How would you sum up 2015? What do you hope to do differently in 2016?
2015 was a breakout year for me. If I had to sum it up I would say it was an “achievement” but sort of like the achievement of taking your first step or dunking a basketball in a game for the first time. In the grand scheme of things, it’s really just the beginning. I’m proud of my first album. I’m anticipating growth in 2016 with all the attention I’ve been getting from press and industry. But ultimately, the core focus of the music will stay the same – the idea of The Lover/Fighter will be central to my next moves. I’ll be performing a lot more, touring and taking the album to festivals.
How has response been to the album?
It’s been cautious. Most people’s reaction to it has been “wtf, how have I not heard of this dude before”. People don’t know what box to put me in. They are being introduced to a new sound, a new perspective. I’ve spent a lot of time developing the sound of my music instead of flipping trends. The fan and journalistic response has been entirely positive. The album is moving and songs have been streamed over 20k times on Spotify in 1 month without advertising. I don’t think since I dropped the song with K.Dot I have received any negative criticism about my music – I’m sure it’ll come. It’s sort of a strange feeling; interest is growing and collaboration requests are coming in.
How do you manage the process of keeping the attention on your music in light of the Lamar drama?
People want to hear the music. Ultimately Kendrick’s camp’s cowardice and lack of professionalism doesn’t really distract from the fact that I’m making music that I feel is important. I don’t have to manage it really, it's well covered by VICE, HipHopDX etc. True music fans want to hear music, and that’s who my audience is. Their attention spans are longer than people who use music as background noise to celebrity culture.
Do you ever really recover from cancer? Does life ever go back to normal?
I guess the short answer is ‘yes’. I beat cancer, with the help of socialized medicine, great medical professionals and my family and friends. The long answer is No. I’m not sure anyone really recovers from Cancer the way I got it. It changes you. For me life never really went back to normal, health wise yeah sure, but my outlook on life and my desires changed. Does a person stay the same after he or she comes back from war? I guess not. I’m not sure I ever want things to be normal.
What’s your number one piece of advice for up and coming rappers?
The entire music industry is based on marketing, payola, nepotism and oligarchy. Understand that the quality and importance of your work is no way linked to your critical or commercial success. If you love to rap for rap’s sake… rap for the sake of doing what you love. Forget the pretentiousness, the petty politics and minstrel show that dominates commercial music.
The Fighter/Lover Document on Spotify | iTunes |
jonathanemile.com | Twitter [@jonathanemile] | Facebook |
jonathanemile.com | Twitter [@jonathanemile] | Facebook |