‘I did not choose rap music. It chose me’, says rapper Jay Payd
It’s going to be a long day for budding rapper Jay Payd – a series of recordings, business meetings, and a live gig later in the day before he hits the sack. He takes a moment off his busy day to chat with him about his music and what drives his creativity.
Jay’s genre is rap music. ‘I did not choose rap music. It chose me’, says Jay. Hip-hop originated in the early ’70s as the voice of angry young immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean. It gave them an outlet to express their opinion through music. The songs describe the struggles and hold a mirror to a society fraught with inequality and injustice.
Having started his life from the rough end, Jay naturally took to hip-hop music. Listening to hip- hop energized him, filled him up with positivity as he went through his struggles. It channelized his anger into creativity. It motivated him to focus his energies to overcome his adversities and achieve his dreams.
Jay creates his music. His themes are edgy, challenging the status quo. The struggles of his past – serving a 10-year prison sentence, abject poverty, nothing to feed his family – are reflected in his songs. They also capture the strength that helped him to face the consequences of his past actions.
Most of Jay’s music is produced at his home studio. Guided by his shrewd business instincts he invested in equipment and put together his studio. As one of his song titles goes he is self- made, self-paid.
Through his music, Jay is reaching-out to his audience to inspire them. He motivates people to aim high and reach out for the stars. His presence on various channels – YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music – is attracting audiences from around the world.
Music, to the listener, is a balm to his weary soul. It helps us get-by through difficult times. It helps us relax after a tiring day, and it brings joy and exhilaration when we gather together to celebrate life. But behind these songs are stories of real people.
Jay’s music, too, has a story to share – a story of perseverance that ignites the never-give-up spirit in us.
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Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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