J. Blitz

New Orleans Rap, einmal ganz ohne Bounce und Bling: J. Blitz, bekannt für seine Aufnahmen mit den N.O.vators im Interview über sein kurz bevorstehendes Debütalbum, seinen erzwungenen Umzug nach Colorado und kommende Projekte mit seinen sage und schreibe drei Crews…

The first time I heard your voice was on the “Fuck The Cause” compilation which came out on T Nasty Rec. in 2004. How did this project come together?

Well, Trev (T-Nasty) was a friend of 0-T, one of the members of Quotable. I’d hung out with him a couple times, and he was a really cool dude. So he told me he was doing this compilation and he wanted me on it. He shot me the beat, and said I could make the song about whatever I wanted. So after a good amount of me being the procrastinator that I am, I finally came up with “Da Craziest.” 0-T also gave him one of the tracks from the Quotable demo to use (Ricochet), which – naturally- I was on as well.

How has your life changed since then? I read that you have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina and that you’re living in Denver, CO now. Do you plan to return?

Yeah, I’ve been living in Colorado – first Denver, now Colorado Springs – ever since the hurricane. It’s a huge culture shock, but I’m maintaining. I miss New Orleans more and more every day though. I know eventually I’ll end up returning; I feel a serious obligation to be there now, helping the city to rebuild. That’s where I think I should be. It messes with my head sometimes.

You’re currently preparing a album + mixtape release. What’s the state of the process and when will the album be available?

The mixtape and album are both complete as far as recording is going. Mixing and mastering for the mixtape just wrapped up last week, so finished versions of those tracks are available online now. The album is in post-production right now, and should be available by Mid-July.

Where will the album be available?

Right now, the mixtape tracks are available for download at my myspace or my website. Look for it on CD by the end of May. The album will be available for sale on my site and the N.O.vators site, in most store across the U.S. that carry underground hip-hop, and on most online retailers.

According to your myspace the title will be “Destined For Greatness” – what will you rap about on this piece?

I’d like to think of it as a somewhat inspirational album. I’d been completely away from music for about a year after Katrina, so it felt really good to be writing again, to be back in the studio again. Just about all of the songs really reflect that feeling of “yeah, let’s go, let’s do this, I’m ready!” The album touches on other things as well: social issues, relationship problems, alcoholism … but the dominant theme would have to be one of determination and perseverance. I also try to make sure that I represent New Orleans as best as I can, showing a side of N.O. hip-hop that’s seldom seen – not better, just different.

Tell me about the different persons that have been involved in the recording process’s…

I gotta credit Allen Poe, the executive producer of Destined For Greatness. The dude
has been there from the beginning of this project till the end. It’s good having someone in the studio who can help me channel what I’ve got going into something a little more coherent. I have a tendency to go off on tangents a lot. As far as beats, Decap is carrying a lion’s share of the production duties, along with tracks from M-Phazes, Kno (of Cunninglynguists), The Messangers – and myself.

The album will be released on N.O.vators Records – who else is signed to this label right now?

That’s a good question. *laughs* The label’s still in it’s infancy; currently it’s just serving as an outlet for the N.O.vators and any side projects the six of us are working on.

How long have you been working on this project altogether?

It’s kind of funny, this is actually my second album, although it was recorded first. Let me explain: I actually had another album completely written and ready to start recording as soon as we would have finished the Quotable album. Then came Katrina, and plans changed. I didn’t really want to do that album with anyone but 0-T (of Quotable) overseeing the process, cause we were working so well together at the
time. So Allen and I started bouncing around ideas back in 2006, thinking that I should put together a short EP of maybe 7 or 8 tracks. By the end of ’06, however, it had grown to a full length album. We figured if we were going to do it, we may as well not do it halfway. So now the second album is coming out first, and the first one will be second. Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense in the end.

You’re a member of not less than three different groups: The Bad Liver Project, Quotable and of course The N.O.vators. Which one of these crews will drop some new material in the future future?

Hopefully all of them! *laughs* But seriously, the Quotable album has been in the works for some time now; we’ve been really taking our time and not trying to rush it; the damn thing has kind of taken on a life of it’s own. It’ll be ready when it tells US it’s ready. As for The Bad Liver Project, it’s still in the works as well, and should be done sometime this year. I hope I’m not getting too far ahead of myself by saying that, because it’s hard to be sure when you’re at opposite ends of the country.

All in all your music isn’t very typical for New Orleans. How did you manage to develop your very own N.O. Sound?

It sounds like a cliche, but I’d have to say I draw inspiration from a little bit of everything. I was definitely a fan of all the local artists and styles in my youth: Cash Money Records, No Limit Records, Big Boy Records, all the other local labels, bounce rap, etc. But I was also really into a lot of stuff from other regions: Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Public Enemy, Common, Outkast and Scarface – who I have to credit as the main dude who made me want to start doing it myself. Combine that with my interest in writing, my always eclectic musical tastes, and the New Orleans community’s really strong pro-Black roots, and I think that’s pretty much where I built it from.

Is there anything I forgot to ask about? Add it here…

I’d just like to say keep an eye out for the “Suckapunch Mixtape Version 1 Pernt 5″ and the album “Destined For Greatness”, coming in July. Keep checking my websites (mentioned below). Oh, and I’d like to give a shout out to the cute girl with the booty who works at Bath and Body Works in the mall – one of these days, I’m gonna get up the courage to holla. But seriously, thanks to anybody out there trying to support anyone making music that means something to them. There isn’t a single artist of any art form that would have made it without someone believing in them from the start. But seriously, I’m gonna holla at that girl!!

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Make sure to check out:

http://www.myspace.com/itsjblitz
http://www.NOvators.com