Linking up with Turntablist DJ Grazzhoppa and producer MighGawd, they formed the dope group True Masterz. Together they have released numerous projects as well as him releasing solo projects like the acclaimed "Niggaz Iz Kingz Forever" which made our Top Of The Year for mixtapes of 2013. With a style that is rare in this day and age, Mega continues to create incredible and raw music.
OK-Tho:
Where did you come up with name JMega The Don?
JMega:
I remember at the time, I was trying to create a new alias. I had already been going by many different names, then one of my partners was like, "everyone calls you JMega," and it just stuck with me. After a while the name was getting flipped, names like "Mega Man" or "Megatron" or "JMussolini" and "JMozzarella". When I gained Knowledge of Self it became "JMega The God" and "Megallah". However, I haven't heard JMega The Don before, that's some new shit right there. I might have to add that to the repertoire, I like that one.
OK-Tho:
I honestly can't really name a lot of artists that make the type of dope music you make. Where does your inspiration come from?
JMega:
Well first of all thank you, I take the craft very seriously so I appreciate that. Honestly, I feel inspiration can come from anything at any given moment. It could be a conversation, or an emotion, or a memory, or a book, or a dream, or whatever. As an artist, I always want to create better and better work, so the challenge of reaching my full potential is also a powerful tool in itself. The love of the craft, of the art, can get me in a zone to write for hours.
OK-Tho:
When did you first start to get into Hip Hop?
JMega:
I feel like I was always into hip hop. Growing up in LA, especially back when I was a kid, West Coast hip hop was dominating. The culture was everywhere. It's been everywhere ever since. Musically, I think I wrote my first rap in the 7th grade, although I don't remember it being any good. It had a lot of "-ation" rhymes. "Revelation," "Creation," "Exploration," etc. Some simplistic, easy, Dr. Seuss nursery school type shit when I think about it. But it was an important beginning for me, and I quickly fell in love with writing rhymes and the whole process of trying to create something brand new.
OK-Tho:
How did you meet and form True Masterz with DJ Grazzhoppa and MighGawd?
JMega:
DJ Grazzhoppa and I had done some previous work together, and when I heard him for the first time I knew he was one of the greats. I grew up on heads like DJ QBert and The X-Ecutioners and DJ Revolution, and I feel like Grazzhoppa is at the top with them. So after a few songs, in my mind he was my official deejay. It wasn't until some time later, when MighGawd had reached out to me, that it all came full circle. He had heard some of my music, and told me he was interested in doing some work with me. When I heard his beats, everything after that was automatic. He had a Pete Rock, Erick Sermon, J Dilla vibe going on, with crazy versatility and an endless amount of material. I'm telling you, he has libraries of beats, I'm not playing. He's like a machine. I felt like he had the same passion for beats that I did for rhyming. For us to form a crew just made sense to both of us. True Masterz was a name he already had from years before, and he told me he got it from a passage in the Quran. The True Masterz crew actually goes back before I even met up with the god. I asked Grazzhoppa to be our deejay, and it was mathematics. All of us know our roles, and we play them very well when it comes to what we do.
OK-Tho:
That's dope! The DJ is almost getting eliminated as far as pairing with artists. It's great how you mention QBert and the Executioners tho. Now, do you feel like because of the state that Hip Hop is in nowadays that an artist like yourself gets underrated and overlooked?
JMega:
Absolutely, but that's the game right now. When I was growing up, there was all types of hip hop being played over the airwaves. We had The Wake Up Show and Rap City and Loud Records. We would hear everything from Snoop to Tribe Called Quest, from Scarface to the Wu. Emcees had there own voice, and there was room for everybody to shine. These days, the pool for commercial success has gotten smaller, and the sound is more uniformed. So an artist such as myself, who creates anything other than the status quo, might have more difficulty breaking out of the underground and seeing some light. Still, there are many independent artists out there touring and making money, so I can't truly complain. Money is out there, the crown is still out there. We just have to take it.
OK-Tho:
Your from LA but you have this raw New York sound to you. Are you inspired by East Coast music or were you inspired by artists in your state?
JMega:
I'm inspired by dope music. I still think Ice Cube is one of the greatest emcees. To me, each region has something to offer and contribute to hip hop as a whole. Still, as a youth I remember my music collection was heavy with East Coast hip hop. When I heard Mobb Deep for the first time, they quickly became one of my favorite groups. Plus, listening to Nas, I would think he was on another level as a lyricist. But like I said, we had emcees like Ice Cube and King Tee, groups like The Alkaholiks and Tha Dogg Pound. I was into all of that, anything that was dope music, I would listen to it and study it. When I think about it, it's no question I was influenced by New York rap, but that's where hip hop started so that's a given. To me, all that matters is the music, not necessarily the region it's coming from.
OK-Tho:
Explain what the Organized Threat is?
JMega:
Organized Threat is a collective of artists, each with their own identity and sound, whose purpose is to provide different forms of hip hop for the people. Each member has their own voice, which appeals to a certain audience, and Organized Threat brings these differences together to form a coalition of creative expression. It's a progressive movement about unity and individuality simultaneously.
OK-Tho:
Did you know Von Poe before you got affiliated with Organized?
JMega:
Some years ago we had did a few songs together and started building, and this is before any of the current members of Organized Threat. At that time, Organized Threat was Poe and a few emcees that, for one reason or another, eventually ended up taking a step back. We had a conversation, and started building on a concept for a new foundation. I had just gotten out of a situation with my manager, so I was trying to start fresh anyway. We decided to form up, and keep the Organized Threat name, but at the time it was just us. He had just bought a camera, and it was on from there. Later on, Poe started adding other members, other artists from LA and Southern Cali, and the rest is history.
OK:
When releasing music, what is your promotion game like? Do you go hard and try to get your music to as many outlets as you can or do you let the music speak for itself?
JMega:
Well, I would hope that the music speaks for itself, however these days that's unrealistic. With so many artists out there, and so many methods to push the art to the public, one has to have some sort of strategy. Unfortunately, I don't prefer to pay for promotion, so my music mostly spreads through word of mouth. Not necessarily the best method, but it feels more genuine that way. I know it may sound strange, but I like the idea of somebody enjoying what I do, to the point that they share it with their family and friends. It's more of a rewarding feeling. However, it might be time I put the promoter hat on, because in the end destiny is in my own hands.
OK:
I hear ya tho, its better to be discovered and liked then to force feed your music upon fans.One of your first projects "Blood and Thunder" was entirely produced by Junior Makhno, do you guys still work together?
JMgea:
Honestly, I haven't been in contact with Makhno since that project. He's an extremely talented producer, and I wish him all the success in what he does. I thought Blood and Thunder was a solid record, but towards the end we had a few creative differences, which resulted in two different versions of the album. There's another version, a Limited Edition of Blood and Thunder out there with a few extra joints from different producers. Of course, both versions would be great additions to your library without a doubt.
OK:
You hardly have features on your projects, if you could pick 3 upcoming artist to collab with, who would you pick?
JMega:
Well there's an emcee named Graveyard Shifter, and we've actually done some work together. There's another emcee named June Marx who I think is dope as well. I'm always looking out for what those two do, and I would like for all three of us to do some work. I think that shit would be crazy. I don't have a number three at the moment. My focus has always been on the music, and I feel like I still have something to prove, so it's nothing for me to rock a whole project without any features. Still, I recognize the importance of collaboration, yet I tend to collaborate more with producers than with other emcees.
OK:
Yea we did a feature on June who is dope, he got a good underground fanbase. If you were a member of Wu Tang, who would you be and why?
JMega:
I would be me, because that's what I'm good at. Rza would have to give me one of those kung fu names, no doubt, but I can't imagine being anyone other than myself.
OK:
Lol. Are you on the net at all? What sites to do like to go to for new music?
JMega:
I'm not really on the net like that, but I try to stay up on as much new music as I can. There's so much quality hip hop out there that's not on the radio, it can be a strain to keep up sometimes. That's why I appreciate sites like yours that's dedicated to reporting on fresh and new hip hop. You guys are replacing radio and magazines, and putting hip hop back in the hands of the people.
OK:
Appreciate the shout out. So, is emceeing a career for you right now or do you still have a 9 to 5?
JMega:
Currently, I have time for both. In this life you need food, clothes, and shelter, and emceeing has yet to make me a millionaire. I'm a man first, with responsibilities and people depending on me, so I make sure what's important is taken care of before I think about writing a verse. Of course, as an artist I hope to one day make a living through my craft, which I believe can happen. I see artists doing it all the time, it's just a matter of vision and execution.
OK:
Word. Name 5 of your favorite producers of all time?
JMega:
Of all time? That's serious right there, it's hard to break it all down to just five. In hip hop, there's so many dope producers out there with timeless work. I would have to say Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Large Professor, Rza, and Dr. Dre. But I have to mention Lord Finesse, Diamond D, Daz Dillinger, Madlib, Dilla, Q-Tip, Warren G, Alchemist, Easy Mo Bee, DJ Muggs, DJ Quick, MighGawd, all of these heads and more. These craftsmen provide landscapes, realms of sound that paint pictures, and gives us emcees inspiration to write. When I hear a dope beat, I want to write something dope, it's that simple.
OK:
In Cali, what is your favorite venue to perform at?
JMega:
I'm actually more interested in performing over seas. In Cali I've performed at a few spots like The Airliner and etc., and I love performing, however I think an overseas audience can appreciate my style of hip hop more than an audience here in the states. It's more "hip pop" over here than hip hop. I apologize if I'm sounding a bit bitter, that's not my intention. I'm just speaking on how I see it.
OK:
Agreed. Europe is def the place for underground hip hop. I hear it all the time from Rasco and Planet Asia. Do you believe Hip Hop is at a good place right now or does it need to get better?
JMega:
Well, I believe there is always room for improvement. One can say what they want about the music, however these days more and more artists are taking their career in their own hands, and making good money without help from the machine. To me, that's a beautiful thing, and it's vital for the next step in hip hop's progression. Plus, quality hip hop is still being made all over the world. It's a wonderful time for hip hop, and real hip hop is flourishing right now, it's just not being televised.
OK:
Your "Niggaz Iz Kingz Forever" was incredible and landed on our Top of The Year, was that project something you really spent time on crafting or was it more like going in and just making music?
JMega:
I appreciate that, that means a lot to me, thank you. It was actually a mixture of both. I was just trying to make some classic hip hop. Still, I had something specific, a story I was trying to tell, that was playing out in my mind like a movie. All I needed was the right production. Finding the right music, the right sound, was very important to me for the Kingz Forever project. That's what ended up taking the most time. I'm very proud of how that project came together, and the feedback I receive is always extremely positive. All the producers who contributed to that record really did some extraordinary work, and that made me want to write at a higher caliber.
OK:
You've worked with a number of producers on that project including Purpose of Tragic Allies. Is there more collabs to come with him?
JMega:
Purpose is dope, and I actually have a song on a project he's putting together, so whenever he decides to drop that on the people you could check that out. We had spoken briefly about possibly doing an entire album together, but that might have to wait until our current schedules have room for it. He's a busy man, and I have my hands in a few things at the moment as well. But it will happen, he's very talented at what he does, and I'm sure we could make something spectacular for the people.
OK:
If there was one producer to produce an entire project of yours, who would you pick and why?
JMega:
I would have to go with Pete Rock, no question. Or maybe Madlib, but definitely Pete Rock for obvious reasons. He makes incredible, timeless music, and maybe one day I can be a part of that cipher. That's like a dream of mine.
OK:
Whats one of your favorite tracks of yours?
JMega:
I've been very proud of the music I've been working on lately. Everything is getting more in sync. There's a song on Niggaz Iz Kingz Forever called "Let Niggaz Live" which I'm talking about stopping the violence, and that song is one of my personal favorites. I tend to gravitate more towards the songs that get overlooked. It's funny to me, most of the time a song I don't particularly care for ends up getting more attention. I guess that's a part of the process.
OK:
What can fans expect from you i this year and in the latter?
JMega:
Just more and more music. I have a few projects coming out, one with CDS of Da Shogunz, plus True Masterz stay in the lab so expect something new from us as well. But truthfully, I don't even know what to expect. Each day presents new opportunities, and anything can happen at any given time. All I can do is keep writing and recording, keep telling my story. I'm going to keep trying to make good, quality, classic hip hop for the people, and let everything else play itself out. I'm just getting started.
I want to thank you again for the support, for sharing our music, and for this opportunity. It was an honor and a pleasure.
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