The Rhyme Perspective: J.Nolan
First and foremost, introduce yourself to the masses.
I'm J.Nolan; 22 year old emcee in Atlanta, GA. I represent The Manifest Movement, comprised of myself and my cousin Yung B Da Producer. Our main objective is to promote righteousness and make some dope music in the process.
How long have you been rhyming?
I've been rhyming for a total of 12 years.
Where are you from and how is your style received in your region?
I'm originally from New Haven, CT. I moved to Atlanta in 1998 and have been here ever since. My style is pretty well received in my experience so far. A lot of the people I come across understand that I come from the east coast so even if my brand of music isn't their first preference, they know I'm carrying on a tradition that everyone's familiar with in some way.
Listening to your latest project, Chaos Theory, I noticed that you put substance into every line and you rarely rhyme for the sake of rhyming. Where does this desire come from?
I made the decision to put substance into my lyrics back when I was 16. When I first started rapping I was talking about a bunch of violence and criminal activity that I didn't really take part in. I was just hearing it in the music and seeing some of it happen firsthand, but I wasn't living that lifestyle personally. So once it got to a point where my family started noticing that I was doing music and taking interest in it, I knew I had to switch up and start being honest with myself. The stuff you hear now is just a result of that. I rhyme about my personal beliefs and things that really take place in my life.
What did you want to present with Chaos Theory?
With Chaos Theory, I just wanted to bring people into my world for the most part. Just like anyone else I deal with financial problems, spiritual battles, and really just trying to do the best I can with what I have. I found myself stressed out a lot and that came out in my lyrics. I basically wanted to bring reality back into Hip-Hop because not everyone can relate to the grandiose stories that most of these rappers are telling nowadays.
How does it differ from your past projects?
I let a lot of frustration out on this project. I used to try and conceal those emotions and things that bothered me, but I felt like it was necessary to let people know what's really going on with me. The production was a lot more aggressive than usual. I wanted the sound to match how I felt, so I had less laid-back music than my previous work. It's like nothing else I've done.
I also noticed that the project features zero guests. Was this intentional?
Yeah, it was kind of intentional. The people I really want to make songs with are already established in the game and there's not many of them, in all honesty. I can't call Nas up and get a 16 so I'd rather do it on my own and get the features that fit when the opportunity presents itself. Plus, I'm not a big fan of sending verses through email. I want to do collaborations for my projects in person.
Describe your writing process to the masses.
I don't have one of those super "artsy" writing processes that a lot of folks try to describe. I pretty much find a beat that feels right and I play it on repeat. I look at the title the producer gave the beat and might make a concept around that idea or I might come up with a chorus first. There's a few different ways it can go. Most of the writing for Chaos Theory took place during the wee hours of the morning because I could hardly sleep and had a lot on my mind.
What are you working on next?
There's another project I'm working on behind the scenes right now, but it won't be coming out for awhile. I want to push Chaos Theory like a true indie album that can last for at least 8 to 10 months, potentially a year. The plan is to get out and do more shows, shoot more videos, and build myself up as a name that's respected in the Hip-Hop community. Once I feel the demand is strong enough for another project, I'll reveal details about it.
How can the masses get in contact with you?
I'm one of the easiest people to get in contact with. I make an effort to respond to everyone on twitter, I have 2 facebook pages (fan page & personal page), my music is available at My Bandcamp.
Any final thoughts?
Thank you for doing this interview and I hope everyone enjoys Chaos Theory when they hear it. Keep it righteous.
Chaos Theory can be purchased below by clicking on the Buy Now link
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