JMC

Rhiannon Jones talks to JMC

JMC’s phone is ringing, well precisely one of his three business phones. He pulls it out and smiles, ‘I’m trying to get Cassidy on the line,’ he explains: suffice to say he is a very busy man. Having completed his latest single with the American Hip Hop star Cassidy, JMC seems relaxed and confident of the future; intent on furthering his own career and the profile of UK Hip Hop itself.

He has chosen the path of collaboration, harnessing the star power of American rappers, whilst bringing his British flow to the mix. So far he has worked with Remy Ma, Sheek Louch and Styles P, to name a few, and he name-drops Jadakiss as a possibility to spit on his next single.

Now is an exciting time for British Hip Hop as it strives to extricate itself from the towering shadow of the American originators and find its own place in the sun. We at Youth Arts Online wanted to know just how he’s making this happen.

So how did it all start for JMC?

He came from a musical family, ‘my father used to do the sound-system thing, my mum was always listening to music… we’re music people, it’s always been in my genes.’ As he grew up and worked on his flow, older guys noticed his talent, ‘they give you advice to stick at it and try and keep out of trouble, try and go to studio. A few of them would help me out on the base of actually setting up a recording studio, they’re not involved now, but at the early stages they helped put things together. Because obviously when you’re young you can’t go to a bank manager, you need people around you with knowledge.’

But it was important that he followed his own path, ‘I took on the mantle from there, they’ve gone their separate ways. They’re still around, they see the fruit of what they built up, so I give thanks to them, but at the same time I’ve put a lot at the forefront.’

JMC soon realised the importance of having his own record label, The Vault,

‘That just cuts out the middle man straightaway. Someone who don’t know me, has no interest in what I do, just sees me as a figure to make money…But I wouldn’t break your bank and struggle to be doing it, that would be pointless, because you’d have your own label and you’d be struggling to put anything out anyway. So sometimes you’ve just got to have another plan and build it up slowly.’

There are two meanings to JMC’s rap name, the J from the first letter of his own name and MCing, but also the notion of Just Maintaining Culture. ‘I’m just maintaining the culture that I’m surrounded by, it’s what I’m representing.’ This is clearly an important idea to JMC, who believes in his own and Britain’s ability to match the big American players.

‘I know, and there are other artists over here that know that they can hold their own with those kind of people. But at the end of the day the industry is fickle over here, if you’re not known they might not take notice of you as much as if you’re with an American. It’s because we’ve been under this American umbrella for so long, from Hollywood to films, that the English public think that there’s a higher level but I don’t think so; that alone made me want to prove to the people over there.’

In fact JMC found that those across the pond weren’t really even aware of a UK Hip Hop scene, ‘they still think we have cups of tea with the Queen! It was good to let them know that there are real characters out here with the same heart and determination that they’ve got and proving it to them was a joy in itself.’

I put it to JMC that American Hip Hop is naturally about swagger and showing off which is against the stereotypical view of us self effacing Brits. JMC had his own spin on it,

‘I mean it’s two different cultures, British people are more reserved and Americans are more outlandish and outspoken. So it’ll be different to how English people do their bravado, more like a James Bond, umbrella, bowler hat, but we’re still doing the same things as effective as the Americans. … I think you have to have the balance, doing both, staying true to England but not pretending you don’t go and do this with bravado. Do it how English people do it, Americans - that’s their lifestyle. I think we do it in a more sophisticated way, classier.’

There is perhaps more in common with James Bond and Hip Hop in terms of the marginalised and objectified role of women. They are often portrayed in a derogatory way in the lyrics and videos of Hip Hop music, I wanted to know what JMC’s thoughts were on this.

‘That’s down to the individual isn’t it? because if a girl is gonna go in the video and just be there as a show piece that’s up to her, that’s her prerogative, she’s getting paid and doing it as a job. It’s always been a male dominated game, but women are getting involved, you know Remy Ma, Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, they’ve all made big statements. You’ve got Estelle now making big moves, so basically it’s evening out, balancing it out both ways.’

JMC has himself collaborated with Remy Ma on the single, ‘Get Money’ and she takes an equal footing in the song, he describes her as the ‘queen of the club’. They compete in bravado and bling; it’s clear that JMC is achieving what he has set out to. I imagine it takes a lot of bravery to make it this far, and I wonder what else JMC thinks is needed to make it in the music industry.

‘I think it takes bravery to succeed in life itself; music compared to some people and what they deal with like life-threatening stuff, to me that’s bravery. Music is just something that is a talent it’s a natural ability… I think it is brave to be yourself and put yourself at the forefront and to be judged, ridiculed, have stones thrown at you. Someone who gets into a boxing ring to me is brave there’s all different types of brave and struggle, I don’t have to go in the ring…’

JMC speaks eloquently of his perception of society and I wonder whether in today’s society it’s possible for a rapper to be a role model and an entertainer.

‘You can be both, if you’ve come from nowhere and you’re getting somewhere; for someone who is nowhere that’s a positive role model… You might not want to be role model preaching lyrics like you are a preacher. But at the same time you’re doing something that people can relate to, where you were, when you were at the same place they are. Obviously they can see a progression, so then you can be a role model in their eyes without even knowing that you are. At the same time if you give them music they can relate to as well, it’s all the better innit?

It seems that JMC is doing well to tread the fine line between Culture and Cartier, Respect and Rolexes, and whilst doing so he is helping to create a new path for UK artists in the world of Hip Hop.