Capturing New York experiences into experimental hip hop with Daye Jack
There seems to be a new trend in hip hop these days, there are rappers who continue to hold onto the boom gap area, and then there are those who blur the lines, creating perhaps a new sub-culture. 19-year-old newcomer Daye Jack has done just that with his latest release ‘Soul Glitch.’ Fusing his experiences of living in New York into his artwork, Daye has managed to cross the lines into experimental hip hop. Originally from Atlanta, Daye has been dubbed Complex’s rappers to watch this year, deriving influences from Outkast and James Blake.
SYS chats to Daye Jack about what it was like getting that phone call from Warner, how Soul Glitch sums up his experiences in New York, and what it was like working with Tori Kelly. Margaret Tra writes.
How was Lollapalooza?
Yeah it was just this weekend, the crowd was great. It was an early show, I went on at noon and I was kind of surprised to see the amount of people show up, it was tight.
You recently did a track with Tori Kelly. what was that like?
That was amazing. That actually came together because her album was produced by Max Martin and he was the one who brought that altogether. And I kind of heard the song, and it was one of those things where I kind of got the vibe and the feeling and I was happy that she dug it.
Tell us about ‘Soul Glitch’
It was a project I started working on about a year ago. And I am originally from Atlanta, but I was out in New York going to school out there. I was really taking in this new city and this new environment and I put it all into the music. I was just trying to capture all these experiences of living in New York.
Do you think you got your experimental sound in New York?
I think the base or the foundation of what I do whether it’s influences or in general myself it comes from Atlanta. Atlanta is the place where I started making music, and where the early influences like Outkast and all that came into my life. I had access to the music so that was Atlanta for me. But, New york. I don’t know if it’s because New York is New York or because it was an eye opening place or the idea of leaving home. Once I left, it kind of expanded where I wanted to go. That’s the transition from my first writing music, where that was so more Atlanta. Soul Glitch is more me living in New York.
You’re quite young as well.
Yeah I’m 19. (Laughs) I started when I 13, but as in singing. 13 was where it all started for me where I got into music. The first thing I started writing was raps.
Who would be your influences?
Early influences would be Outkast and Kanye West, actually all these guys are still amazing now. The more recent guys I’d say James Blake, I like that side of stuff. I dig that stuff.
Right, because he does a lot of experimental music as well.
What he did with his first album where it was kind of disjointed, that was kind of the stuff that I was listening to when doing Soul Glitch.
Complex also named you one of the rappers to watch this year what was that like?
Exciting I think. It’s always a trip to get a nod from those things.
Whats next for you
Now I am playing shows here and there. I plan on touring end of this year early next year. The main things I am doing now is working on visuals for Soul Glitch. Just trying to flesh that out now and working on new music was well.
Starting off as an Indie artist how did you get involved with Warner?
After my first tape went out. It was just one of those internet things and blogs like that started picking up my music, it was spreading. The guy who signed me to Warner heard my music, he heard it and hit me up. He brought me out to LA, and I let him listen to Soul Glitch and we were both super excited. So that’s how it came together.
It must have felt so surreal for you…
Yeah 100 percent. Even from the first phone call and seeing how we clicked. And now to see how cool the relationship is, it’s great.
I love Soul Glitch, I think you’re going to Kanye it my friend.
(Laughs) Thank you, I really appreciate it.