Noah Jones Interview

[D-Nice]

http://www.illuminati2g.com/noahjones2interview.htm

One of my favorite artists has to be Noah Jones. His work ethic is insane, music is as well and he is a breath of fresh air in this sometimes stagnant hip hop game. We linked up once again to discuss his upcoming projects, his work with Rain and a couple other big names in the works and his experience going to Canada to shoot a video. Check it out. Also be sure to download his new mixtape, They Labeled Me A Monster.

Illuminati 2G is here with Noah Jones how's it going?

Oh I am fantastic man, could not be better.

Your new album The Incinerator has been out for a couple of months now. What is your thoughts on the album and the public's response now that it is out.

Fantastic man. Everyone is pretty much saying that they can play the album straight through from intro to outro. I am looking forward to my first check from the label in a couple of days so I am real excited.

Just tell me some good memories that you have in creating the album. You had alot of dope west coast collabs with Glasses Malone, Nipsey Hussle, Crooked I as many more. Anything that sticks out to you about the making of that album?

How random alot of thing were. For example, me meeting Knocturnal in the grocery store and getting that phone call and him asking me what you doing later on today? I was like nothing why what's good? He said you want to hit the studio and I said yeah. Getting asked to go to the studio by a guy like Knocturnal was crazy.

Getting in the studio and seeing what his recording process was like and then it blossomed into so many different things. Working with Crooked I and him giving me props in the studio about my writing ability was crazy. This is Crooked I and he said in the youtube footage I got to put my thinking cap on when dudes like Noah Jones come into the building.

To go from just meeting someone to working with them is crazy. That was very fond for me.

Do you have any videos planned from any songs on the album?

Actually yeah, I have planned to do one for The Crack Of Dawn track with Knocturnal. I am not sure yet as to when we will get started on it. I recently shot a video in Canada to a song titled Anything You Want produced by Quest of the Toybox Crew. I have the trailer out there and the video will be dropping soon.

As far as The Incinerator, I am not too sure because all of the artists on here have their own agendas and sometimes it is hard to pull everyone together. In the meantime I am working on as much music as possible.

That leads right into my next question. What was it like shooting the video in Canada and for the new album that you are doing with Toybox Crew?

It was amazing because the people there already knew my history. The thing I like about Canada is they do their homework on music so when I got there, there was already people that knew who I was. They were already following me and knew about the collaborations and songs that I had. They treated me like a star because they really respect the hip hop scene in the United States.

That is a market that they are really trying to tap into. When they seen what I was doing and how professional I handle my career, they were more interested. They were saying yo you out there working with the big dogs, why are you coming out to Canada to do this? I said your people produced the record, what better way to show love then to shoot the video in Canada where they made the record.

It is just borders that separates the U.S. from Canada, everything else is pretty much the same. We all got love for the music and the movement.

Is there any details that you can give about the album with Toybox Crew? Release date, guest appearances, title?

I did alot of solo joints thus far and no right now I do not have a release date. I want to get some big name artists on there so it is in relation to timing. The project is called Cinematic and the vibe is like a movie. The beats sound like they are from a movie and it does not sound like anything I have never worked on. There is a joint on there called Kill Myself , which we are going to shoot the video in a couple of months.

It is a dark and twisted side subject matter wise, and it is a completely opposite of the other single, Anyway You Want, which is a party joint. I am not going to tell you the plot of the video, stay tuned.

Ok, and you are currently working on a group album with Knocturnal and Jaguar, is that correct?

Yeah we have worked on a couple of records and we are in the process of doing that. Because we are all busy the harder it is. The more things though that we have done on our own, doors have opened up. I got word that Knocturnal is basically in charge of Hood Surgeon, which is Dr. Dre son. He has a project coming out soon as well.

I actually got a call from Knocturnal and he told me he was working with him and that I need to come down to the studio so that we can make it happen. So I might end up being on the album and getting collabs here and there. I am picking out beats for that as well. There are so many different things, it can be hard to stay focused.

But I am trying my best to stay focused and try to entertain any opportunity that comes my way.

I know that you have done at least 3 tracks with Rain from North Carolina. Anymore collaborations coming up or a full length album with both of you on it?

Yeah and the response that we have been getting has been crazy. We have real good chemistry on songs and another artist that I have good chemistry with is Charlie Clips from Dipset. I proposed to them that we do a group album together and that is something we are trying to put together. If that does not happen, I am sure that myself and Rain will do something together, song or album.

We are labelmates now so congrats to Rain for signing on to the label. Things is really looking up for everybody.

You have always been open about networking and doing features with other artists. What are some new projects or guest appearances that you have coming up for you?

I spoke to 40 Glocc (Big Bad 40 as he is now called) the other day and he heard my track with Nipsey Hussle and he liked it. The person that interviewed him asked him if it was ok to give me his number. He said yeah so I texted him and he said let's do something together and he appreciates my grind. It's funny how God can bring people together like that.

I am supposed to be something with Lil Flip, the deal is not final yet but I know this produer, Seneca, he produced Men Lie Women Lie for Yo Gotti and Lil Wayne. He is the one that agreed to produce the record that me and Flip will be on. I am also working on something with Devin The Dude, so those are the up in the air ones that I am trying to find beats for. I did alot of features for up and coming artists as well, and I have done over 20 features for other artists.

Do you feel like that is something that is missing from hip hop? The art of collabs with other artists?

Yeah I think more artists should work with others outside of their demographic. I was talking to my east coast homeboy the other day and he was telling me that for his project he has alot of east coast features and his name is still getting swept under the carpet. You have to expand your demograph and work with people in different situations and cultures.

That can give you a edge, for me I have worked with New York artists but my main focus is Los Angeles because I live out here. I want to reach out to the Bay Area next so that I can do shows in LA and the Bay and still be able to get love from both. Then I want to work my way to the midwest because I used to live in St. Louis and I have ties with people out there.

Then I want to bring it back home with the east because I am originally from New York. You have to have a plan of action and alot of people are not hungry like that to put the work in that it takes.

What do you feel is the biggest difference musically with the east and west coast? Other than just style and the way people move and business wise?

I like the east coast grind, because the seasons are so heavy, they make you grind harder in the summertime then in the winter time. During the winter it is so fucking cold outside that it really restricts your movement. As far as the west coast, I really like that the artists are real eager so show that they have skills out here.

That is something that I really value because growing up in New York, subconsicously alot of people on the east did not feel that west coast rappers could really rap. To come out here and see something completely different for myself, and to be able to work with the Jay Rock's and the Glasses Malone's and Nipsey Hussle, that is what I like doing.

The new stars on the west all sound different. Some of the east coast artists sound similar and do not stand out as much to me, in my opinion. Maybe it is because I have lived out there for so long that hearing the rappers they do sound the same to me. I don't know, it may have to do with the fact that I have adapted to a whole new lifestyle but I like the focus, grind and determination from the east coast and from the west I like that they feel they have something to prove.

You have 2 artists, Jay Rock and Glasses from Watts and they don't rap the same, talk the same, have the same slang. That is orginality to me and I like that.

Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates?

Right now I have been focusing on doing alot of interviews promoting the album and I have been staying busy working on new music. Since I do not have a manager, I do alot of stuff by myself.

That actually leads into another question. What advice would you give to a up and coming MC that is trying to make it on their own?

Just don't be cheap. The music business is a very expensive business and until you build up these relationships with certain people, it is going to cost you. Even when you do build up these relationships, it will still cost you. Because people do this for a living and feed their families off of this. I know alot of artists that come into the game and say oh I am so talented to where I don't have to pay.

That mindstate alone keeps them stagnant and stuck in their own situation because artists that make a living doing this, they don't want to hear someone is not trying to pay. You should understand your worth and the artist's worth. In my opinion I look at it like this, if 2 artists are working together and have equal buzz then yeah I can see a free collabo.

They both have a platform and they are both know. But if a artist has a considerable buzz and it is higher than the other artist, he should compensate the higher artist because the higher artist is going to help build the brand of the lesser artist he or she is working with. For example, someone who has not experienced as much as me would pay me for a verse and what I would do is roll that into a cheaper Crooked I feature instead of paying the I just met you price.

There is a pecking order and alot of artists do not understand that. Time and verses are money and also do not be afraid to take risks. The investment I spent working with Knocturnal, look what it did for me. It turned into a Crooked I feature, I am working with Hood Surgeon, I was on KB's mixtape with YB The Rockstar.

That was all off of the one initial investment I made with Knocturnal, so if I was not gun ho and took that chance, who knows where I would be at right now. Your work ethic will ultimately decide how far you go and your talent. You have to have the money to get where you need to get it, but your people skills, talent will also keep you there as well.

That is real talk. What is your website and contact information for producers and artists looking to work with you.

I am just going to leave my cell phone number. I am not a hard person to get it touch with, I have had this number for 8 years. 714-553-3112, and my email is noahjones714@gmail.com . www.twitter.com/noahjones714 , www.youtube.com/noahjones714 , www.myspace.com/noahjones . I don't deal with Facebook because they have you sign something that says everything you upload becomes property of Facebook.

That is good advice, I did not know that (laughs).

If you upload your album covers, you just lost your rights and they can fight you for that. You signed a disclaimer, and I seen it on the news about it and ever since then I am glad I did not sign up. People alot of times do not pay attention and go with what the current fad is and don't do the research.

Alright well that is all the questions I have for you, appreciate you getting down for the interview. Is there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?

Thank you for your time man. I want to shout you out for giving me the time and the continued support. I know you are over there working hard and doing 100 interviews a week so I am glad you could fit me in (laughs).

Anytime.

I see you out there making moves as well and it is good to have people like you out there that notice when others are out here working hard. I just want to shout out all the artists out there pursuing they dreams. It was a crazy experience going to Canada to make a music video and it is possible. A year ago I was not in this position so as long as you work hard and stay faithful, make good business relationships and deliever when people are counting on you, any artist can do it man.

[Lunatic]

dope!