Jayarson Explains The Concept Behind His Single, “Lil Derrick!”

Jayarson is quickly becoming one of the hottest rappers from New Orleans!

It seems like New Orleans is picking up steam on the rap scene again. The same steam that the city once had in the 90’s and early 2000’s. And then Hurricane Katrina hit, and a lot of the talent moved away or couldn’t muster of the passion to record again. Jayarson is one of the many rappers responsible for this resurgence happening in the New Orleans rap culture right now. The current pandemic isn’t slowing down his grind and he’s been providing fresh music for his supporters despite the current climate. He recently dropped a single, “Lil Derrick,” and is working on a project titled, “Murder Cappy!” The Downtown, New Orleans product is rubbing elbows with all the right people and is determined to create a sound that will be copied abroad.

During my recent conversation, Jayarson explains the impact the legends before him has on his career, why he felt now is the time to dedicate an album to them and much more!

What’s good with you, Jay?

Jayarson: Man, I’m doing good, man. I can’t complain, man. just been taking this time to reflect on what I always reflect on, the gift of life, you know what I’m saying.

Definitely! I love the, “Lil Derrick” track and if you are from around here you know exactly who that is. But for the ones who aren’t, enlighten them.

Jayarson: I appreciate that. The “Lil Derrick” idea was kind of the most beautiful accident that ever happened. The concept really came from the album, “Murder Cappy” that I’m working on. What I basically did was I paid homage to people that the world don’t know about from our city and people the world do know about from our city. The titles of my songs are, “Fila Phil,” “Baby,” “Percy Miller,” and “Lil Derrick.”

Now, to get back on track with the whole, “Lil Derrick” track… this is how it happened. I was in the studio and I remembered the, Juvenile song. And I was like, “Man, did “Bulletproof” say that?” “Bulletproof” is, Lil Derrick by the way. But “Bulletproof” and Turk kind of sounded alike. I named it that but then after I did the song, I was like, “Man, Turk said that,” but I was like, “No, I’m going to keep it,
“Lil Derrick” because it had a different significance and ring to it. it had a different feel to what it meant to our culture and I felt like it was showcasing somebody that’s important to New Orleans culture. I wanted it to be him anyways because I flipped the Turk line, but it was actually Turk line. Shout out to, Turk. I didn’t not keep it Turk as a downplay because I love Turk and I love what Turk do personally. I just think the, “Lil Derrick” had a better ring to it for our culture in terms of capturing the audience here. It’s like, “The song is named, “Lil Derrick,” let me listen to that.” That was the whole beautiful accident. I’m glad I stuck to my guns and trust myself and kept the name, “Lil Derrick,” because it has a ring to it like I thought it would.

Everything you do seems to be well thought out and calculated.

Jayarson: That is 100% accurate. I battle with myself with my thoughts with a lot of stuff that I choose to do and choose not to do. Nothing I do is sporadic. Everything is thought out, even a post. The caption on my Instagram post all the way to the clothes that I’m wearing. Everything is strategic because I feel like it’s a part of my brand. I work so hard to put the brand where it needs to be, and it’s so easy to lose the audience attention, I have to plan out everything strategically and market it to maintain my audience.

What made now the time to make an album and dedicate it to the OG’s from New Orleans?

Jayarson: I felt like now is the time for me as an artist to do it because, I always incorporate verses that I flipped in my music and stuff like that. But I feel like now is the perfect timing for it because the city knows who I am. I feel like you could ask around and ask a person if they ever heard of, Jayarson… they may not personally know me, but you can pull up my face or my artwork and they will know. Brand familiarization made it time for me to do that if that makes sense. I feel like nobody has done it the way that I’m going to do it. I think it’s time for the rebirth of the culture through the leaders of the new school like myself. And I wanted to change the dynamics of the way these kids are trying to rap like they… they trying to sound like, NBA Youngboy, trying to sound like, Lil Baby, or Moneybagg; whoever they trying to sound like. I feel like it was time to show people that it’s cool to sound like you from New Orleans. You don’t have to sound like you from Philly. You could rap with bars and still be from here. I rap with bars. I do that. So, I just felt like it was planned out well, the timing is right for me to show what our city means to the world.

I’ve listened to all of your albums recently. It feels like you are not only growing as an artist, but do you feel like you are coming into your own so to speak?

Jayarson: I feel like I created the sound within my last project, “In The Meantime II,” and even the sound I created with the, “Lil Derrick,” song… I feel like somebody would go to somebody and want a Jayarson song and beat. It’s been tough on me because Niyo produced, “Lil Derrick,” and he produced a lot of music on the next album that I’m droppin. Dude was a big part of me understanding my pocket. The science and frequency of my voice, by listening to his beats, it made me go back and study myself. And understand what I sound best on and RIP Niyo. That was tough. Me finding my sound and finding myself and losing the producer that had a lot to do with that. A lot of producers have helped me along the way like, KMor Gold and Loski On The Track. A lot of producers who I worked with out there, but Niyo helped me really understand my New Orleans sound. That’s one of the reasons why I want to showcase that it’s cool to be from New Orleans.

Rest Easy, Niyo for sure. He was so dope, man. Please tell me that you guys finished that joint you posted on Instagram with the, Pimp Daddy hook?

Jayarson: Dat track has legs and I haven’t even let nobody hear it. [Bog] Vonnie is on that record, man. I got a female feature on that record. That record is bananas. Listen to me… this whole project… when this record drop, it’s going to change New Orleans culture forever. I mean that I’m not just saying it. people are going to go back and be like, “I wanna sound like this sound.” There will be people coming to our city stealing that sound. Listen, we finished that one. I co-produced a lot of the stuff though. I gave Niyo the concept and we sat down and babied this project, man. It’s definitely untimely because I know in my heart the reaction that’s going to happen from it, and my dog definitely could’ve reaped the benefits of it. I’m just like, “Man.” GDP actually called me up because he’s an executive on the project really, but he called me up and he was like, “Man, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Niyo passed away.” And I’m like, “Man, stop it!” I almost cried because I can’t get that sound back. That sound is buried with him.

Did he pass from the Corona Virus or someone killed him?

Jayarson: I don’t have all the details, but I know it was a domestic dispute. The energy of this lives on forever. Pimp [Daddy] went out like that, Niyo went out like that… maybe that’s more of a reason that the record is going to go out how it’s going to go out. Energy lives forever. Pimp Daddy lives forever and Niyo is going to live forever. Jayarson gonna live forever through these beats and through this music. That’s how I feel about it. Hopefully, I’ll get to live to see my great-great-great grandkids run around singing my music, ya feel me.

You are able to be around a lot of legends in the city. Skip from UTP is someone you’re close with. What makes those times so special to you?

Jayarson: Bruh, you know what, I don’t think them dudes really know that I be like a little kid when I’m around them, you know what I’m saying. In the inside I be like a little kid. These dudes I really grew up looking up to and my mom telling me to cut their music off. My mom used to be like, “Cut that off. Why are they talking about women in that manner? Why is there so much cussing?” I’m like 8-9 years old playing these dudes music, so I don’t think they really understand the significance of what they mean to me. But I tell them in my own way, and I show em. I just behaving surreal moments like, I’ll never forget, Juvenile… I was just chillin at the carwash by Skip. I always just go pass on him. And Juve was like, “Jay, what’s up, bruh. I see you doing your thing.” And I don’t think he know what that meant to have him telling me that he see me. And then he asked me to hear his tracks that hadn’t hit the radio yet. And I was just like, “Wow!” It’s just a humbling thing and I be excited about it, man. I understand a lot of people wanna do it and they can’t do it. I’m really cool with these dudes. I’m thankful for it and it’s all organic.

In watching some of your interviews, you are always brutally honest and leave yourself open for questioning. Why?

Jayarson: It’s me! It’s nothing that I set out to do. My team actually get on me about that. They be like, “You didn’t have to say all that.” Man, I’m being myself. I recommend anybody in anything they do to be themselves at all times. Real doesn’t mean… people get the definition of real misconstrued with streets. I said it before, being from the streets don’t make you real. Being true to yourself makes you real. Being true to whoever you are. And I’m a real person, I’m a real man and I stand on that. So, that’s where my brutal honesty comes from, even in myself. It’s nothing to me. I know I probably run people wrong; especially people who are not from our city. It’s just who I am and if you don’t want to accept that, nine times out of ten, we not cut from the same cloth, so we wouldn’t be in the same vicinity anyways.

I can’t wait to hear the project, keep doing your thing and representin us well. Give me some closing thoughts.

Jayarson: Man… peace and blessings to everybody. RIP Niyo! Shout out to anybody that inspired me along the way. Shout out to anybody that helped me in my career hands on. Shout out to my homeboy KMor Gold for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself or understand who I was. And shout out to you for this interview, man. I really appreciate it. I appreciate your time, man. Anything you need, you ain’t gotta ask me twice, man.

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