J. Gunn- 7th Boro interview

With the beginning of a new year, we at the 7th Boro are trying to make bigger and bigger moves. We represent Hip Hop to the best of our ability. To do this, one thing we try to do is find dope Hip Hop that is up and coming or simply overlooked. I am excited to start this year with an interview from a dope MC who, I’ve been saying for about a year, is ready to blow up.

Joshua Gunn, or J. Gunn, is from Durham, North Carolina. He ALSO represents Hip Hop to the fullest and he ALSO will be making huge moves this year. When you listen to his music you can clearly hear his hunger and passion for Hip Hop. He also puts tons of effort into his rhymes and spits some of the most clever bars. With that being said, I figured I would try to match his effort and cleverness with my interview. Each question that I ask will be preceded by some of his lyrics. Take a few minutes to read this interview and listen to some of his music.

“Sittin alone in this house, scribbling pen in the pad. Living 26 years, 19 in this rap. Dedicate my whole life to this lyrical craft, sometimes I can’t help but wonder what’s it giving me back.”

Mills: You have been in Hip Hop for over 3/4 of your life. What made you want to do this for a living?

Gunn: I always wanted to emcee for a living, since like 8, 9 years old. I loved to perform, and the writing process literally saved my life through some trying times growing up. It gave me an outlet for my thoughts, my pain, and my emotion. I got really involved in the competitive side of Hip Hop, through the freestyle battle around 12 years old, and the success I had in that made me feel like this was something I could do on a high level, and truly make a career out of it. My career since then has seen some highs, and some lows, and at times I contemplated giving up, or just reducing my talents to a “hobby”, but something inside of me refuses to give up, and I am certain now this is what I want to do, for a living, for the rest of my life.

“I remember when they told me you would die, so I said I’d bring it back. I shifted my whole life and dedicated it to that. Everyday just spinning raps and in the mist of a ball, I realized Hip Hop ain’t dead at all”

Mills: Who or what influenced you to become a part of Hip Hop?

Gunn: My influences are vast, but my earliest influence was my big brother. I was blessed enough to grow up with a big brother that was into real dope Hip Hop. He introduced me to Common Sense, Nas, Wu-Tang, Outkast, Big, Jay-Z, De La, Tribe, when I was 8 and 9 years old. When my peers were all Vanilla Ice and Kriss Krossed out (I definitely had my Vanilla Ice and Kriss Kross tapes tho! hahaha) I was looking up to Nas and Common. So I credit my brother with teaching me what Hip Hop is supposed to sound like, so while Jay and Nas are probably my two biggest influences, if it wasn’t for my brother, I’m not sure I would’ve learned about them until a lot later in life, and that would’ve certainly shaped the way in which I approach making music. So shouts to Pat Gunn.

Mills: That explains alot. Those are some great MCs to be introduced to at a young age. And I can definitely hear their influences in your music. ( I remember buying the cassette single of Kriss Kross’ “I Missed The Bus”, hahaha)

“I only spit the fly shit, and I’m holding the game hostage, keep sleeping on me, I poke holes through your eyelids.”

Mills: I think “Pinot Noir” was the first J. Gunn track I ever heard. I became an instant fan. Then I made my boy listen to your “Otis” freestyle and he became an instant fan. We both appreciate dope Hip Hop, clever bars, and a nice flow. For those that never heard of you, what 2 or 3 songs would you play for them that will make them instant fans?

Gunn: Wow. People ask me this all the time, and as an artist it’s really difficult to answer, only because I believe in so much of my music. I mean, I wrote it, so almost all of it is dope to me. But I’d say “Pinot” is a good representation of my style, and my “lifestyle,” so I always play that for people. (Plus I think the video is really well done…shouts to Daniel Craig on that). Any of the freestyles on #GROE are a good showcase of my true lyrical ability, so I’d say “Otis” or “Monster” just to reinforce to cats that I can really spit with the best of them, being respected as a lyricist is really important to me. And then I’d play this record called “Believe” which is on my new project Faithful Struggle, which will drop in the next couple of months, that record is very personal, and I think helps the listener get an idea of who I am as a person. That should give people at least of a sample of what I’m capable of, however I’d hate to be limited to just 3 jams.

Mills: Yeah, I bet it must be damn near impossible for you to pick 2 or 3 songs. Those songs are dope, but I would also include: “On Some Pac Shit”. It had sick lyrics, it spoke about your life, and I love the 2Pac snippets.

Monster

[audio:https://7thboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Monster.mp3|titles=Monster]

On Some Pac Shit

[audio:https://7thboro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/On-Some-Pac-Shit.mp3|titles=On Some Pac Shit]

“So Hov signed Cole and Elect and Drake’s down wit Weezy, Kan’s got Big Sean so where does that leave me?”

Mills: You have the honor of working with the Legendary MC Lyte. She was one of the females who forced me to stop using the term “female MC” or “femcee”. She was an MC [period]. She could spit as good or even better than most guys.

( WAY better than a few of the rappers in the above line). What are some of the things you are learning from her when writing rhymes? In the booth?

Gunn: You know from the first time I met Lyte, even before they signed me, she was very big on perfecting my delivery. She was drawn to me because of my bars, but she saw opportunity for improvement in the way in which I delivered them, I tend to get a little complex, or wordy at times, and she’s been emphasizing working on delivering my lyrics in a method that is a lot easier for the listener to absorb and understand, but remaining true to the essence of my lyrics. Lyte is consistently challenging me to be more clever, and helping me expand my content and subject matter, she really believes in my ability and is making me understand that I haven’t even began to reach my potential as a song writer. We don’t agree on everything, but her perspective is always very valuable, and I am honored and privileged to have her on my side.

“Ain’t have nobody, now we half of your top 10, trynna keep us boxed in now we run Boxden.”

Mills: With MCs like Phonte, J. Cole, and J. Gunn to name a few, North Carolina produced some real dope Hip Hop this past year. What MCs would you include in your ALL TIME Top 10 list?

Gunn: Sheesh. In no particular order: Jay, Nas, Big, Comm, Black Thought, Andre, Em, Pun, Big L, Kane. Yep…that’s about right.

Mills: WOW, great great choices. It is extremely similar to a list I would make. Although, I would include Chino XL and Talib Kweli.

“And ya’ll just let them do it, feed you bullshit in a package and call it music.”

Mills: So much garbage is still out there and people keep supporting it!! How do you feel about the simple and dumbed down rapping that is still somehow “passing” for Hip Hop?

Gunn: I mean…I get it. I understand that people have different expectations for Hip Hop. Some people don’t want anything heavy, just something they can throw on and party to. And some of the dumb shit is actually clever in it’s ignorance. But then there’s shit that’s just stupid for the sake of being stupid, and it pisses me off to see those types of artists really try and pretend like they are dope emcees. I saw a Waka Flacka interview and he said “I dont think I’m a good rapper,” and honestly I respect that. He knows his lane, and he’s rocking out. But there are a lot of other cats, who flat out can’t rhyme, and run around here spitting bars about how dope they are, and how talented they are as an artist, and then with this whole push for people to be so “different” people are becoming so gimmicky with it, and not even putting any emphasis on the bars. People are just trying their best to say something shocking like “I’ll fuck your grandmother with a baseball bat” or something ridiculous like that. That’s the part that kills me…but I guess as long as there is an audience for it, people will continue to make sub quality music and call it dope. I won’t do it though…I want to one day end up on someone’s all time top ten list, and you don’t get there by just making records for shock value, etc. I’m planning on outdoing all of my competition, so there’s a lot of work to put in.

Mills: EXACTLY! Well said. If they wanna make party/dance and club joints, that’s fine… I’m cool with that. But I hate when they claim to be a top MC or “The greatest rapper alive”.

“Greatest rapper on the earth, they tried to kill me off but I sat up in the hearse. Said they changed the game all they did was make it worse, weak ass versions of Otis let them go first”. …… “And they hoping I was finished, took the Otis beat now it’s floating with the fishes.”

“Flow so hard that shit crazy, heard your bars that shit lazy. Met your chick, she drank my kids, swallowed them, that’s your baby.”

Mills: You pretty much took two of the hottest tracks of 2011, “Otis” and “Niggas In Paris”, and completely killed them. What makes you jump on tracks like these? Do you know immediately after you hear a track that you CAN kill it? How does that process go?

Gunn: Man, first off, thank you. Thank you for listening to those records, and really letting the bars sink in. I really appreciate that. With both of those records in particular, I had no intention on doing them. My business partner and Red Eye Lifestyle CEO, Rashad Ladson sent me Otis and was like “yo…rock this.” I didn’t want to because people had already went in on it so much, I heard like 15 Otis freestyles at that point, so I felt like it would be a waste. Then one day I was riding to NYC, and Kay Slay played this medley of all the cats who had done Otis freestyles, and honestly…all of em were kinda weak. I mean, some were decent, but I knew right then and there that I could kill it, so I just started coming up with the bars right there on the ride to New York.

Mills: As soon as I heard your “Otis” version, I immediately made one of my “Lyrics I Like…and YOU Should Too” posts.

Gunn: The “Paris” jawn, at the time, I hadn’t heard anyone rock it, so I was in LA and Rashad sent the beat over, I really wanted to do some different things with my flow, and it provided the perfect outlet for that. A few people did their versions of it, and before I got back from LA I heard a version by Busta that was pretty hard…so I wasn’t sure if we were gonna release mine, because like the Otis beat, I didn’t want it to be redundant. But I listened to it on the plane back from LA and was like “yo…my version is better…people need to hear this.”

Gunn: I honestly hate to jump on industry tracks, I feel like it’s becoming played out, but the competitor in me hears someone else spit over something, and not do the beat justice, and makes me wanna show the world why I think I’m the nicest emcee on the planet. I think industry tracks provide a neutral proving ground, it’s me and whoever over the same beat, doing our thing, and the public can truly judge who is the doper emcee that way. I will probably always hop on industry beats, for that reason alone, just to keep proving myself to people. Like “you heard such and such’s version on this beat?…watch what I can do.”

Mills: Well I certainly hope you keep them coming. It just makes it that much easier to win arguments with my boys. For example, I was with one of my cousins, Chris, on New Years and I mentioned you as a dope new MC. He never heard of you and asked, “What’s a good song?” Mind you, he is a Drake, Ross, and Weezy fan, so I made it simple… I said, “Listen to him murder that “6 Foot 7 Foot” beat. And a new fan was born.

“Middle finger to the rules, play my own game. You try and be trendy, I’m a penny: I won’t change.”

“Every line I drop is real, like a fishing pole.”

Mills: I notice you like to, and sometimes have to, explain an incredibly clever line after you spit it. You are a rare breed that clearly puts tons of time and effort into your rhymes. Why do you put so much effort into it? Does it ever cross your mind, even for a second, to dumb it down if it means quicker fame?

Gunn: Yes. All the time. But man, I just really love Hip Hop. I put the effort in because I believe Hip Hop deserves that amount of effort, the fans, the public deserves an emcee that is working hard to be creative and challenge their minds as a listener. I say in the GROE freestyle: “What good are my punchlines if nobody is getting them,” that’s me thinking, maybe I should dumb it down some, because I want people to be able to understand and appreciate what I’m saying; and I’ll even hit people with a simple line from time to time like: “ya’ll rappers easy…free throws”…just to show them that that part of the game is so easy. The lines these cats are spitting are so easy to come up with. It feels good to hear you quote those lines, and for me that’s what its about, how creative can I be, how can I hit people with a line that years from now people will still quote and be able to appreciate the double entendres and the wordplay. Plus, I have respect for my listeners, I don’t believe that they are idiots, and maybe I’m crazy, but I think there is a large population of people who want to be challenged, and rewind something a few times before they catch it. This is the artform I love…I only know how to give it my all.

Mills: That love and respect for the art form is what puts you above most other rappers. Coming from a fan of true Hip Hop, your work ethic is much appreciated.

“Mayhem on the mic, Mayweather of this sport please. Every song I drop’s a hit, hands down: Ortiz.”

Mills: You are always on top of your sports shit and this was just a sick line. Do you think the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight will ever take place? If so, who you got winning?

Gunn: Hahaha thanks man, I’m proud of that line for sure. I hope for the sake of boxing that Mayweather and Pacquiao fight, and I honestly think we may get to see it happen, I just hope it doesn’t take too long. I’m a big Mayweather fan, and I’ve got him winning. I don’t believe in Pacquiao, and I think Mayweather’s arrogance makes people hate him, and want him to lose, but he’s so damn skilled as a boxer, and his work ethic is unparalleled, I really don’t think he can be beat. I just would hate for the fight to take too long to happen, and then all of Mayweather’s critics will use their same excuse and say “Pacquiao was past his prime by the time he fought Mayweather,” like they say about everybody that he beats. So, I’m rolling with Ray J and the Money Team on that one…hahahaha.

Mills: Yeah, Mayweather is so damn cocky…. but he sure is a beast. I am a betting man, but I would probably not bet on this fight.

“Red Eye is the Lifestyle, any city any town, we will shut it down.”

Mills: The Red Eye Lifestyle movement is getting stronger and stronger. What are your upcoming plans for 2012? New album? Music? Tours?

Gunn: God Willing 2012 is going to be an incredible year for the entire REL team. “Faithful Struggle” which is a “mixtape” that is my best body of work to date will drop at the first part of this year. I will be following “Faithful Struggle” with my official debut over at Dubose Music Group later in the year as well. We have some very big announcements to make this month also, that I wish I could let out of the bag, but Rashad and the entire REL team put in a ton of work in 2011, and it has set us up with some major endorsements, tours and the whole nine. We should be making one of those announcements in the next couple of weeks, as the paperwork has been finalized we’re just waiting for the green light. I am just staying focused, staying thankful and learning every single day what it takes to truly build a movement in this industry. I’m in with my team of producers, working diligently to master my sound and my craft, and plan to truly shock people with these moves we are making.

Mills: Sounds like we gonna get some more dope music from you this year. You know I can’t wait to write an album review for the debut album. Also, let me remind the fans that you will be rocking the stage in NYC with Saigon on February 3rd. It’s gonna be a live show!! Don’t miss out, you can PURCHASE tickets HERE.

Gunn: Thank you so much for taking the time out to interview me, and I look forward to speaking with you in the near future as this thing continues to grow. Your support, and the support of all of my fans means the world to me, and I guarantee we will not disappoint in 2012. Peace bro, Gunn.

Mills: Your welcome, but I really want to thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. Not only do the interview, but genuinely putting lots of thought into your responses. Much appreciated! We will most definitely stay in contact. Peace.