JARED EVAN grew up in Great Neck, New York playing the drums, hoping for the chance to one day become the next Keith Moon. With an introduction to music at an unusually young age, JARED found himself discovering and listening to artists that were way before his time. Eventually, Jared later became heavily influenced by older seminal Hip Hop artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Mos Def, The Roots, Kool G Rap, Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, The Fugees, and others. At this point, Jared started to fuse his new passion with his old. Taking musical cues from his classic rock and soul influences such as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Al Green, Radiohead, Sublime, James Brown and others.
JARED began to produce and rhyme over new genre-blending beats while introducing heavily melodic hooks to create groundbreaking undertones. Soon, others began to take notice. In 2008 at the age of 18, JARED won the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival’s Spit 16 competition curated by The Source (magazine). Jared was invited to open the festival and his performance immediately caught the attention of attendees, MC’s and the press. Off of the strength of his performance, Jared was invited to perform several shows including an opening gig for Lupe Fiasco in the fall of 2008.
Now with a few projects available including his latest Boom Bap and Blues with super producer Statik Selektah and being looked at by major labels, Evan is definitely a voice to look out for.
OK-Tho:
Growing up being a fan of the legends like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin and James Brown... Who would you say is owed credit for getting you into those oldie artists?
Jared Evan:
Definitely my dad. He put me onto some ish!
OK-Tho:
Being from New York, were you aware and did you follow the uprising of hip hop locally. Was it a good experience for you to be in New York at the time of your life when you first got into hip hop?
Jared Evan:
I was aware of the Hip Hop that took place when I was a little kid growing up and being from New York definitely made that easier. But it really wasn't until I was about 13 where I started to take a serious liking to Hip Hop.
OK-Tho:
You wanted to be a drummer as a kid and was inspired by Keith Moon. Nowadays every kid in school, whether Middle or High school wants to be either a rapper or musician or producer. Was there a lot of kids as motivated like you back then, did you feel like you were alone in wanting to become a big star in music?
Jared Evan:
Actually from what I remember no, most kids back then growing up were nothing like me. I definitely felt like what my dreams were at such a young age, were not even a thought in most other kids' heads.
OK-Tho:
You def have an ear for music, and being the type of producer where you go by ear with instruments you use. Over the years what instruments have you picked up on besides drums?
Jared Evan:
The ear is everything. Over the years I have picked up the piano and guitar mostly, but really anything I can get my hands on I'll figure out a way to manipulate sounds.
OK-Tho:
Do you find it hard to try and learn as much as you can? Does it slow down your process of recording, writing and producing?
Jared Evan:
I don't think it's hard. Being an artist and having gone through certain ups and downs, you naturally absorb the business. The knowledge of the game that develops overtime is natural and is subconsciously absorbed by me. It doesn't slow down the creative side.
OK-Tho:
Did you always have a singing voice or was it something you worked on and improved?
Jared Evan:
I actually never knew I could sing as a kid. I was always a drummer and put all of my efforts and focus on being a percussionist. Overtime, as I grew, I grew musically hella amounts. It was throughout this progression that i realized I was destined for so much more. Not just being a drummer, but being a well rounded musician, producer, singer and songwriter.
OK-Tho:
Was singing your first choice when getting into writing songs?
Jared Evan:
No actually lol. Rapping was always. I was a straight MC for a long period of time and it was there where I took the solo vocalist approach.
OK:
Were you working with any of your friends or other artists when you first started or were always alone when making music?
Jared:
Pretty much alone. I was in bands earlier on, but as a solo artist, I started with nobody myself.
OK:
What singers inspired you when you first started writing? And What rappers inspired you?
Jared:
Singers that inspired me from the jump were Al Green, Bradley Nowell, Stevie Wonder, Robert Plant and Jeff Buckley.
OK:
Your very diverse with your style and music. Were you always this way or was it hard in the beginning cause it wasn't as popular or accepted back then as it is now?
Jared:
I guess I always maintained a sense of fusion. Because of all of the different genres of music I grew up loving, I guess they all started to reflect in my own music. It was definitely harder earlier on I think , and took a while for people to get used to, but the more I grow and the more music I make, I think the more people are starting to become a part of the movement.
OK:
Would you consider yourself a fan of underground hip hop?
Jared:
Absolutely!
OK:
What was the first track or project of yours that you would say really got you noticed?
Jared:
The 4th Chapter EP. Was released in the summer of 2012.
OK:
You are now signed to Interscope Records. How did that come about?
Jared:
I'm not currently signed to Interscope. I was. It was awesome. I got to experience incredible shit like work with Dr. Dre, becoming great friends with people like Pharrell and Chad Hugo, and just a whole lot of things that most artists don't accomplish in their entire career. But I have since then gone independent and in terms of my fanbase and brand, it was the wisest thing for me to do.
OK:
Were there any other major or independent labels trying to sign you?
Jared:
There were at the time yes.
OK:
How did you link up with Statik for your collaborative project Boom Bap and Blues?
Jared:
Statik is my brother. Not literally lol, but in a musical kind of way. I met Statik back in 09 when I had just been signed to Interscope. We linked up, wrote some records/hooks and have been homies ever since. It wasn't until the Boom Bap and Blues album that him and I really stepped up and made a special body of work together.
OK:
Describe the recording process of that project?
Jared:
Statik's crib. Brooklyn. Boom Bap production, and I would write. The result was Boom Bap and Blues!
OK:
From your first two projects (Radio In My Head and Back and Fourth) before Boom Bap with Statik, what was the transition like from producing your own music to now having a whole project produced by Statik?
Jared:
It was a healthy, natural transition and one that I think actually worked out to my benefit. It showed the true passion and love I have for underground, classic, golden-era Boom Bap Hip Hop. And it allowed me to do a little more experimenting than I usually do. It was awesome.
OK:
Did you lay a hand into any of the production for Boom Bap?
Jared:
I did, but only in terms of suggesting where Statik takes certain things, and places instruments/sounds.
OK:
You started interning at the Fader mag and got Rik Cordero to hear your music. How did that come about?
Jared:
My homie used to work their in the ad dept. and thought it would be a dope idea for me to get in their and intern. I took up the opportunity and it ended up changing my life.
OK:
What's your relationship with Rik now?
Jared:
That's my brother. He is THE guy for my visuals. Me and him love being creative together.
OK:
What up and coming artists would you consider favorable to you and believe are someone to look out for?
Jared:
I really dig Vic Mensa and Chance a lot. Also people like Yonas and OCD, they are doing their thing right now.
OK:
What producers do you like and would love to have the opportunity to work with?
Jared:
I love Mark Ronson. That would be a dream collab.
OK:
What can we expect from you in the future as far as features projects and what not that your able to speak on?
Jared:
My free EP 'Pieces' comes out on Tuesday November 19. Go get it early at www.jaredevan.com
Jared Evan links:
Great Interview!! Very Inspiring!!
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