Paige City Life July Paige City Life July 2014

PCL: With a street savvy poetic ﬂow, comparable to artist like Kendrick Lamar, which artists are you most inspired by personally? was cool! Much more to accomplish, much more to do. After the video was over I was ready to go to the studio. It came on again. I dropped everything and watched it, but right after that I was back to work! “A gentleman by the name of Ramarley Graham....” PCL: Give us 4 bars from your “FNWA” track that describe a “ﬂy nigga with attitude.” ImJaeHall: That’s a tuff task (lol). That entire track was just a wave of emotion! It didn’t even make the EP. We shot an 8 thousand dollar video and didn’t even put it on the project. That was surrounding the whole Trayvon Martin situation and also a situation similar to Trayvon which happened up the block from me. A gentlemen by the same of Ramarley Graham was shot in his bathroom by the cops, in front of his sister for no reason. No guns were found on him, drugs, nothing. That situation was really just a reality check for me. Like, it’s happening in our back yard now. It touched home! ImJaeHall: I’m personally inspired by everything! From Good Kid m.A.A.d City (Kendrick Lamar) to Rudimental’s Home album. No barriers, I love music... PCL: With your “Summer’s Here” EP buzzing, what can we expect from ImJaeHall this Summer 2014? ImJaeHall: You can expect to see me! I’m focused on getting on every stage! Getting on every network (Revolt, BET), and really giving you the best independent visuals for music! “I feel like good music videos are becoming a lost art.” I guess because they’re technically so easy to shoot now. Now that my EP is ﬁnished, I’m really focused on getting in front of the people. These social sites are cool, being on blogs is cool also, but I like to touch the people, meet new people and really have them see the passion ﬁrst hand. See the art ﬁrst hand! Expect me to give you the best independent visuals, the most creatives and expect to see me! I’m focused! PCL: Congrats on your “NY Inspired” video recently making its premiere on MTV Jams. What was that moment like for you as an artist on the come up? ImJaeHall: I literally jumped up and down in my house (lol). It was Mother’s Day. My mom and family saw it, so that was cool. My mother didn’t know I make music. She obviously knew that I rap, but she had no idea that I actually took it serious. I’ve hid it from my mother for so long, just so she’s doesn’t worry (lol). She wants me to do great things and she doesn’t see music as the way. I’m going to do that. But for her to see me on TV, that PCL: With such a deep lyrical connection to your music on tracks like “Aaliyah”, tell us which usually comes ﬁrst, the lyrics or the beat? ImJaeHall: It depends on what’s inspired ﬁrst. If it’s the tempo and melody, the beat is probably ﬁrst. We go in trying to make the beat that I have in my head. If I’m inspired by a concept or ﬂow, I usually have the rhyme ready ﬁrst. Then we go in trying to make a record that gives the verse and concept a home. It truly depends on the day and inspiration. PCL: What is an average day in music like for ImJaeHall? ImJaeHall: I’m usually playing music that isn’t played in the states. I might just be playing a drum and bass artist like Chase & Status or Rudimental, just to hear their sonics and how they are with their sounds. Then I might play a Lauren Hill record and go outside to see how the city feels that day (lol). It’s a weird process but I like to just have inspiration hit me. I don’t like to sit in the studio and force anything, unless I’m recording. When I record we book 12 hr blocks, so I like to go in there and know exactly what I’m doing. Most of time, I’m just listening to music and having conversations with my producers about what we’re trying to do. PCL: What type of movement are you looking to create with your music? ImJaeHall: I’m looking to create a movement of creatives! I’m trying to help inspire the creative culture of Hip Hop for at least the next 10 yrs. I’m trying to have every record feel like a breath of fresh air. Straight creative sh*t! PCL: Where can readers follow ImJaeHall? ImJaeHall: They can follow me @ImJaeHall on Twitter and Instagram. Also go to www.CitySliq.com to download the EP and see what shows and events I have coming up. PCL 25

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