Q&A With Baltimore City’s Jus Pro
Whats up Jus Pro! Much respect on your latest EP release. We appreciate solid music, especially form true up and coming MC’s. Please tell me how long have you been rapping? Where are you from? Who did the group All Aces come together?
I been rapping for almost 15 years in the mid Atlantic area by way of Baltimore city. All Aces is the combination of some of Baltimore’s best indie Hip hop talent over the last ten years. Pro&Reg, Aces High and Pinpoint are the main members of All Aces Reg, the main front man of the group built a nice studio. Having a home studio opens so much room for creativity without the pressure of rushing or forcing any ideas to make a song work.
Your guy’s and rhyme scheme is super raw and real Hip Hop! How do you guys describe your sound?
Now I can’t speak for everyone in the group, but I am pretty sure we are all on the same page. We best describe ourselves as spitters. We all can spit off the top of our heads. We all take pride in being able to rip any style of Hip Hop. All of us are a little different in our influences, but still rooted in the traditional art of emceeing. We have versatile styles of delivery and punch lines, and we are rooted in boom bap Hip hop, but no one is backing down from any style. How long did it take for you to find your sound. Not long. Probably a few months. Our entire camp has been rapping for years. We all have different styles. It’s just about finding each other’s strengths and using them to our advantage.
Tell us about your Hip Hop and/or music influences?
Kane, Kool G Rap, Rakim, KRS1 are my big 4. I feel like everyone for the 90’s era comes from them. Heavy influences on me come from D.I.T.C, Wu Tang, Bootcamp, and early Redman. Was there anyone in your life that motivated you’re to STEP IT UP when it comes to making dope Hip Hop? I always set a high bar on lyrical skill. So artists like Del, TameOne, Ras Kass, Pharoahe Monch, AG, Black Thought, and Sean Price raise the bar, but mainly our All Aces click. We make each other step up when we work together.
In the underground community, some big names are from the east coast (Slaine, Termanology, Virtuoso, Gangstarr etc). And now, you are on the come up. How important in the East Coast to you when it comes to branding your music?
It is important because it all started in NYC. Baltimore is originally influenced by NYC. We are honored to be representing the East Coast, but I am also a fan of the west, Midwest and south. I also like to break away from some of the categories and sub-genres we use in music and simplify it. Fire is Fire and trash is trash.
Please breakdown the creative process of your latest album “All Aces”.
All Aces is composed of songs that were mostly written on the spot and recorded in one session. It’s a total team effort where everyone gets involved and we critique ourselves. We don’t always record the same way, a lot of different methods can work, but we defiantly prefer to get the mix down to a certain point at each session. We discuss a topic or just go in depending on the beat that we have selected. Also, we have heard of El Gant a lot, he raps with Ras Kass and now I believe he is in group with DJ Premier! Tell us how and why you guys decided to link up? Shout out Jamo Gang, shit is all fire. I believe Reg and El Gant met on the grown man rap tour with Sean Price and Shabaam Sahdeek. Reg, and another Baltimore artist Profit have a collab with Sean Price R.I.P. Sean Price, El Gant was on the tour and heard the track. They checked each other’s sets out and exchanged contact info. A couple of weeks later we got a track from the Producer illMEASURED. Reg knew instantly that El Gant would sound good on the track, so he hit him up and the rest is history. El Gant has been doing his thing for a long time, he was humble, approachable and a pleasure to work with.
What are you looking forward to for 2017? Anything you going to be doing differently compared to past years?
Looking forward to G.A.W.D.S mixtape release “For Gawds sake” this June followed by a full album. GAWDS are 3 members from All Aces, Reg, Pinpoint and Play Boii. The G.A.W.D.S sound is a little different form the ALL ACES EP, I think it covers allot more ground and is undeniable fire, no matter what your favorite style of Hip Hop is.
In 2017 we are just trying to be better and smarter than 2016. In 2018, better and smarter than 2017
Any pressuring situations before you decided to push your EP?
No pressuring situations, I try to work smart with realistic time tables, so when the pressure comes we are able to adapt and handle it. Did everything work out according to plan?
Most definitely so far, but we have a high bar on where we want to be. We will always try to be better and do better and continue to set the bar higher.
Any new projects coming out!?
G.A.W.D.S mixtape and album plus so many songs in the vault. We will be putting a lot of songs out directly to fans through social media and our website along the way. Randomly when we feel like it. For the love of it
Rappers nowadays think by throwing up a few videos up on social media and pushing quick projects, they can blow up overnight! Give us your view on how over saturated the market is right now with so many MC’s/Producers but not so much quality music.
I think there is a ton of quality artists that are right there but just can’t make a hit. One dope hook away from blowing up. But also Hell yeah the market is saturated. 12 years ago you had to make a vinyl record. I think that really helped separate good indie artists from the rest, Now social media is over populated. I think doing all you can with local media and performances and throwing parties in your hometown might make a comeback
How often do you perform LIVE? Any shows lined up in the near future?
G.A.W.D.S is going to start booking shows soon. We have strictly been in the studio, but are all veteran performers. I used to host shows in Baltimore and we have played with everyone from Immortal Technique to De la Soul.
Where do you see yourself in 5yrs time?
In Hip Hop and music? I personally see myself behind the scenes of the industry, but I will always make music for the love and art of it.
Here it is! Our most popular question! What is your definition of “underground hip hop”?
Underground Hip Hop is music from the streets not on major radio airwaves. My definition is mid nineties vinyl records of unsigned talent in New York. Los Angeles as well. Don’t get me wrong, Underground Hip Hop is everywhere worldwide, but where it comes from is Stretch and Bobbito, Sway and Tech, Mike Nardone and King Emz and all the DJ’s that broke new artists on the air on late night and college radio.
Where can people find you on the web? Drop all the vital links.
www.proandreg.com
www.Twitter.com/jus_pro
www.Facebook.com/juspro
www.instagram.com/all_aces_yabish/
www.soundcloud.com/allacesbmore
Check GAWDS out https://soundcloud.com/user-647425266
Lastly, and shout out?
Man, I always miss people in Shout outs so ima keep it short. Play Boii, Reg, Pinpoint, and Ironsoul, let’s get it!
Shout out to Tucker Peterson….
