JZAC
Derry, New Hampshire, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | SELF
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JZAC: “I Just Rap About The Things I’ve Been Through.”
Jerry Zajac aka JZAC is a hip-hop artist from New Hampshire. “Not everyone is familiar with the state so to make it easier for people, I tell them it’s a bout 40 minutes North of Boston”, he said. Although always been a “hop-hop head”, the 24 year-old fell in love with rapping and making music in his freshman year of college. “It was when my friend introduced me to “GarageBand”. Since then, I’ve spent countless hours mastering my craft and building a core fan base. I started rapping seriously and recoding music 5 years ago.”
Read our full interview below:
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Outlet: Who were your inspirations when writing music?
JZAC: So many people, just the top of my head: Nas, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Eminem, Notorious B.I.G, Drake, J. Cole, Wu Tang Clan. Those are a few I’ve always listened to as inspiration. “Keyboard Kenny” is one of my favorite tracks
O: What’s the worst thing someone has ever said to you online?
J: People are always saying negative things. I’ve gotten everything from “quit rapping, you suck” to name-calling. Basically all the typical things you would see scrolling through YouTube comments.”
O: Do you think it’s easier for musicians today to make a career because of the Internet?
J: Yes and no. I think the advancement of technology has allowed easier access so anyone can make music, which is an incredible thing. But that also creates clutter because so many people are putting out music, which makes it really hard to stick out. I think it is easier overall but you have to be extremely creative or talented to really stick out
O: You don’t really rap about what most rappers rap about (ya’know the usual women, drugs, parties and such); do you find that difficult to do?
J: For me, it isn’t. I just rap about things I’ve been through or different experiences. That’s what comes out naturally when I start the creation process.”
O: How was the process of releasing “Cold Cuts” and why “Problems at Home” wasn’t in it?
J: Well, I released Cold Cuts on my birthday – it was a collection of songs I had made over the last year or so. I kind of just put it out on the Internet for free and people eventually reacted. I even personally mailed about 200 physical copies to people who wanted them. “Problems at Home” was released a few months after – I just hadn’t created the song yet, but it would have been a good fit.
O: Your fan-base is starting to grow, meaning more people now know who you are. Do you feel this fame it’s changing you as a person or the way you write your music?
J: I don’t think it’s changing me. It has definitely given me a confidence boost to see how many people really love the music but I still have a long time to go. I think if I was really in it for the money or fame, it would change me, but I’ve been at this since day one for the love of the music. I let the passion drive me.
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O: You talk about things from YouTube to Tinder: how attached are you to social media? Can you leave the house without your phone?
J: I’m pretty attached to it. Not so much to keep up with celebrities, more so to stay on top of things and keep building my brand. I try my best to respond to my fans and that gets tough with all the social media outlets we have today. Definitely don’t like to leave the house without it, but it feels good to shut it off once in a while.
O: Thoughts about Macklemore? You mentioned him a few times in two different songs because, is it because you don’t like him?
J: No, I’m a big fan of Macklemore. I think I reference him often because that’s who people always compare me with. Although I appreciate the compliments, it gets a little tiring hearing, “You’re a white rapper? Man, you’re like Macklemore!”
O: Who would you like to work with?
J: Lupe Fiasco. He really got me into wordplay and storytelling on another level. Other rappers did before him, but I got to watch him come up, growing up, so it meant a little more to me personally. Getting on a song with someone who inspired me like that would be epic!
O: What would make your 2016 perfect?
J: Everything that I’m doing now but bigger. A tour would be ideal. - Outlet
New Hampshire emcee JZAC is an artist who caught our attention right from the jump. Whether he’s rapping about real world problems or just spitting over Rocky Horror-produced Harlem Globetrotter samples, he always keeps the staff at NSM entertained. Recently, I was privileged enough to sit down and talk with one of the Internets best kept secrets.
Ryan: What up JZAC? What made you want to start rapping? And how long have you been working on your craft?
JZAC: Once I got to college. I started writing songs and messing around on my friends MacBook. He had GarageBand and then things started to get really serious and we went from there.
Ryan: Oh that’s dope. Where did you attend college by the way?
JZAC: I actually graduated college. But I attended Plymouth State University.
Ryan: New Hampshire doesn’t exactly strike me as a hotbed for Hip Hop artists. What is the rap scene like in the Granite State?
JZAC: Yeah, it’s definitely not the most rap friendly area. Which kind of has both its benefits and negative sides. I have a crew of about four or five artists who are really talented that I truly support. I’m lucky enough to live right on the border of Massachusetts, so we’re only 30 to 40 minutes from Boston. So when something big is going on up there we can check it out.
Ryan: DJ Statik Selektah is from New Hampshire… or has ties to New Hampshire. What do you think a Statik Selektah / JZAC collaboration would sound like?
JZAC: Oh man that would be epic. Old school and gritty. It’s just the kind of style of hip-hop that I love. That’s not really the style of music that I make but it would be legendary. My inner kid would be fulfilled.
Ryan: I know that you work with producer Rocky Horror a lot. How did that relationship come about?
JZAC: I met Rocky about a year and a half ago. I was working on music for 3 years and never really found an in-house producer. It turns out that he lives a couple towns over from me. I was always looking for that person who could take my sound to the next level. One day he reached out to me and asked if I wanted to work. Now he’s my main producer and engineers all my music.
Ryan: The song “Keyboard Kenny” is very insightful and brings up a lot of controversial subjects (dope video too). What/who inspired you to write that song?
JZAC: One night it just kinda came to me. I think I was on the computer and saw this whole new era of the internet. I saw all this negativity while reading blog and YouTube comments and I just sort of laughed about it. It was at the point where people weren’t even hating. It was more trolling than anything. I saw that it was a whole different world itself. I thought it would be cool to put my own spin on it and make a song about someone who sits behind the keyboard writing this stuff. I thought creatively and just rolled with it and it turned out pretty dope.
Ryan: I’m a big fan of the message in your music and I feel like it speaks to people in a super positive way. When writing songs, is it your intention to try and impact people’s lives with your sound?
JZAC: Definitely. I also think there is a time and place to make other music as well as like… all that party music and what not. I am inspired about telling my story on a deeper level. I think that if I can help touch people and inspire them to do better that’s what its all about. Its cool to connect with people who benefit positively from the music. At the end of the day that’s really what it’s all about.
Ryan: Who are your biggest influences? Both, musically and in your life outside of rap.
JZAC: Musically… people always ask. It’s so tough to narrow it down to one. I love so many artists that I grew up on like Jay-Z and Kanye. Then there’s Lupe Fiasco who really got me into word play and rhyming. Obviously the new guys today, like Drake, Kendrick Lamar and J-Cole to name a few. There are a lot of artist who inspire me. As far as outside of music… life itself. Things that you go through and visualize on a daily basis.
Ryan: “Problems at Home” is one of your most popular songs to date (and is also a personal favorite of mine). What was the inspiration behind that song?
JZAC: Just seeing where we are at as a culture and being a spectator of what we can improve upon in everyday life. Both online and in life itself.
Ryan: I recently saw that you entered Funk Volume’s “Don’t Funk Up Our Beats” contest and placed in the top 27 out of 600 entries. What was that experience like?
JZAC: It was cool man. I’ve entered for the last few years and that was my first time placing that high. Even though I didn’t win… progress was definitely made. It was cool. I got to chop it up with the CEO of Funk Volume. He told me to send me future material so he can critique it and what not.
Ryan: That’s awesome. What other rap contests have you been involved in (if any)?
JZAC: None other than the Funk Volume contest. I try to get my foot in the door a little but but it’s not something I’m focused on. I’m more focused on my own music rather than winning contests.
Ryan: Absolutely. If you could give advice to any young emcees just getting into the game, what would it be?
JZAC: Keep grinding. I worked for 3 to 5 years without seeing any results really. It took me all those years to just get my foot in the door. I feel like young people in general are impatient. They make one project and expect it to generate buzz. When really it takes persistence and dedication to your craft. I would say really just say go hard.
Ryan: Solid advice. Lastly, what can we expect from JZAC in the future? More contests? Is there a new project in the works? Are you planning to go on tour?
JZAC: As of right now, I’m actually working on my first full length project. It will be a free album. I’ll be working on that all winter. After that… hopefully a little tour. Maybe hit up a few cities where the demand is real high and start moving around to areas other than where I’m from. And, recently I put out three new songs on Soundcloud just this past week (listen below).
*Soundcloud Player* - Ryan Pod [New Sick Music]
Today, Jack McNeil hosts @JZACMusic on Runaway Brand Media for a live sit-down. From New Hampshire, the rapper JZAC has seen an explosion in his audience base in the past month due to several videos gone viral on Twitter. After releasing "Cold Cuts EP" and sending hundreds of free copies to his followers, JZAC is working to put out new music fast, while also continuing his visual implementation of his music to attract new fans. He is taking the bull by the horns with the new twitter videos, and is finding a unique way to attract new fans to him. JZAC's "Should Been A Globetrotter" just surpassed 50,000 plays on sound cloud. Checkout his Soundcloud and follow him on Twitter. Here is the exclusive interview below:
*Video Interview* - Jack McNeil
This week’s Feedback Friday comes to us from JZAC out of New Hampshire, with his DFUOB6 entry. Should we TURN IT UP or TURN IT OFF? - Funk Volume
Ladies and gentlemen, IAMTHEINFLUENC.com presents “JZAC”. Hailing from the small town of Derry, New Hampshire, Jerry Zajac is embarking on a journey that will lift off from “space town” eventually landing him on the hip-hop charts. The Town of Derry has been known as the birthplace of the first American in Space, but soon it will be the home of a star, “JZAC. The 21 year olds latest single is “Make Believe2”, the follow up to his first hit “Believe in Make Believe”. Be sure to check them out and get familiar with who he is! - IAMTHEINFLUENCE
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Jerry Zajac aka JZAC is a 25 year old Hip-Hop artist from New Hampshire. The granite-state rapper began his career in 2011 while attending Plymouth State University, discovering his passion for lyricism and creating music. Since officially breaking into the scene, he has garnered millions of streams (via sites like Soundcloud, Youtube, etc...) and continues to gain exposure on a daily basis. In 2015 & 2016, JZAC has seen the exponential growth of his audience. His social media presence is at an all-time high and has been increasing at an extraordinary rate over the past year due to several viral videos that have taken the internet over. These videos rapidly spread through mediums such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, contributing to tens of millions of views and the birth of a stronger, loyal fanbase.
Currently JZAC is working on his first full-length album, set to release Summer 2016. With the support of his large following, this project is expected to be a defining moment in his career. Always one to set big goals for himself, JZAC has visions of touring the country and selling out shows as soon as he can. It seems as though his potential is unmatched as an up-and-comer, and it's only a matter of getting the word out. Surely, it won't be long until JZAC is a household name within the music industry.
Artist Brand: "JZAC" is the shortened version of the artist's given name: Jerry Zajac. It is unique, simple, easy to remember, and thus benefits by being easily searchable throughout the internet.
Vision: [A personal response from JZAC] The vision is to simply make great music that people can connect with. I want to be the role model that inspires the younger generation to think freely, and to motivate others to get out there and deliberately create their own reality. Through that, I want my music to continue to grow and reach a large enough fan base where I can tour the country and eventually the world. I visualize myself working in the studio alongside the artists I idolize and those who paved the way for me to make music in the first place. I plan on being a staple in the music industry for years to come, resulting in a successful career with much longevity. When it's said and done I want to be considered as one of the best to ever do it.
Persona: JZAC is often noted for his authentic and honest character. He comes across as a real, genuine person who frequently interacts with fans and other artists on a personal level. His natural charisma coupled with a positive mentality leads to an overall likable persona. With a unique style that sets him apart from the rest of the crowd, JZAC is typically known for his refreshing vibe and unparalleled spunk. Everything from his sound to his fashion sense carries a particular "be yourself" type of pizzazz, which makes JZAC's image different than most. While it's normal to see JZAC rocking a vizor and some vibrant colors, it's really his music that demonstrates these qualities the best.
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