, I am Prodi. J a Hip-Hop/Rap Artist from Olympia, Washington. The name Prodi. J comes from my last initial (Jimenez) and the word prodigy. I believe that the meaning of the word prodigy sums up perfectly what I am trying to achieve. That is an outstanding example of a particular quality. I work every day to achieve the goal of becoming the greatest prodigy to ever live.

What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?

Honestly speaking there was not a huge motive when first getting into music. My friends and I just wanted to try and see what it was like and ever since I fell in love with it. I felt so calm and at ease when recording on the microphone or even writing music. That motivated me to start releasing singles almost every month. First, it started at 200 streams in a month, then to 1000 streams in a month, and now I am up to around a couple thousand streams in a week. But after the first 200 streams, I knew what I had to do, I found my sense of purpose.

Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?

My new single, “I Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” was recorded in a home studio and was mixed and mastered by myself as well. I also knew that I would need a feature (Jaynen Shipe) to add more variety and flavor to the track. The storyline behind the song starts when me, the leading artist is having some trouble with women. So, I decide to let go and forget about dating for a minute and begin to have some fun with my life. The fun could be interpreted into any ways the listeners would like. As, the song is meant to be a chill sexy song that anyone can listen to and relax to or just jam out to in the car.

What makes your music unique? How would you describe it?

I think what makes my music so unique is the fact that I can do any type of rap genre. I can do fast aggressive rap, melodic rap, and rnb smooth rap. I hate the term one trick pony so I am learning to master all rap genres so that I can change up the style of rap that I want to do at any moment. This means I can retain bigger audiences since I have multiple sub genres to offer from.

Who are your biggest musical influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?

I would love to collaborate with rappers like Drake, Lil Baby, J.cole, Tee Grizzly, and Kanye West. But I think the most influential rappers for me personally are Drake, Lil Baby, Kanye and Nipsey Hussle. Drake taught me that constant hate and loss turns into fuel to keep the fire going. Lil Baby taught me that strategic releases are key to keeping audiences engaged as well as keeping up on social media. Kanye is a great influence to show how music can be just the start of a multibillion-dollar business. By making it his secondhand income of money he switched to designing, producing, and invest in other businesses. And lastly Nipsey has taught that promotion and connections are the key to success. Keep the circle tight but make new connections to help each other make it to the top.

Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?

I believe that hitting 25,000 streams on this song within one month is probably my proudest moment. Other than when I hit a 1000 streams for the very first time, that day felt like a dream!

How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?

I balance by timing everything that needs to be done and by setting deadlines. I set times and deadlines for helping friends and family, as well as academics, soccer, and music.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

Never give up no matter how hard it looks. There is always light at the end of the tunnel and believe in yourself even when everyone else doubts you. Promote more then you put out and work hard.

If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?

I love you guys thank you for the continuous support throughout the first year. I am thankful for each and everyone of you and wish I could everyone of my supporters face to face; and P.S. the journey is only getting start lots more to come.

What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?

I have a single dropping within the next month or two and more to come after that. Maybe even a small surprise project….