Who Is Jamal Cristopher?

After graduating from the University of California, Merced, Leimert Park‘s newest star Jamal Cristopher’s following has grown yearly since his college beginnings in 2011. Amassing almost 40,000 followers on Instagram, the city of Leimert Park, & Los Angeles as a whole has been more than welcoming to Cristopher’s rise to potential stardom. With songs such as “Caution” “Nobody” and “Had To” the Leimert Park rapper has garnered praise from some of Hip-Hop’s most prominent curators on the web. Cristopher provides a sound that’s missing and needed in the streets of Los Angeles. After a brief hiatus, Cristopher returns with his new album, “AIGHT BET” set to drop by years end.

The album presents a stark contrast with today’s sound, a sound that could seemingly care less about the content in the music. Cristopher does this all the while still making music that’s in line with who he is as a young kid who’s making mistakes and yearns to have fun. “One of the fastest rising stars on the west coast” according to Hip-Hop Vibe, everything suggests that Jamal can be a potential player in West Coast Hip-Hop now, & for years to come. Determined to be one of the new faces of Los Angeles music, Cristopher’s star is growing. “AIGHT BET” is due out this year, and only then will we get to see just how much it’s grown.

As you see yourself, who is Jamal Cristopher?

Jamal Cristopher is a rapper, a son, a brother, a co-worker, a friend, a lot of things. Really though I’m someone who’s trying to follow his passions, trying to take things as far as they can go, and seeing where that takes me. A man who is growing and learning daily. A man who is attempting to make a living by being himself. Just somebody who is trying to be better than the man he was the day before.

What brought you to the entertainment industry and music specifically?

I’ve always thought of myself in entertainment. When I was growing up I always thought it would be through basketball. And I was pretty good, got to my senior year of High School and I was playing around with music and I had a friend tell me I should take it seriously. When I was a kid I used to have like, tons of notebooks just filled with poems and raps. It was always a passion so fast forward my senior year of high school when my friend told me I should take it seriously it just felt natural. Like I was rapping for years without even pursuing it. It was always school and hoops. I put out a mixtape during my freshman year of college, then one my sophomore year, and just kept going.

What and/or who influenced the sound you bring today?

A lot of people. Dom Kennedy is always a huge influence him and Drake. With Dom, I just never heard someone speak about where we from in Leimert Park on a national level the way he does. So passionate about this shit. Of course, you hear the general shit, the South Central, or LA, or even like Compton where my mom from…but Leimert specifically? all Dom. And with Drake that’s just an idol since 07. Somebody I’ve always studied. I went to Dorsey high and I remember leaving school early to download So Far Gone and when I heard it I said I wanted to do that. The melodic nature of his music, the bars, the stories, I just wanna affect the consumer the way he does. He’s the greatest musician ever to me. But outside of those two, J. Cole, Big Sean, Kendrick, and Nip. A lot of oldies too. This new album I’m about to drop got a lot of oldies in it, specifically Otis Redding.

What’s happened in your career that makes you feel this is the industry for you?

-I don’t know if this is the industry for me to tell you the truth. But If I’d have to say, I’d say the way I look at the Music Industry, and Social Media culture all together with a certain logic to my approach that gives me the best chance. Me and my brother talk about it all the time. Just thinking things through and figuring out how I can be interesting enough that people wanna give me a shot. To be at the position I’m in right now where it’s starting to feel like I have a chance, just let me know that the way I think about the industry is correct. To be able to grow the way I am and I ain’t been putting any music out in a long ass time like I’m doing something right. I don’t even do music videos (yet).

What was the biggest obstacle in getting to your current career phase?

Getting enough support definitely. Enough support to where music can be something you chase. The things I speak about in my music, I put a lot into it. So when I drop something I put my all into it. When that happens and you don’t see the results you like it can be really draining and deflating. It’s why I ain’t put out music in a minute or at least the biggest reason. Like I said I had to figure out how to get people invested otherwise I’m not doing music. A lot of people don’t care whether or not they’re heard. I ain’t them. If I’m not being heard Ima go do something else. I don’t believe in wasting time or money. The Rona is out right now this shit is crazy. Time is everything.

What do you want people to get from your music?

I just want people to get to know me better. I want people to get a feel for something different. I want people to come away with a feeling of relating to what I’m saying. Because that’s all I talk about. A lot of like LA Rap right now that I love by the way is told from a perspective that most fans appreciate but don’t relate to. Most of the people listening to ain’t trappin, ain’t bangin, ain’t hittin licks. Like my shit slap, it’s just a different story.

Tell us about your current project?

Well, it’s called “AIGHT, BET” and it’s pretty dark. It’s real personal. It’s been in the works for a long time like I said I ain’t released any music in a while. It’s the most melodic project I’ve ever put out. This is the first project where I’m putting out and It sounds like an album. It sounds like it fits in the marketplace with the guys I look up to. It’s got interludes, the intro is an interlude. I’m rapping really well but with this one the focus is on that as much as it is trying to make good songs. I think that’s the biggest difference between this and the last project I put out that one was called Like We Used to if anybody wanna check that out. It’s a few songs that have been out for a while that the people who fuck with me love, that didn’t have a home that will be on there. A lot of oldies sounds on it too like some of the songs end with oldies samples. It’s a song on there that I got from listening to Otis redding that I love. And really the concept of the project is a young man who is trying to find his way and documenting that the best way I can.

What do you feel has been your greatest life achievement so far?

Probably graduating college. There were times where I was over the school and wanted to quit. Like college didn’t teach me anything in the classroom. I ain’t used a thing yet that I “learned” from the classroom. But sticking with it, learning how to figure things out, like even if I don’t know the material finding ways to get the shit done was big for me. College taught me the value of persistence. So I’d probably say graduating college. But I truly feel like my greatest life achievement is ahead of me.

If you could collaborate with one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Oh, Drake for sure. Drizzy Drake definitely. If this could get to him, Oliver, future the prince the guys that manage him, I would love for that to happen. And wouldn’t even have to be a feature. I would love to collaborate and just share ideas, strategies, how he attacks verses, hooks, how he looks at life. How he’s been famous since like 14 and he’s handled it like a champ. I feel like collaborating with Drake in any way would only make me better.

If you had to pick one song of yours, that really explains YOU, what would it be?

I would say “Had To” because like that embodies the spirit I try to emulate every day. Like no excuses. You gotta find a way to make things happen. Like I Had To take care of my shit in school. I had To get a degree. I had to learn and grow. I had to get busy any time I’m behind the mic. Without that mindset what do you have you know?

Last but not least, HYPE wants to know…What’s your CRAZIEST “Where they do that at?!” moment…

I once without with a girl for breakfast and she told me she doesn’t put ketchup on her eggs. Definitely a where they do that at moment u know? Cause as humans who live on planet earth all have an obligation to enjoy breakfast to the highest level, and if you don’t put ketchup on your eggs when you eating breakfast, I wonder about you.

Jamal Cristopher- Caution