15 Mins W/ JAYLIEN

Where are you from?

St. Louis, Missouri (STLMO: 314)

How has your hometown shaped or influenced you?

Growing up in St. Louis has definitely shaped and influenced me because the music scene there is so alive. In the City itself, everyone I know or have come across can rap, sing, or produce. A lot of the music will probably never make it out the City, but there are so much talent and different vibes. 

What motivates you?

 My daughter motivates me. The desire to be able to retire my mother motivates me. The desire to give young creative people a chance to make a living from their talent motivates me. Watching individuals like Nelly, Chingy, J-Kwon, Huey, etc. achieve mainstream/pop culture status has motivated me along the way. The idea of being the next big thing out of my hometown and letting the world see God’s light shine thru me, motivates me.  

How do you define success?

Success for me is being able to make a positive impact on the individuals around me. Everything good in my life has been a team effort of some sort. If I can change the lives of everyone around me for the better, I think that's success. 

 Do you have other outlets for your creativity aside from music?

Yes, I love fashion and clothes. I love to design and create visual concepts with my squad. I also love to draw. I think I might have a photographer spirit as well; taking photos is really cool to me.

What is your creative process?

My process varies. Sometimes a song can start with a beat idea. Sometimes a song can begin with a couple lyric ideas that popped in my head. Other times, I'll start from scratch and create the lyrics and base production together. It just depends. No matter how it starts, the end result is always the same... some really fresh ass songs.

How do you define streetwear?

Streetwear is the urban worlds take on fashion. Streetwear is the daily wardrobe for most of today's youth. It's a vibe; it's comfortable; it's an attitude. It's simplistic; it’s minimal; it can be chic as well. Streetwear is just really fuckin cool. 

How do you define style?

I define style as a look that's unique to an individual. Style is something that is constantly changing… generally and personally. Nobody looks or dresses how they did 5-7 years ago. Style defines your appearance. It's not always what you wear, but HOW you wear it including, what accessories you put with it. Three people can have the same shirt, jacket, pants and sneakers and it can look different on all three of them based on their personal style. 

What would you say to a younger version of yourself?

I'd tell my younger self, 

"Don’t worry about being cool in high school. High school popularity is not as important as you think it might be. All the guys who get the attention right now won't matter after we graduate. You'll be the one they all look up too. Your life is gonna be really dope as you get older cause you're gonna stay focused on this dream you've had since you were a little kid. Don't worry about having a bunch of girls, a bunch of friends, or being prom king. You're gonna have the opportunity to be a King in your own right, from your talent, your abilities and joy you bring to the world. You have a great calling on your life kid, smile and enjoy the ride."