1. You got a pretty interesting name for your music endeavors. How did you come up with JBM The Upstate Wreckin Ball?
Well it all began in a group called Bum Star I did with a friend of mine Noah9. We came up with some hard grimy names for our group. So I used a name of this dude I knew from way back that was a grimy dude. He ripped me off 40 bucks back when I was 15 so I figured I bought the name. The Upstate Wreckin’ Ball comes from my smash mouth style of rapping. I tend to use Boxing and MMA references in my raps. I approach my technique on the mic as a Wreckin’ Ball. Like that Jerome Bettis/Marshawn Lynch smashmouth style right up in your face and up the gut.
2. We know you rep NY, but it’s not where most people think. You are from Western, NY. For one, for all our readers not from NY, can you describe the difference in where you are from compared to NYC and can you tell us what the Hip Hop scene is like up there?
Yeah I rep the 716 which is the Buffalo Area and Southern Tier. I reside on the Allegany Reservation. The 716 has a booming up and coming hip hop scene. There are many talented artists out here. I tend to work with all kinds of MCs and Musicians. But you pretty much hear the same style hip hop coming from the artists out here as you do with the NYC hip hop.
3. What made you get into Hip hop, and what age did you start rapping and producing seriously?
Well I always would freestyle at parties with my boys back in the day. I was a musician already and played several instruments. The rhythm flows through me. So I just got a computer and a mixer an started recording everything and making dope ass structural beats with influences from all genres of music. Especially Jazz. I began Producing and rapping seriously at the age of 20. My boy Pipes Dirty from the Rez out here put me on when I was 19. I saw what he was doing and decided that it was just the thing I wanted to do.
4. Your song “Doomed” had a real old school vibe to it with the instrumentation. A lot of your music we have heard has that type of feel. What makes you stick to those jazz infused sounds we used to hear in the early 90’s and do want that type of sound to resurge?
Of Course I want to keep Old School Hip Hop alive. That is where all the true artists came from. And that is when it was at it’s highest point. If you listen to some of this new shit out there it is just garbage. Too many fools with no talent saying dumb shit in the main stream. Their tracks are like fads. They are a little bit catchy but have no solid structure. They aren’t masterpieces like they used to be. I want my music to be heard for eternity and be recognized as a work of art. Not a track that is good for a couple weeks and gets old.
5. After listening to you we can tell that substance is a main factor in what you do. With that said how do you feel about the current state of Hip Hop? Who were your favorite rappers coming up?
The current state of hip hop is fine. I think that people are now finally coming around to realize who the Jokers are and who the real cats are now. My favorite Rappers growing up were The WuTang Clan (Every Single One Of Them), Jurassic 5, Nas, and B.I.G. I was listening to Necro and Ill Bill for a bit and I was starting to get down with them. I was about to get them booked out here in the 716 somewhere but they wouldn’t battle me. So I just don’t give them my ear anymore because they didn’t give me theirs.
6. What are your weapons of choice when making a beat?
Of course my Horn. I have played trumpet since 8 Years Old, and using real drum sounds. I am a drummer as well. I always like to play the keys too. I pretty much play all the parts.
7.Being able to play all those instruments gives you an upper hand compared to a lot of these other producers out here in Hip Hop. How does being able to play give you the upper hand in your opinion. Also, which instrument do you gravitate the most?
The trumpet is my number 1 instrument for sure. Having the horn sounds in my beats makes the beat reach out and grab the listeners ear. Being able to play instruments gives you the upper hand because you can go live and have a dope live performance and it also keeps your melodies in key and sounding good. Things fit together better and sound better as a whole.
8. We’ve seen you making noise on some of the Digital Dynasty mixtapes as of late. What else is in the works? Any shows, mixtapes, albums, etc?
I just released an album from my group Waste Management. It’s a collection of jams with almost 20 different artists involved in the project. It is named “The Pennsies”. Because the studio is on the remains of the old Pennsylvania Railroad running through the Allegany Reservation. I’m also planning on contributing more tracks to the Digital Dynasty Series and the Spitfire Series.
9. Out of all the songs you ever did, which were your favorites and why?
I love all of them. I can’t pick a favorite. Every track is for a different day. It depends what mood I’m in.
10. With 2015 here what is up next for you?
I’m looking to futher my hip hop beat production and make a run at providing more established MCs with beats.
11. When did you start your companies “WA$TE Management” and “JBM Productions” and what services do each provide?
I provide recording services to people in my area at a reasonable price. It’s pretty much a jam session turned into a recording session here. I tend to keep the door revolving here so I have a melting pot of music then I throw it all together and organize it to make something that sounds dope.